Bus & Coach Sector
Trusted legal experts for the bus and coach sector. Led by Frank Suttie, our team combines deep sector knowledge with commercial and regulatory expertise to help operators, authorities, and suppliers navigate complex challenges.
Trusted legal experts for the bus and coach sector
We are proud to be a trusted legal partner to the UK’s dynamic bus and coach industry. Our clients include Strategic (Combined) Authorities, Local Transport Authorities (including Transport for London), bus and coach operators, and sector suppliers.
Led by Frank Suttie, a commercial lawyer with direct industry experience at a major bus operator, our multidisciplinary team brings together expertise in commercial law, asset finance, corporate transactions, financial services and regulatory compliance. This integrated approach ensures our advice is not only legally robust but also commercially astute and aligned with sector realities.
Deep transport sector experience
Our team of tranport lawyers have advised on numerous landmark transactions, including the privatisation of National Bus Company subsidiaries and local authority-owned bus companies, followed by supporting industry consolidation through mergers and acquisitions. We’ve also supported the evolution of voluntary and statutory partnerships between operators and local authorities.
As the sector enters a new era of bus reform and publicly controlled services, we are at the forefront of advising on bus franchising schemes and the legal frameworks that underpin them.
Key contact
Key areas of expertise
We provide end-to-end legal support across a wide range of projects, including:
Structuring governance and decision-making frameworks to ensure partnership schemes deliver meaningful interventions for both authorities and operators.
Advising on commercial, competition, and financial services aspects to help remove barriers to public transport use.
Supporting procurement processes with deep knowledge of the Public Service Obligations (PSOT) Regulations, helping authorities secure robust, future-proof contracts.
Applying our asset finance expertise to support the transition to clean energy fleets, including electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Helping operators navigate subsidy control rules to implement innovative, customer-focused service improvements.
Advising on access to bus stations, arrival/departure slots, and shared infrastructure, ensuring compliance with competition law.
Providing strategic advice on franchise agreements, risk allocation, depot ownership, and CPO powers under the Transport Act 1968.
We also advise long-distance coach operators on a range of legal matters, including clean energy infrastructure, procurement, access arrangements to terminals and depots and service delivery requirements.
Industry engagement & thought leadership
We are a supplier member of the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) and actively contribute to sector reform and innovation.
Our recent contributions include:
- Input into the Bus Services (No. 2) Bill, with two of our proposals adopted into legislation
- Supporting the CPT’s lobbying efforts on key legislative changes
- Publishing expert commentary in leading industry publications such as Route One and Bus and Coach Buyer
Looking ahead
As mass transit projects emerge in major urban areas, we are preparing for the next generation of advisory work, helping clients navigate complex legal, regulatory and commercial challenges in a rapidly evolving transport landscape.
Explore our latest insight:
Bus fanchising and the new procurement rules
Discover how the evolving procurement landscape under the new Bus Services legislation is reshaping responsibilities for both authorities and operators.
Stay informed: subscribe below for expert analysis and practical guidance as we continue to support the sector through this period of transformation.
Our accreditations
We are celebrating another year of accreditations and memberships.
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Whatever your legal needs, our wide ranging expertise is here to support you and your business, so let’s start your legal journey today and get you in touch with the right lawyer to get you started.
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