---
title: "Rail Replacement Service Ticket Acceptance Service Routes"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0780f3"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0780f3"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0780f3.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0780f3.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-0780f3

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## Summary

Transport for Wales Rail Limited has arranged for rail passengers affected by planned or unexpected disruption to use valid rail tickets or eligible concessionary rail passes on designated scheduled local bus services. The bus journeys must provide a suitable alternative to the disrupted rail route. The arrangements can support planned disruption, emergencies and other unplanned events, including where existing bus services can provide capacity without dedicated rail replacement vehicles. The purpose is to help passengers continue their journeys and support integrated public transport. Cardiff City Transport Services Limited, trading as Cardiff Bus, is the selected operator for this service. The requirement concerns road transport services delivered through bus routes in Wales and potentially across the border; additional routes may be added during the agreement.

The procurement is complete and Cardiff Bus was selected through a direct award. Transport for Wales justified this route on the basis that the relevant bus operators have exclusive rights to operate suitable routes and that reasonable alternatives are unavailable. The award covers one lot and is valued at £794,132.96 excluding VAT (£952,959.55 including VAT). The contract period runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2031, with an option to extend to 31 October 2032 to align with the Transport for Wales Bus Franchising Programme. A proposed signature date was 28 October 2026. The buyer may vary service volumes and add routes or coverage, including cross-border services, subject to the contract terms.

For suppliers considering future requirements of this kind, the key competitive position is control of scheduled local bus routes that can provide a practical alternative when rail services are disrupted. The buyer’s rationale indicates that only operators already running relevant public bus services can meet the need, particularly where routes are operated under local-authority or Transport for Wales arrangements. A credible operator would need to support acceptance of rail tickets and eligible concessionary passes on those services, and be able to accommodate changing passenger demand, timetables and operational requirements. The arrangement also points to potential requirements for additional routes, ticket validation, reporting and digital integration, as well as coordination across train-operator interfaces and local-authority areas. This is a transport-operations opportunity tied to existing route coverage, not a standalone replacement-bus fleet contract.

## 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/093914-2026 |
| 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 | £794,132 |
| 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 | Cardiff City Transport Services Limited T/A Cardiff Bus |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 60 - Transport services (excl. Waste transport)

### Codes

- 60100000 - Road transport services

## Release History

- 5 Oct 2026 at 15:06 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093914-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093914-2026
  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-0780f3. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0780f3.json.