International bus operators - upcoming changes

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From Coach and Bus Week

In the event of a no-deal Brexit, operators can continue to run existing, authorised scheduled services to EU^» (European Union - about) countries until 31 July 2020. They cannot apply for new authorisations or renew an existing one to operate in the EU after Brexit. If the authorisation expires before 31 July 2020, it needs to be renewed before Brexit. The Interbus Agreement does not yet cover regular, scheduled services, but it should soon and details will be available online.

If there’s a no-deal Brexit, operators will not be able to run:
Regular services to outside of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway;
Occasional services to countries which are not in the EU or are not part of the Interbus Agreement; or
Regular or special regular services in the EU after 31 July 2020.

Who would want to be a bus operator?   How can a business possibly plan ahead including investment in vehicles, facilities and staff if it doesn't know what will and won't be possible in eight months?

[Worcester_Passenger]

Given that a lot of cross-border services within the EU^» (European Union - about) involve services on the island of Ireland, where does this leave Bus Eireann and Ulsterbus?

[Robin Summerhill]

Given that a lot of cross-border services within the EU^» (European Union - about) involve services on the island of Ireland, where does this leave Bus Eireann and Ulsterbus?

In the same pickle as the rest of the Irish Border "solution" after Brexit...