---
title: "Passenger Transport Services 2026 - Route Based (1-8 Seat Provision)"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f20a"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f20a"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f20a.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f20a.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "West Northamptonshire Council"
published: "2026-09-04"
---

# Passenger Transport Services 2026 - Route Based (1-8 Seat Provision)

Buyer: West Northamptonshire Council  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f20a

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## Summary

West Northamptonshire Council procured passenger transport services for a route carrying pupils between Northampton and Tiffield Academy in Tiffield, Towcester. The requirement is for a vehicle with up to eight passenger seats, operated Monday to Friday during term time, with morning outbound and afternoon return journeys. The route serves Old Quarry Court, Fullerburn Court, Millbank, Hanemill Court, Crow Lane and Farmers Close in Northampton, with Tiffield Academy as the destination. The service supports pupils with social, emotional, mental health, cognition, learning, interaction and communication needs; one passenger requires a booster seat. Drivers must follow a specified traffic restriction around St John's Road and the A43, using the A5 roundabout and left-turn movements only, whether or not pupils are present.

The procurement is complete following a below-threshold limited competition under the light-touch regime. One completed lot was awarded to Top Rank Transport, an SME, for passenger transport services. The award was made on 4 September 2026 and the contract was signed the same day. The active contract runs from 7 September 2026 to 23 July 2028, with a value of £874 gross. The procurement used a starting price set by West Northamptonshire Council. The route-based service is evaluated and awarded through the limited competition process; the published information identifies the operational route, vehicle capacity, timetable, passenger needs and traffic requirements as the core service specification. No separate scoring weights or award criteria are stated.

This procurement demonstrates recurring demand from West Northamptonshire Council for small-capacity, route-based school transport rather than general passenger operations. Suppliers best placed for similar work will be able to provide an eight-seat vehicle and a reliable weekday term-time service covering scheduled morning and afternoon journeys. Operational discipline is important: drivers must follow the prescribed approach to St John's Road and the A43, including the restriction on right turns. Relevant capability also includes transporting pupils with social, emotional, mental health, learning, interaction and communication needs, and accommodating a booster seat where required. Local knowledge of Northampton, Tiffield and Towcester, dependable scheduling, and the ability to work to a fixed school timetable would strengthen a future response.

## Notice

Passenger Transport Services 2026 - Route Based (1-8 Seat Provision) : ***With immediate effect, drivers must not make a right turn into or out of St John's Road across the A43. Drivers are required to use the A5 roundabout and approach/depart St John's Road via left-turn movements only. This requirement applies to all journeys whether or not pupils are present, including morning drop-offs and afternoon collections.*** Added 20/08/2026 CS*** Tiffield 7 8 Passenger Seats Operator PA Monday to Friday - Term Time Only Outbound - AM 08:17 Old Quarry Court, Northampton, NN3 8HN 08:20 Fullerburn Court, Northampton, NN3 8HF 08:29 Millbank, Northampton, NN3 5HJ 08:35 Hanemill Court, Northampton, NN3 9BU 08:35 Hanemill Court, Northampton, NN3 9BU 08:42 Crow Lane, Northampton, NN3 9BX 08:54 Farmers Close, Northampton, NN4 6HS 09:15 - Tiffield Academy - The Tiffield Academy, St. Johns Road, Tiffield, Towcester, NN12 8AA Return - PM 15:30 - Tiffield Academy - The Tiffield Academy, St. Johns Road, Tiffield, Towcester, NN12 8AA 15:50 Farmers Close, Northampton, NN4 6HS 16:03 Crow Lane, Northampton, NN3 9BX 16:08 Hanemill Court, Northampton, NN3 9BU 16:08 Hanemill Court, Northampton, NN3 9BU 16:14 Millbank, Northampton, NN3 5HJ 16:23 Fullerburn Court, Northampton, NN3 8HF 16:27 Old Quarry Court, Northampton, NN3 8HN *West Northants Council will set a starting price on this contract. * JW Social and Emotional Mental Health. Cognition and Learning AB Social, Emotional and Mental Health RJ Social, emotional, interaction and communication difficulties - Booster Seat TC Social, Emotional and Mental Health LDT Social, Emotional and Mental Health NM Social, Emotional and Mental Health SL Social, emotional, interaction and communication difficulties

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083802-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Limited |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - limited competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 4 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 7 Sep 2026 - 24 Jul 2028 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £874 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | West Northamptonshire Council |
| Locality | NORTHAMPTON |
| Postcode area | Northampton |
| Postcode | NN1 1ED |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLF East Midlands (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire |
| ITL 3 | TLF24 West Northamptonshire |
| Local authority | West Northamptonshire |
| Electoral ward | Castle |
| Westminster constituency | Northampton North |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | TOP RANK TRANSPORT |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

### Codes

- 60000000 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

## Release History

- 4 Sep 2026 at 10:51 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083802-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/083802-2026
  4th September 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.topranktransport.com
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f20a. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f20a.json.