Request ID: FOI-2842-2122 Date published: 30 March 2022
You asked
Dear Transport for London,
Can you please tell me how much money you reimburse bus operators for acceptance of ENCTS passes? What do they get paid? Also how is it worked out? Is it just a set amount per journey regardless of length? Is it a percentage of the Single fare or Return fare or average cost of fares on the route? If so what percentage? Is it the same amount for all given to all bus operators? Are the reimbursement rates for the OAP version and Disabled version the same? Also what is the policy for cross border routes that start in Greater London and finish in another county or start in another county and finish in Greater London and how is reimbursement dealt with for such journeys that cross a border? Finally can you advise the total amount of money you have given to each bus operator in ENCTS reimbursements that runs in the Greater London area within each year for the past five years (so i require all of the periods of 01/01/2017-31/12/2017 and 01/01/2018-31/12/2018 and 01/01/2019-31/12/2019 and 01/01/2020-31/12/2020 and 01/01/2021-31/12/2021 are the five periods i need) and the list must show the total amount of reimbursement money for each year broken down in to how much has been given to each bus operator that runs in the Greater London area?
We answered
TfL Ref: 2842-2122
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 13 March 2022 asking for information about ENCTS concession bus passes reimbursement for bus operators. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require.
You asked: Can you please tell me how much money you reimburse bus operators for acceptance of ENCTS passes? What do they get paid? Also how is it worked out? Is it just a set amount per journey regardless of length? Is it a percentage of the Single fare or Return fare or average cost of fares on the route? If so what percentage? Is it the same amount for all given to all bus operators? Are the reimbursement rates for the OAP version and Disabled version the same? Also what is the policy for cross border routes that start in Greater London and finish in another county or start in another county and finish in Greater London and how is reimbursement dealt with for such journeys that cross a border? Finally can you advise the total amount of money you have given to each bus operator in ENCTS reimbursements that runs in the Greater London area within each year for the past five years (so i require all of the periods of 01/01/2017-31/12/2017 and 01/01/2018-31/12/2018 and 01/01/2019-31/12/2019 and 01/01/2020-31/12/2020 and 01/01/2021-31/12/2021 are the five periods i need) and the list must show the total amount of reimbursement money for each year broken down in to how much has been given to each bus operator that runs in the Greater London area?
We do not reimburse bus operators for accepting ENCTS passes. Our bus operators are contracted to operate bus routes based on the cost of providing the service. All revenue collected, along with any reimbursement from the local authorities, remains within TfL to cover the cost of paying bus operators to provide the service.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Sara Thomas FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
