Southern Vectis values your custom and will endeavour to ensure you travel safely and in comfort on a clean, reliable bus service. Our staff will treat you with respect and courtesy and we expect you to treat them in the same way. The company will press for the strongest penalties against those who threaten or abuse our staff.
This document contains the Conditions under which we carry you and applies to anyone who travels with us. Our conditions are consistent with the relevant Statutory regulations including those concerning the conduct of passengers and lost property and do not affect your statutory rights.
We aim to provide a safe, reliable and punctual service but there may be times when we are unable to operate as advertised due to factors outside of our control such as road works, diversions, traffic congestion, vehicle breakdowns, major events and other unforeseen circumstances.
We will take reasonable steps to advise you of any disruption to our services, but we shall not be liable for losses, damages, cost or any inconvenience that you may suffer in the event of any cancellation, delay, diversion or any other event affecting our services.
conduct of passengers
We reserve the right to refuse you entry, or require you to leave our buses or premises at any time if we have reason to believe your behaviour may jeopardize the safety, security and wellbeing of others.
When travelling with us you must not
- smoke or consume alcohol
- behave in a manner that is threatening or abusive or that may cause offence for other customers and our staff
- eat or drink items that may make the environment unpleasant for other customers
- play loud music or operate personal music players at a volume that may be heard by other customers
- leave rubbish or discarded items on the bus
- be wearing soiled clothes or carrying soiled items which might stain the seats etc
- except in an emergency, talk to the driver whilst the bus is moving, obstruct the driver’s vision or otherwise distract him
- distribute leaflets, papers or other articles or offer anything for sale or collect for charity
- interfere with or deliberately damage or deface any equipment or part of the vehicle
You must notify a member of staff immediately if you sustain an injury whilst boarding, travelling on or getting off one of our buses.
Our buses and premises are fitted with CCTV to provide added security for our customers and staff. Any recordings made are used solely for the monitoring of safety, security, service quality and in support of any criminal or civil proceedings. Images of you may be provided to the police or any other relevant enforcement agency.
getting on and off the bus
- when you wish to board a bus at a bus stop you should raise your arm to clearly indicate to the driver as all our stops are request stops
- you must not attempt to get on or off a bus which has stopped other than at a designated bus stop, e.g. road works, traffic lights etc.
- you must not use the emergency exits except in a genuine emergency
- when you come to get off the bus, ring the bell once in good time to alert the driver
wheelchairs, small prams, buggies, luggage & bicycles
All of our service bus fleet is low floor compliant and each one is capable of carrying one wheelchair which should be parked as indicated on the bus with the brakes applied. We will, subject to space, carry unfolded buggies but these should not block the aisle at any time. In busy periods you may be asked to fold them down and place them in the luggage rack. Please note that there may be occasions when we are unable to operate a low floor vehicle for operational reasons. Reasonable items of luggage may be carried subject to the availability of space but hazardous materials such as fuel, car batteries etc. cannot be conveyed. Folding bicycles may be carried subject to space being available.
animals
Well behaved dogs or small animals which will not be a nuisance or danger to other customers may be carried on our vehicles, but should not be allowed onto the seats. The driver or other Company Official may ask you to remove your dog or animal if they are causing a problem on the vehicle.
fares and tickets
Whenever you board a bus you must either
- show the driver a valid prepaid ticket, pass, valid internet booking reference or concessionary card which the driver will check to confirm validity for the journey you are making and, if you are travelling on a discounted fare ticket, carry proof of age and or eligibility for that discount at all times to show to the driver or you will be required to pay the full fare.
or - pay the fare for the journey you intend to take to the driver whether specifically requested to do so or not
Where you make payment to the driver you should ensure that you are given a new ticket which corresponds to the amount you have paid and is valid for your entire journey. You must retain your ticket for the entire journey for inspection on demand by a Company Official. If you are unable to produce your ticket you may have to pay again for the journey that you are taking. Fares purchased on buses are calculated by reference to zones. A number of stops may be grouped together as one zone.
There is no charge for up to 2 children under 5 years when accompanied by a fare paying passenger. Additional children will be charged as if they were aged 5 or over. We offer reduced fares to young people aged 5 to 18 years, but the onus is on the customer to prove their age – we recommend obtaining a Citizencard.
We also offer a range of great value multi-journey tickets including 24 and 48 hour rovers and 7, 30 and 90 day Freedom tickets which offer unlimited travel on all our buses. Details are available from our drivers.
concessionary travel schemes
Concessionary travel schemes are operated by local authorities in England, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly. We operate these schemes on their behalf according to their terms, conditions and rules which may vary from time to time. We only accept English National Concessionary cards and there are time constraints on their use imposed by the Isle of Wight Council.
lost property
We will do our best to locate and return any property left on our buses or property to its owner for which there may be a small charge. If lost property is not claimed within a month, we will become the owner of such property and will dispose of it appropriately. Perishable lost property will be disposed of within 48 hours. Please contact us at the address and telephone numbers below if you wish to make an enquiry regarding lost property.
data protection
In circumstances where we collect your personal data in connection with a retail transaction, customer survey or other purpose, we will only process your data in accordance with the principles contained in the Data Protection Act 1998.
jurisdiction
The governing law for these conditions shall be the laws of England.
access to bus stations
Please click here to read our Terms & Conditions for operator access to Newport Bus Station.
suggestions & complaints
We welcome suggestions and complaints as they help us to improve our services and help us to put things right when they have gone wrong. We handle complaints with tact and consideration and, where we have failed, will offer a sincere, speedy response together with a genuine commitment to avoiding a repetition. You can contact us by letter, telephone or email at:
Southern Vectis
Nelson Road
Newport
Isle of Wight
PO30 1RD
telephone: 01983 827000
email: talk2us@southernvectis.com
Bus Users UK
Bus Users UK represents bus passengers. They aim to help communication between bus users and the people that provide your bus service. They organise Bus Users' Surgeries around the country, set up local groups of bus users and campaign on behalf of bus passengers. You can join Bus Users UK as an individual member; further details on www.bususers.org
Bus Users UK can also help out if something unsatisfactory happens on your bus journey, whether you're a member or not. If you have a problem on a bus journey, please let us know first. If you don't feel we have resolved it to your satisfaction, contact Bus Users UK giving them as much detail as you can. They will take things further for you. If they can't resolve it, they are partners in the Bus Appeals Body who will issue a decision about your difficulty.
Bus Users UK
P O Box 119
Shepperton
TW17 8UX
Tel: 0300 111 0001
Email:enquiries@bususers.org
