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ARTICLE · 17 SEPTEMBER 2010

OFT Launches Consultation on Public Transport Ticketing Schemes Block Exemption

Bircham Dyson Bell LLP
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On 28 July 2010 the OFT announced a consultation on its recommendation to extend the Public Transport Ticketing Schemes Block Exemption for another 5 years from its current expiry date in February 2011 with the new expiry date being 29 February 2016.

United KingdomAntitrust/Competition Law
Nick Maltby
Nick Maltby

Introduction

On 28 July 2010 the OFT announced a consultation on its recommendation to extend the Public Transport Ticketing Schemes Block Exemption for another 5 years from its current expiry date in February 2011 with the new expiry date being 29 February 2016. This will be the second time the Block Exemption has been extended with the previous extension happening in 2006. The consultation will run until 20 October 2010.

The Block Exemption

The Block Exemption automatically exempts from UK competition law, subject to certain conditions, the types of integrated ticketing arrangement specified in it. These include multi-operator travel cards (MTCs), multi-operator individual tickets (MITs) and through tickets (TTs). Without a block exemption, passengers would have to buy tickets from each operator rather than purchase tickets, which could be used on the services of several operators. The OFT views the benefits of this (cost or time savings, increased flexibility

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