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PHC26117 Supported Bus Service 2026 - Service 26

Torbay Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

03 Sep 2026 at 10:55

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

07 Jul 2026 at 15:16

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Torbay Council procured a supported non-commercial bus service, renumbered as Service 26, to maintain community connectivity and access to facilities and services. The service links Paignton-based communities and is intended to support the wider bus network around Paignton and Torquay. The requirement responds to operational changes affecting other services and is designed to retain and improve local coverage. The council’s stated ambitions include better service levels, earlier and later journeys, weekend services, links to key locations currently without service, and modern low-floor, zero- or low-emission vehicles. A possible overlapping Service 27 would connect Paignton town centre with schools in Torquay and Torbay Hospital, including potentially Shorton Valley and Preston Down Road. This is a public road transport services requirement delivered in the Torbay area.

The procurement is complete and an award was made to D J WATTS COACH TRAVEL LIMITED on 28 August 2026. The award is pending completion of the standstill period, which ends on 14 September 2026; contract signature is scheduled for 21 September 2026. The awarded value is £423,000 excluding VAT (£507,600 including VAT). The awarded contract period runs from 2 November 2026 to 31 March 2032. The original estimated value was £350,000 excluding VAT (£420,000 including VAT). This was a single-lot open procedure. Evaluation weighted pricing at 50%, method statements at 30%, technical questions at 10% and social value at 10%. The process received one bid. Financial capacity, insurance ability, previous contract examples, relevant policies, procedures and accreditations formed the selection requirements. An option covers a new route requirement.

This award shows recurring demand from Torbay Council for contracted local bus operations that preserve and improve community connectivity. A credible future competitor would need to operate supported public bus services reliably across the Paignton and Torquay area, manage route and timetable changes, and demonstrate practical capability through relevant previous contract examples. The requirement favours operators able to provide modern low-floor vehicles, with zero- or low-emission vehicles aligned with the council’s stated service ambitions. Suppliers would also need suitable financial capacity, the ability to obtain relevant insurance before service delivery, and documented policies, procedures and accreditations appropriate to bus service delivery. Social value is a material part of the council’s evaluation approach, alongside service quality, technical capability and price. The successful supplier is an SME, indicating that this scale can suit smaller specialist operators.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

PHC26117 Supported Bus Service 2026 - Service 26

Notice Description

Due to the operational impacts arising from changes in other services, the existing operator has served notice on the contract awarded in 2024 for Non-Commercial Bus Services Lot 4 (Service 60). The need for this service remains to ensure the community has the connectivity to facilities and services. This service will be renumbered as Service 26, linking more appropriately with other Paignton based services. Torbay Council is seeking to at least retain the existing bus service network in accordance with the Councils BSIP, but also to enhance it with improvements to service levels, including operating to key locations which are not currently served. Our aim is to improve the routes with increased frequency, additional services covering earlier and later times and at weekends with modern, low floor, zero or low emission vehicles. It is important to note that a new service (27), replacing and improving upon the current Services 28 and 30 between Paignton town centre and schools in Torquay, will be proposed. This will operate all day, additionally connecting to Torbay Hospital. There will be overlap with this contract. That overlap is not confirmed but may include areas of Shorton Valley and Preston Down Road. Torbay Council and Devon County Council are in the process of setting up a new combined Enhanced Bus Partnership.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06c575
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083358-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

CPV Codes

60112000 - Public road transport services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£350,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
£350,000 £100K-£500K
Awards Value
£423,000 £100K-£500K
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
3 Sep 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
4 Aug 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
28 Aug 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
2 Nov 2026 - 31 Mar 2032 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Torbay Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
TORQUAY
Postcode
TQ1 3DR
Postcode Area
Torquay
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLK South West (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLK4 Devon
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLK42 Torbay
Delivery Location
TLK42 Torbay
Local Authority
Torbay
Electoral Ward
Tormohun
Westminster Constituency
Torbay

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

DJ Watts Coach Travel

Further Information

Notice Documents

  • https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083358-2026
    3rd September 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/063750-2026
    7th July 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • http://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/
    In order to provide unrestricted, full, direct and free of charge access to the Tender Documents, the Authority is providing the documents in PDF in the Opportunities Area of the ProContract e-tendering portal at https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/ In order to access amendable versions of the documents and to submit a response, Applicants must be registered as Suppliers on ProContract. Applicants should then express an interest in the opportunity and download the Work and Excel format documents for completion and submission.

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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