Conditions of Travel

Go-Coach Conditions of Travel

 

By travelling on ANY Go-Coach service, you agree to these Conditions of Travel

 

  1. Customer Charter

As one of Kent’s largest independent transport providers, our aim is to continually improve the standard of our service.  This includes all aspects of our network such as punctuality, reliability, vehicle cleanliness, branding and staff training.

 

  1. Mission Statement

Our vision is to provide the best possible public transport service to the people of Kent and its visitors.

Our Aim is to:

  • Deliver the most reliable service possible
  • Provide safe, clean and comfortable vehicles
  • Keep customers informed about any changes to our services
  • Operate our network with, polite professional well-trained staff

 

  1. Getting in touch

If you need bus service information or journey planning advice, please contact us on any of the methods below and we’ll do our best to help.

  • Visit our website go-coach.co.uk
  • Email: info@go-coach.co.uk
  • Phone: 01732 469 800
  • Visit us at our Head Office at Bus Garage, London Road, Swanley. BR8 8BY

 

Our depot is open 08:00 – 17:00 Monday – Friday.

 

  1. Carriage services

We agree to carry you and your property on the journey permitted by your ticket. In some instances, we may need to alter, suspend, withdraw, cancel or deviate the route of any vehicle. We may also need to alter all or some of the operating times of the services as set out in the timetables.

Once you have boarded a vehicle we’ll do our best not to deviate from the route or cancel the service, but in some cases where we experience operational issues we may have to do so.

The running times set out on any timetable are only approximate.  We do not guarantee that any service will start or arrive at the published time or that any service will connect with any other service shown as a connecting service.

 

You must not board or alight from a Vehicle unless the Vehicle:

  • Is at a bus stop (unless you are expressly permitted to alight at a non- designated Bus Stop by the Driver).
  • Is stationary.
  • Doors are fully open.

You must not use the emergency exits except in the event of an emergency.

 

  1. Wheelchairs, Mobility Scooters and Pram’s.

Wheelchairs

Our buses are fully accessible to wheelchair users and will accommodate a standard reference wheelchair.

One wheelchair can be accommodated per bus.

The bus driver will lower the ramp for a wheelchair user to allow them access on and off the bus.

The space designated to accommodate a wheelchair is available on a first come first served basis for customers but if you are booking a Go2 service, please make sure your account is updated to show that a wheelchair space will be needed.

On normal fixed line bus services, if the space is occupied and there is no room elsewhere for passengers to relocate or they are not willing to relocate, the wheelchair user must wait for the next available bus.

The driver can ask passengers to move, but legally has no power to force anyone to move.

 

Pushchairs, Pram’s or other wheeled items such as shopping trolleys or walking aids

Unfolded pushchairs can usually be accommodated on any of our normal fixed line buses, but you will be asked to fold your pushchair (or other wheeled item) to board one of our Go2 services. If your pushchair is unable to be, or you are unwilling to, fold your pushchair and it takes space to the exclusion of a fare-paying passenger you will be charged £1 for that item

Pushchairs do not have any priority over any other passenger on the bus and the space is available on a first come first served basis. Sometimes you may be asked to fold down your pushchair to allow space for other

passengers such as wheelchair users. If it is possible to do so, your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

When a pushchair is occupying the space, the child must be left in the pushchair with the brakes applied and accompanied by the Parent/Guardian. Pushchairs must not block the gangway.

Once the designated space for a pushchair or wheelchair is occupied, any other customers wishing to board will be asked to remove their child from the pushchair before boarding and stow the pushchair in a secure area.

 

Electric Scooters and Bikes

These are not permitted on our vehicles

 

  1. Paying your Fare

Our drivers (or conductors) carry a small float; therefore, it is helpful if you could have the exact fare ready as this helps to cut down on delays to services.  Payment by contactless debit/credit cards may be made on most buses. You are requested when you have paid your fare to check that you have received the correct ticket. Any errors must be brought to the driver/conductor’s attention immediately so that a replacement can be issued. After this time a replacement ticket cannot be issued.

If you board a vehicle between the fare stages, you will be charged from the closest previous fare stage. This is why your ticket will sometimes state a different location to that where you boarded.

