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Rail Replacement Service - Bus and Coach Operators

Transport for Wales Rail Limited (Utility Buyer)

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Award

10 Aug 2026 at 10:48

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
TenderUpdate

22 May 2026 at 18:10

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

27 Apr 2026 at 17:56

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

09 Jan 2026 at 17:25

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Transport for Wales Rail Limited is procuring rail replacement passenger transport across Wales and border routes operated by Transport for Wales in Wales and England, with scope for future TfW routes. The requirement covers emergency and pre-planned replacement bus and coach services, plus ad hoc travel services commissioned through the framework. Services include public road transport, special-purpose passenger transport, non-scheduled passenger transport and vehicles hired with drivers (CPV 60112000, 60130000, 60140000 and 60170000). Delivery may take place across Wales and English regions, including the West Midlands, North West, South West, South East, East of England, London, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber and the East Midlands. The buyer is Transport for Wales Rail Limited, based in Pontypridd.

The procurement has reached award stage under an open, competitive flexible procedure for an open framework. Three lots were awarded on 7 August 2026 to the same panel of 53 bus, coach and minibus operators. Lot 1 covers emergency duties with up to 48 hours’ notice and has an awarded value of £28,353,016 excluding VAT (£34,023,619 including VAT). Lot 2 covers pre-planned duties from 48 hours to 14 days and over 14 days, valued at £40,504,308 excluding VAT (£48,605,170 including VAT). Lot 3 covers longer blockades through mini-competitions, valued at £12,151,292 excluding VAT (£14,581,551 including VAT). Each lot runs from 25 August 2026 to 24 August 2034. Evaluation was 55% quality and 45% price, with economic and technical selection criteria.

This award demonstrates substantial recurring demand for operators able to provide rail replacement services at scale across Wales and English border routes. The underlying requirement involved approximately 6,000 emergency duties and 21,000 planned duties in the 2024–25 financial year, delivered by about 135 operators. Credible suppliers need bus, coach or minibus operating capability, sufficient vehicle and driver capacity, and the ability to respond to short-notice emergency work as well as planned journeys and larger blockade requirements. Operators must be able to provide reliable service quality and competitive commercial rates, as both determine framework rankings. The framework was explicitly suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises, although the awarded panel comprised operators identified as SMEs.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Rail Replacement Service - Bus and Coach Operators

Notice Description

Transport for Wales Rail (TfWRL) are in-housing the co-ordination and management of Rail Replacement Service (RRS) across Wales and Border routes operated by TfWRL within Wales and between Wales and England. Or any such route operated by TfW as may arise in future. This means that all pre-planned and emergency rail replacement services currently provided by coach and bus operators through an aggregator agreement, will be contracted for as services, directly by TfWRL. This procurement also includes the requirement for adhoc travel services to be commissioned via this framework as they arise. Based upon 24/25 Financial year data, approximately 6,000 emergency duties and 21,000 planned duties were delivered by circa 135 different operators. It is currently intended the Open Framework will run for the maximum 8 year term.

Lot Information

Part 1 Lot 1: Emergency (up to 48 hours)

Duties to be offered with up to 48 Hours Notice.

Parts 2 & 3 Lot 2: Pre-Planned

Part 2 Lot 2: Pre-Planned (48 hours to 14 days) Part 3 Lot 2: Pre-Planned (over 14 days)

Part 4 Lot 3: Mini-Competition (over 14 days)

Larger groups of duties/blockades over a longer period of time. Each variable, dependant upon the specific need for rail replacement services at the time.

