Bus services in Northamptonshire are run by independent commercial companies, many of which are based locally, and some of which are part of larger national operating groups.
Under current legislation, bus services can be operated commercially by any licensed bus operator - this means that bus companies are free to decide how they will run any services which do not require financial support which covers the route, the stopping points, the timetable and the fares.
They have to register the details of each service with the local Traffic Commissioner and with the County Council. These "commercial" routes do not cover all the needs of bus users, particularly lightly used routes which operate in rural areas, in the evenings or at weekends.
Where such commercial services do not exist, however, the County Council has a duty to "secure such public transport services as it considers appropriate" (Transport Act 1985).
The County Council specifies the service and awards contracts to local bus operators to run the services for a period of up to five years.
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