The major issues relating to the judicial reviews by bus operators in the Stagecoach and Go-Ahead groups, concerning the concessionary bus travel scheme, were heard at a preliminary hearing in the High Court from 17-20 November 2009. The court's judgment was handed down on 16 February 2010. The judge declined the operators' request for various declarations that would have fundamentally changed the reimbursement arrangements for concessionary travel.
There were also a number of more technical issues that were included in the original applications for judicial review by Stagecoach and Go-Ahead that were not considered at the November hearing. We are waiting to hear whether the operators decide to pursue these issues in the light of the judgment.
The High Court declined permission for the operators to appeal to the Court of Appeal.
The Secretary of State conceded prior to the hearing that the appeal determinations in 2007-08 should not have specified payment of a fixed amount to the operator in advance of the financial year end. These appeals will be re-determined in due course.