Issue - meetings
Future Bus Regulation Options
Meeting: 21/10/2025 - Cabinet (Item 141)
141 Future Bus Regulation Options 
PDF 257 KB
Cabinet Member: Transport Management
Forward Plan Ref: 2025/091
Contact: Katherine Broomfield, Technical Lead
Katharine.broomfield@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Report by Director of Environment and Highways (CA9)
The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to
(a) approve the development of an Enhanced Partnership Plus (EP+) approach.
(b) delegate the development of the EP+ to the Director of Environment & Highways, including defining the desired and achievable outputs of the EP+, informed by passenger and resident feedback.
(c) delegate formal adoption of the EP+ agreement to the Cabinet Member for Transport Management through the Cabinet Member Delegated Decisions process.
(d) elect not to undertake any further work on bus franchising or municipal operation at the current time.
Additional documents:
- CA211025 Future Bus Regulation Models Annex 1 Oxfordshire Bus Delivery Options (Bus Report), item 141
PDF 1 MB
- CA211025 Future Bus Regulation Models Annex 2 Equalities Impact Assessment (EQIA), item 141
PDF 346 KB
- CA211025 Future Bus Regulation Models Annex 3 Climate Impact Assessment (CIA), item 141
PDF 406 KB
- CA211025 Future Bus Regulation Models Annex 4 Example Leicester Buses EP+ proposal, item 141
PDF 157 KB
- CA211025 Future Bus Regulation Models Annex 5 Updates on franchising in other areas, item 141
PDF 111 KB
Decision:
Recommendations approved.
Minutes:
Cabinet had before it a report on bus regulation and ownership options relevant to Oxfordshire. Following a motion passed by the Council in 2023, a consultant had been asked to review options for bus franchising and municipal operation. They were also asked to consider the effectiveness of the existing Oxfordshire Enhanced Partnership (EP).
Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, presented the report.
Cabinet members discussed the high costs and logistical challenges of franchising, including depot purchases, and noted that current multi-operator ticketing and partnerships already delivered many benefits.
Councillor Gant moved and Councillor Roberts seconded the recommendations, and they were approved.
RESOLVED to
(a) approve the development of an Enhanced Partnership Plus (EP+) approach.
(b) delegate the development of the EP+ to the Director of Environment & Highways, including defining the desired and achievable outputs of the EP+, informed by passenger and resident feedback.
(c) delegate formal adoption of the EP+ agreement to the Cabinet Member for Transport Management through the Cabinet Member Delegated Decisions process.
(d) elect not to undertake any further work on bus franchising or municipal operation at the current time