Open tenders / Transport & taxis
Open tender · Notice 100673-2026
Contracted Enhancements to Local Bus Services
- Value
- £800k
- Closes
- 18 Nov 2026 (10 days)
- Where
- East of England
- Lots
- 7
- Suitable for SMEs
- Not stated
- Contract
- 4 Jan 2027 – 3 Jan 2028
In plain English
Bedford Borough Council wants bus operators to run contracted enhancements to local bus routes in Bedford, improving the existing town centre network at Hillgrounds Road and Saxon Centre, Putnoe Lane, Woodlands Park and Abbeyfields. The contract is estimated at £800,000 and runs from 4 January 2027 to 3 January 2028, with bids due by 18 November 2026.
Good fit for: Local bus and coach operators who can run scheduled services in and around Bedford.
- Every resident within 400 metres of a service
Proposals must aim for each resident of the above locations to be able to access public transport within 400 metres of their home address.
- Minimum service levels must be met on set days and times
Transport provision to these locations on the day of operation and time of service is a minimum provision required.
Written with AI from the official notice. Check the notice before relying on it.
What the buyer says
Bedford Borough Council wishes to tender for contracted enhancements to local bus routes, enhancing the existing town centre network. Bidders will submit proposals to enhance bus services on a contracted basis. Key locations are: o Hillgrounds Road and Saxon Centre o Putnoe Lane o Woodlands Park o Abbeyfields Proposals must aim for each resident of the above locations to be able to access public transport within 400 metres of their home address. Services must provide enhanced access to key hubs and services, eg Bedford Hospital (North and South Wings), Bedford Bus Station and Bedford and Kempston Town centre, and should be designed more generally with the aim of providing enhanced connectively to socially necessary locations. Transport provision to these locations on the day of operation and time of service is a minimum provision required. Operators are permitted the flexibility to incorporate these areas into their existing network and enhance the minimum requirement on a commercial basis where they deem it is appropriate. Further details are contained within the specification.
Getting the documents
supplier.in-tend.co.uk/bedford/home (the buyer's own site, usually free to register).
Procedure: Open procedure (Open: anyone can bid, in one stage). Published 23 Oct 2026.
What similar contracts went for
Similar contracts went for £250k to £957k (2 since 2025).
| Contract | Won by | Value | Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newport (IW) Bus Service Enhancement 2026 -2031 Isle of Wight Council | Go South Coast Limited | £957k | 27 Aug |
| Local Bus enhancements 6, 12 and 8 Isle of Wight Council | Go South Coast Limited | £250k | 29 Oct |
From the award notices on Find a Tender and Public Contracts Scotland. Values are as each notice states them and cover the contract's whole term: most notices give the value before VAT, but about one in seven gives only a figure including VAT. AI picked these as the same kind of work and can be wrong, so check what each one included before you price.
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