If you get off between fare stages, you will be charged to the next fare stage.

If you travel beyond the point to which you have paid, you must pay the correct fare from that point to your destination.

Tickets must not be resold or given away for further use. Defaced or mutilated ticket/passes are not valid for travel. We will not accept any application for a fare refund for defaced or mutilated tickets/passes or for lost tickets/passes.

All tickets remain the property of the company and must be kept for inspection and/or given up on request by an Inspector, driver, conductor or any other authorised official of the Company. Failure to do so may result in having to pay again.

A single ticket is valid on a single journey between two points only. You cannot break your journey.

Children aged 4 and under will travel free of charge when accompanied by an adult. Child fares are available for persons aged 5-18 inclusive but those aged 17 and 18 will be asked for proof of age to get the Child concession fare.

Persons aged 19 and above will be charged the full adult fare.

On School services all passengers are charged full adult fares regardless of age.

In the event that a fare is unable to be paid, or the incorrect fare is produced, it is the drivers decision if the passengers may be carried. In the event that the driver doesn’t allow the passenger to travel, it is the passenger responsibility to find an alternative method to travel unless they are able to produce the correct fare. The only exception to this is for those aged 5 to 16 inclusive who will only be refused travel if they are at their home destination.

 

All comments about tickets include paper tickets, e-tickets and m-purse tickets. Any electronic tickets which require activation to validate them , must only be validated once the bus is in sight. Requests for refunds will not be considered if the ticket has been activated and the bus then fails to arrive before the expiry of the activation.

 

  1. Carriage of Dogs and other Pets

Dogs may travel on single deck vehicles and lower decks of double decker Vehicles. If you bring a dog onto a bus, then you must carry or hold your dog on a leash for the whole journey.

Dogs should be kept under control at all times. Other animals may be carried on vehicles at the drivers discretion and must be caged, boxed or kept on a lead.

 

  1. Behaviour on our vehicles – Your responsibilities as a customer

All passengers are carried on our services subject to the Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990.

We do our best to ensure that your journey is both safe and comfortable. To ensure that this is the case for all customers, we ask that you observe the following guidelines.

When travelling, getting on or off any bus you must not:

  • Attempt to board the vehicle before the doors are fully open and before other passengers have got off the bus
  • Smoke or use an e-cigarette (electronic smoking device)
  • Use a music system without headphones or set it at a volume which may annoy other customers or distract the driver
  • Spit
  • Damage or deface any part of the vehicle
  • Offend the driver, conductor or fellow customers in anyway
  • Obstruct the gangways, stairs or emergency exits
  • Leave litter or property on the vehicle
  • Throw items from the vehicle
  • Speak to or distract the driver when the vehicle is in motion except in emergency situations
  • Intentionally interfere with any equipment fitted to the vehicle
  • Alter or deface your ticket – you may be asked to present this to an inspector or company official

Breaching any of the above guidelines may constitute misconduct. Please note that this list is not exhaustive and other acts may be deemed as misconduct. The company reserve the right to temporarily or permanently ban any customers from travelling on its services following an incident of misconduct.

In the interests of Health & Safety you must always follow instructions from staff members or signage on board our vehicles.

Customers or members of the public must not attempt to sell, distribute or leave any items on our vehicles without prior written consent. Our staff have the right to work without fear of intimidation, verbal abuse or physical assault and we will support prosecutions against any passengers who do not adhere to this.

 

  1. Standing customers

Standing limits are displayed on the lower saloon of all vehicles.

Where customers choose to stand when there is seating available, your cooperation is appreciated in moving down the vehicle to allow space for other customers to board the vehicle.

Standing is not permitted on the stairs, in the door well or on the upper deck of double deck buses.

Please make use of handrails, supports and seat backs when standing for the safety of yourself and other customers.

 

  1. Customer Property

The driver/conductor has the right to refuse any item of property or luggage being brought on to the vehicle which they consider is unsuitable for carriage. Such items may include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Explosive, hazardous or combustible materials.
  • Uncovered tins of paint or similar liquids
  • Sheets of glass
  • Non-folding bicycles
  • An item which could cause offense or injury to another person
  • An item likely to cause damage to the vehicle
  • Any item of excessive size

Luggage must be safely stored away to not cause an obstruction to the main gangway or any emergency exit.

