PSVAR: medium term exemptions announced

The DfT has launched medium-term exemptions for PSVAR for rail replacement and home-to-school services. This replaces the current system of short-term exemptions for these services, which are due to expire on 30 June (rail replacement) and 31 July (home-to-school).

Operators seeking exemptions from either home-to-school (HTS) or rail replacement (RR) must apply online here.

The DfT strongly recommends that before completing the form, applicants read the accompanying guidance carefully and make sure they have the required information to hand.

The closing date for applications for RR (or RR and HTS) services is Tuesday 17 May, and the closing date for applications for HTS services is Tuesday 31 May.

Medium term extensions (MTEs) will be valid until 31 July 2026 and are qualified exemptions that will allow RR and HTS services to continue operating, while requiring operators to take specific steps to make their fleet progressively more compliant with PSVAR within a specified timeframe.