---
title: "Rail Replacement Service Ticket Acceptance Service Routes"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0780e3"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0780e3"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0780e3.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0780e3.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "Transport for Wales Rail Limited (Utility Buyer)"
published: "2026-10-05"
---

# Rail Replacement Service Ticket Acceptance Service Routes

Buyer: Transport for Wales Rail Limited (Utility Buyer)  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0780e3

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## Summary

Transport for Wales Rail Limited is arranging ticket acceptance on scheduled local bus services as an alternative for passengers when rail services are disrupted. Customers with valid rail tickets or eligible concessionary rail passes can use designated bus routes where these provide a suitable substitute. The arrangements can support planned disruption, emergencies and other ad hoc incidents, including where existing buses have spare capacity. The aim is to keep passenger journeys moving, support integrated public transport and avoid dedicated rail replacement vehicles where a suitable bus service is available. The work is road transport services, delivered on routes in Wales and cross-border areas. It is tied to existing public bus routes, rather than a requirement to operate dedicated replacement coaches.

The procurement is complete and the contract has been awarded to Stagecoach Services Limited. Transport for Wales Rail Limited used a direct award, stating that only operators with exclusive rights to suitable bus routes can provide the alternative journeys and that there are no reasonable alternatives. The award value is £2,173,469.03 excluding VAT (£2,608,162.84 including VAT). The contract period is 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2031, with an extension option to 31 October 2032 to align with the TfW Bus Franchising Programme. One lot covered the requirement. The buyer may adjust service volumes for passenger demand, timetable changes or operational needs, and extend coverage to additional routes or areas. Ticket acceptance may be activated as required for disruption.

For suppliers assessing comparable future work from Transport for Wales, this award shows demand for using established bus networks as a practical contingency when rail services are disrupted. A credible provider would need to operate the relevant scheduled local bus routes and have the exclusive route rights that make its services a suitable alternative; the buyer’s stated justification depends on there being no reasonable alternative operator. Providers also need to accommodate rail-ticket and eligible concessionary-pass acceptance, support passengers during planned and unplanned disruption, and respond to variable needs as events occur. Operational flexibility matters: service volumes may change with demand, timetables and operating requirements, and arrangements may extend to additional routes, local authority areas and cross-border services. The model is suited to established operators with capacity on existing services, rather than suppliers whose offer depends solely on dedicated rail-replacement vehicles.

## Notice

Transport for Wales Rail Limited (TfWRL) intends to award contracts directly to specified bus operators to establish ticket acceptance arrangements during planned and unplanned rail service disruption. The contracts will enable customers holding valid rail tickets or eligible concessionary rail passes to travel on designated scheduled local bus services where those services provide a suitable alternative to the disrupted rail route. The arrangements may be activated as required to support Rail Replacement Services for pre-planned, emergency and ad hoc issues arising e.g. create spare capacity (disruption events), helping TfWRL maintain customer journeys, support integrated public transport and reduce the need for dedicated rail replacement vehicles where suitable existing bus services are available.

### Procurement Information

The suppliers being awarded the contracts are the only operators of the services that could provide an alternative travel method for customers affected by disruption, as these bus routes are either operated by a Mutual aligned to a Local Authority or have been awarded public service route via LA or TfW competition in accordance with public sector procurement rules. Only operators already providing public service bus routes under the current public transport network are able to provide these services. In accordance with Schedule 5 of PA23, the following conditions are met in relation to the public contract-- 5 (a) due to a particular operator having the exclusive right to operate the bus routes suitable to temporarily substitute rail services hence only that operator can supply the services required; and 5(b) there are no reasonable alternatives to those service providers. Ticket Acceptance is used where it is not operationally or commercially viable to provide a dedicated rail replacement service and provides a better value for money alternative, enabling passengers to continue their journey using existing public transport services.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093883-2026 |
| Notice type | UK5 - Transparency Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Nov 2026 - 31 Oct 2031 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £2,173,469 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Pending |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | Transport for Wales Rail Limited (Utility Buyer) |
| Locality | PONTYPRIDD |
| Postcode area | Cardiff |
| Postcode | CF37 4TH |
| Country | Wales |
| ITL 1 | TLL Wales |
| ITL 2 | TLL5 South East Wales |
| ITL 3 | TLL51 Central Valleys and Bridgend |
| Local authority | Rhondda Cynon Taf |
| Electoral ward | Pontypridd Town |
| Westminster constituency | Pontypridd |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | STAGECOACH SERVICES LIMITED |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

### Codes

- 60100000 - Road transport services

## Release History

- 5 Oct 2026 at 14:33 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093883-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093883-2026
  5th October 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.tfwrail.wales
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## 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-0780e3. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0780e3.json.