North Fife Local Bus Services - Contract Extensions

Fife Council organises local bus services as permitted by Section 63(2) of The Transport Act 1985. The Council wishes to provide bus services to provide links for communities either not served by the commercial bus network or not served by that network on particular days or at particular times of day. These bus services which are the subject of this Notice are in North Fife. North Fife is an area comprising, though not exclusively so, the boundaries of the former North-east Fife District Council. In general terms, this area is bounded by Newburgh, Gateside, Falkland, Freuchie, Star, Kennoway and Leven and all points to the north and east within the peninsula. The main urban centres are Cupar, St Andrews and Anstruther. Services may operate wholly within the North Fife area but are not limited by its boundaries and may operate further afield. On 1st March 2018, Fife Council confirmed to successful operators their place on the framework for the provision of North Fife Local Bus Services. Contracts initially awarded under the framework commenced on 13th August 2018 and ran to 16th August 2020 with the option to extend for one year to 15th August 2021. Information about the award of the framework and contracts awarded under it was published on 5th April 2018 under references: APR315670 / OCID:ocds-r6ebe6-0000512992. Those contracts were extended until 15th August 2021, when the framework expired, and then were further extended until 14th August 2022, a modification notice confirming this was published on 10th February 2021, reference: FEB406408 OCID:ocds-r6ebe6-0000643941. This notice is to extend these existing contracts with the incumbent suppliers for a period of 12 months until 13th August 2023 for the reasons detailed in section IV of this notice.