Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) for community transport

Introduction

From 1 May 2002 following the commitment in the Government's 10 year transport plan to extend eligibility to receive Bus Services Operators Grant (formerly called Fuel Duty Rebate) to include "a wider range of community transport service operators", they will able to claim BSOG once they have satisfied the eligibility criteria.

The Bus Service Operators Grant (England) Regulations 2002, which came into force on 1 May, set down the range of services operated under a permit under section 19 of the Transport Act 1985 which are newly eligible to receive the grant. These Regulations also re-enact the previous eligibility rules for fuel duty rebate under section 92 of the Finance Act 1965, which is now superseded by section 154 of the Transport Act 2000.

The associated documents give information on the provisions of the regulations and the range of newly eligible services and also include an application form and guide to record keeping for those community transport organisations who operate eligible services.

If you have any other query about BSOG, further information can be obtained by calling 0207 944 8588 or alternatively e mail us at fdr@dft.gsi.gov.uk

Invitation

Attached is a note which explains the conditions under which community transport services may qualify for grant under the above scheme.

Please consider this note to help you determine if services your organisation provides are eligible for the grant. If your services do comply with the rules of eligibility, then you should complete the enclosed application form. You should also send us a copy of your section 19 permit (or permits if relevant) together with any supporting documentation that may assist us in considering your application. Please send a copy of the Permit itself and not the Permit Disk. To help us assess eligibility it would be very useful, and help to speed up the decision, if you can provide us with any publicity material etc that you may use to promote your service, particularly your transport services, (this will be particularly relevant if the information on the permit is not sufficiently detailed to easily establish eligibility). As you will note on the application form we also require a broad estimate of the proportion or percentage of persons carried for each category.

The Department will then consider your application and may seek external advice should this be necessary. Once we are satisfied that you operate some services which qualify for the grant we shall write to you as soon as possible (normally within three months) enclosing the forms to be used to claim the grant, together with notes for guidance on how to complete them. We will also notify you if we are not able to confirm your organisation's eligibility on the basis of the information you have supplied.

Also attached is a note on the record keeping requirements for organisations who wish to make a claim for grant under the scheme. Please note that we will only be able to pay BSOG if adequate records have been kept over the period of your claim. Claims will be paid in arrears twice yearly following the end of the September and March claim periods.

Eligibility

This note contains a brief description of the conditions of eligibility for Bus Service Operators Grant on community transport services. It is for guidance only; full conditions of eligibility for bus service operators grant are contained within the Statutory Instrument No 2002/1015 and will also be printed in full on the reverse of the claim form.

Conditions of Eligibility

An organisation wishing to receive Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) under the new eligibility rules first has to apply for acceptance on to the BSOG scheme. To enable the body's eligibility to be checked it should submit to the Department for Transport a copy of its Section 19 Permit (or Permits if relevant) and such other documentation as is necessary to show that it provides transport services in the eligible categories. Please send a copy of the Permit itself and not the Permit Disk. Documentation could, for example, include the body's constitution and/or its annual report and/or literature - an existing leaflet for example - describing the particular transport service for which BSOG will be claimed. Applications for eligibility should be made on the enclosed form.

To qualify for the grant community transport services must be eligible services operated by non-profit making bodies on the basis of a permit issued under section 19 of the Transport Act 1985. Eligible services are services used wholly or mainly by-

a) persons who have attained the age of 60 years;

b) disabled persons*;

c) persons in receipt of income support under section 124 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992;

d) persons in receipt of jobseeker's allowance under the Jobseekers Act 1995;

e) persons suffering a degree of social exclusion by virtue of unemployment, poverty or other economic factors, homelessness, geographical remoteness, ill health, or religious or cultural mores;

f) persons who believe that it would be unsafe for them to use any public passenger transport services; or

g) carers or persons under 16 years of age accompanying any of the foregoing.

*For this purpose, a person is disabled if he or she has a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Further Information

If you consider your services are eligible, please complete and return the enclosed form (available from the foot of this page)

If you require further information, please contact:

Department for Transport
Bus Service Operators Grant
F14 Ashdown House
Sedlescombe Road North
St Leonards on Sea
East Sussex
TN37 7GA

Tel: 0207 944 8588
Email: FDR@dft.gsi.gov.uk