Planning Information

This notice is issued solely for the purpose of gathering market intelligence and does not constitute a call for competition or a commitment to a formal procurement process at this stage. Through this early market engagement exercise, Transport for Wales Rail Limited the Contracting Authority seeks to: 1. Hold a series of Meet the Buyer market engagement events across Wales, to share its future vision with operators for future service provision of the planned change to in-house the co-ordination and management of the Rail Replacement Service. 2. Understand the level of operator market interest in supplying all emergency and pre-planned rail replacement services directly to TfW by participating in any future procurement opportunity. 3. Provide updates of its procurement process, timescales and current strategy. 4. Obtain information to help inform the specification e.g. duty allocation method, setting of appropriate service level KPI’s; pricing options and options for geographical zoning etc. 5. Obtain insight from operators of the challenges they face in delivering the service and provide suggestions as to how it may be improved 6. Understand any operator risks, including any associated risks and mitigations when providing this service. 7. Challenges Transport for Wales Rail Limited may not have considered. TfW currently plan to hold 4 regional events and 1 virtual event as follows: Llandudno, Shrewsbury, Pontypridd and Carmarthen. Please be advised if registration to attend these events is low, then the event may be cancelled and operators encouraged to attend the virtual session. TfW are being supported by Business Wales, who will manage the operator event registration process. How to register for these events will be posted on the Business Wales website (events page) in the coming days and may be found on the following links https://wales.business-events.org.uk/ or https://wales.business-events.org.uk/cy/ The events will be held between the 4th - 13th February, and subject to capacity, TfW may hold further 121 sessions if operators express an interest. All market engagement events will be concluded by the 27th February. If there are any specific topics relating to the Rail Replacement Service you would like to see covered during these events, please email TFW.RRSOperators@tfwrail.wales Please note the target audience for these events is operators of bus, coach and minibus etc. Rail Replacement services supported by Taxi operators is not part of the scope of this particular exercise. All events will cover the same content, hence only one event need be attended per operator.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-060348
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075598-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

CPV Codes

60112000 - Public road transport services

60130000 - Special-purpose road passenger-transport services

60140000 - Non-scheduled passenger transport

60170000 - Hire of passenger transport vehicles with driver

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£81,008,616 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£81,008,616 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£81,008,616 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
10 Jun 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
6 Apr 2026Expired
Award Date
7 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
25 Aug 2026 - 24 Aug 2034 Over 5 years
Recurrence
2027-01-22

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Transport for Wales Rail Limited (Utility Buyer)
Additional Buyers

Transport for Wales

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
PONTYPRIDD
Postcode
CF37 4TH
Postcode Area
Cardiff
Country
Wales
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLL Wales
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLL5 South East Wales
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLL51 Central Valleys and Bridgend
Delivery Location
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLE Yorkshire and The Humber, TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England), TLL Wales
Local Authority
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Electoral Ward
Pontypridd Town
Westminster Constituency
Pontypridd

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
53
Supplier Names

A C Jenkins LTD

AA minibus travels T/A Brit Coaches

BAM Travel LTD

Buchanans Coaches

Bysiau Cwm Taf Valley Coaches

Caelloi Motors

Carmel Driving School and Travel Ltd

Coastal Liner Ltd

Cresta Coaches

Cymru Coaches LTD

Davies Coaches LTD

EDWARDS COACHES LIMITED

Easy Bus

Eifions Coaches

FIRST CALL TRAVEL LTD

FRANCIS MINI TRAVEL LTD

Forge Travel Ltd

G&S Travel

GMbuses S&D

Go Goodwins Clwyd Ltd

Gower Mini Travel

Hidden Anglesey

J Davies Travel Ltd

JENSON TRAVEL

Keane's Coaches

Keepings International Ltd

Lakeside Coaches Ltd

Llew Jones Ltd

Lloyds Coaches

Longmynd Travel

M Hayward & Daughter (South Wales) Ltd

Mid Wales Motorways (1963) Ltd

N N Cresswell Coach Hire

New Adventure Travel Limited

Newport Transport

P&O Lloyd

PEYTON TRAVEL LIMITED

Pats Coaches

Ramel Hamilton ta Replacement Bus Hire

Regional Transport Ltd

Rhiew Valley Motors Ltd

Ridgways Coaches Limited

SLINE TRAVEL LIMITED

South Wales Transport Ltd

Stagecoach Services Limited

Star Coach Travel Ltd

Teulu Travel Limited

Thomas of Rhondda

Varteg Motors Ltd T/A Phil Anslow Coaches

Voel Coaches Ltd

WILKINS BROTHERS (CYMMER) LTD

Watts Coaches Ltd

Williams Coaches

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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