Bus Service Contract for Bishops Lydeard and Bridgwater

Somerset Council is seeking bids for two bus services: Service 613 and Service 19. Service 613 operates Monday to Friday during college days only, with no service on weekends or bank holidays. It requires a minimum vehicle capacity of 30 passengers. Bidders must provide details of both seated and standing capacity in their submissions. The average patronage for Service 613 is 283 passengers per month from January to December 2024, excluding July and August, with 4.4% of those being concessionary fares. Service 19 operates year-round, Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays, with an average patronage of 681 passengers per month, of which 448 are concessionary fares. Bids can be submitted on a cost basis (where Somerset Council retains fare revenue) or a subsidy basis (where the operator retains fare revenue). Please specify which basis you are bidding on in your submission. The contract is set to begin on September 1, 2025, and will end on August 27, 2027, with no option for extension. For full contract details, please refer to the attached tender schedule.