The carriage of dangerous goods is strictly prohibited.

Regulations regarding lost property on buses are contained in the PSV (Lost Property) Regulations 1978, as amended in 1995. All property carried at owner’s risk.

 

  1. Lost Property

The responsibility for any item of property on the vehicle rests with the owner. Regulations regarding lost property on buses are contained in the PSV (Lost Property) Regulations 1978, as amended in 1995.

In the event of losing an item of property on one of our vehicles, please contact us (details in section 3) and we will be happy to check if the item has been handed in. We are only able to contact the driver of a vehicle to check for lost property in extreme cases such as the loss of important medication or where the loss of an item may leave a person vulnerable.

Any passenger who finds an item of lost property on the bus has an obligation to hand it to our driver/conductor. Our drivers where possible will check the bus for lost property at each terminal stop.

Items handed in or found will be placed in a secure safe overnight and brought to our main offices for sorting by 10:30 the following morning.

All lost property items are kept for a period of 4 weeks before being disposed of. Perishable items such as food will only be saved for 48 hours before being disposed of.

If the lost property is contained in a package or bag, we may open it and examine it for the purpose of identifying and tracing the owner or to identify the nature of the property.

The owner of the property will be required to pay any necessary postage and packaging to us in advance if the property is to be posted.

A voluntary donation is requested upon collection towards Breast Cancer Care Charity.

 

  1. Travel Concessions

The Company participates in the English National Concessionary Transport Scheme for concessionary travel for elderly and disabled  persons provided by HM British Government.  Details are available from your local County Council.

All permits, whether for free or reduced travel, must be shown to the driver or conductor and recorded on the ticket equipment when boarding the vehicle.

Child fares apply to persons aged 5-16 years inclusive. 

Child fares will apply to persons aged 17 and 18 provided that proof of age and your name and address may be requested by the driver or conductor or any authorised Company official.

Children aged 4 and under travel free of charge on all services.

Passengers using Kent County Council Young Persons Pass or 16+ Pass are carried according to Kent County Councils Terms and Conditions.

The use of Kent and Medway Connected Cards is according to Kent County Councils Terms and Conditions and discounted fares are only available to school students on school services with the use of a Kent Connected Card.

 

  1. Use of CCTV images

CCTV is in use on some of our vehicles

CCTV can record images and sound for your safety; crime prevention; for insurance purposes and to ensure that our company policies and procedures are complied with.

CCTV data may be passed to the police to aid investigation of crime and or be used as evidence in criminal or civil proceedings.

CCTV from school journeys or journeys carrying school student(s) may be handed over to school staff to assist identification and investigation into incidents.

All CCTV footage is processed by us in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. See our CCTV policy for more information.

 

 

  1. Comments and feedback

Your feedback is very important to us as it helps us to identify areas where we can improve the service we provide to our customers.  If you let us know when something is wrong, we then have the opportunity to put it right.

We understand that you will want us to investigate your comments thoroughly and appreciate you will want a prompt response.

You can send your comments to us via email, post, telephone, or in person. Details of which can be found in section 3.

Comments and feedback should be given to us within 48 hours of the incident to allow us to investigate thoroughly.

When providing feedback, please provide as much information as possible to assist us in our investigations. Please include the date, time, route number, bus number, where you were sitting and where you got on and off the bus. A description of the driver is also useful.

If your feedback is about a drivers conduct, Company Policy is that the exact outcome of any investigation will not be disclosed because this information is of a sensitive nature.

We will respond to your feedback within 7 working days where possible, but sometimes thing take a little longer to investigate. We will let you know if this is the case.

If you are not satisfied with the response from us, you can contact the Bus Appeals Body, c/o Bus Users UK, PO Box 119, Shepperton TW17 8UX.  You may also call them on 0300 111 0001.

 

 

  1. Compensation

According to Regulation (EU) No181/2011: [Valid until 2025]

No framework is put in place which entitles you (the passenger) to any form of compensation if you bus is late/delayed/cancelled or incorrectly charged.