Conditions of Carriage
Blackpool Transport Services Limited Conditions of Travel
1. Customer Charter
As Blackpool’s major transport provider, 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.
2. Mission Statement
Our vision is to provide the best possible public transport service to the people of Blackpool and its visitors.
Our Aim is to:
• Deliver the most reliable service possible
• Provide clean, safe and comfortable vehicles
• Keep customers informed about any changes to our services
• Operate our network with, polite, professional and well-trained staff
3. Getting in touch
If you need bus and tram service information, journey planning advice or help with fares and saver tickets, please contact us on any of the methods below and we’ll do our best to help.
• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 01253 473001
• Post: Blackpool Transport Services, Rigby Road, Blackpool, FY1 5DD
Our Customer Experience Team are available via telephone between 11am and 3pm Monday to Friday.
Email enquiries, social media and the Live Chat function on our website are monitored between 08:30 and 16:30 Monday to Friday.
Our Customer Centre on Market Street is now closed.
Opening hours throughout holiday periods may vary. Please see our website for the latest information.
4. Carriage services
We agree to carry you and your property on the journey permitted by your ticket.
Our buses and trams do not stop at every bus/tram stop unless requested. Please clearly signal your bus/tram driver in due course so they can pick you up.
When you come to alight, you should ring the bell once in good time to alert the driver.
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 any 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.
5. Wheelchairs, Mobility Scooters, E-bikes, E-scooters, E-unicycles and Prams.
Wheelchairs
Wheelchair users have priority use of the wheelchair space on our buses, as this is the only place in which wheelchair users can travel safely.
We urge our customers to offer their cooperation in making the wheelchair space available for wheelchair users when required.
If the wheelchair space is occupied with a pushchair, the driver will ask the customer to make use of any available space on the bus by either repositioning or folding down their pushchair, where this is possible.
Unfortunately, if a customer with a pushchair refuses to move, is unable to fold down their pushchair or if there is insufficient space elsewhere on the bus, the wheelchair user will be unable to board.
Our drivers will endeavour to ensure a wheelchair user is able to board at all times but are reliant on the goodwill of customers. In situations where the bus is full, or there is already a wheelchair user on board, we will unfortunately not be able to carry another wheelchair user.
Mobility Scooters
Entirely at our own discretion, we agree to carry mobility scooters in our designated wheelchair spaces. We will only accept class 2 scooters that are no more than 600mm wide and 1000mm long with a turning radius not exceeding 1200mm. Where there is some doubt as to the compatibility of a mobility scooter, we will arrange to assess the Mobility Scooter and determine whether it complies. If it complies, we will provide a pass for the user to carry with them to avoid any dispute.
Pushchairs and Prams
Unfolded pushchairs can usually be accommodated on any of our buses and trams. The number of pushchairs that we are able to carry on buses is clearly displayed on each vehicle. On our modern light rail trams, the number of pushchairs carried is at the discretion of the conductor on board.
Pushchairs do not have any priority over any other passengers on the bus or tram, 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.
Bicycles
Bicycles are not permitted onboard trams or buses. The only exception is foldable bicycles which must not block walkways or exits.
E-scooters, E-bikes and E-unicycles
E-scooters, e-bikes and e-unicycles are not permitted on any Blackpool Transport vehicles, including devices that can be folded or carried. This is due to the fire risk posed by unregulated lithium-ion batteries that e-scooters, e-bikes and e-unicycles are recharged with.
Devices used to support disability (i.e. Electric mobility scooters) are permitted to travel on our buses and trams.
6. Paying your Fare
Our drivers and 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. You are requested when you have paid your fare, to check that you have received the correct ticket and change.
Any errors must be brought to the driver/conductor's attention immediately. The driver/conductor will ask for your name and address to validate the ticket re-issue.
Our Flexi10 range of tickets can be redeemed on one mobile account per paying customer. They can not be gifted to other accounts.
All Flexi10 tickets act as single tickets and each ticket will expire after 20 minutes from activation. Unactivated Flexi10 tickets will stay in your mobile app's ticket wallet for 3 months before expiring if not used.
Onboard our tramway, there is a flat fare in operation and all single journeys will cost £3.50
If you travel beyond the point to which you have paid, you must pay the correct fare from that point to your destination.
Tickets are not transferable to another person and can only be used by the person buying the ticket. 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.
We will replace any tickets, travel passes or smartcards entirely at our discretion.
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.
A paper saver ticket purchased on board our vehicles, or from a PayPoint outlet, is valid for travel until the last service on the last day indicated on the ticket. For example, a 7 day ticket will be valid until the last service on the seventh day.
Digital tickets, purchased via our app or website, are valid from the point of activation, to the end of service on the end date. For example, a 7 day ticket activated at 1pm on Monday, would be valid until the end of service on the next Sunday.
Children 4 and under will travel free of charge when accompanied by an adult.
Child fares are available for persons aged 5-15.
Persons aged 16-21 are entitled to purchase a Young Person’s ticket upon production of valid ID.
Persons aged 22 and above (or 16 and above without valid ID) will be charged the full adult fare.
In some cases, at the sole discretion of the driver/conductor, we may issue an “unpaid fare”. This will only be issued in cases where it is deemed that a person may be left in a vulnerable situation should they not be allowed to travel.
Any person who is issued with an unpaid fare must make arrangements to repay the full value of the journey within 7 days. In some cases, a person may not be allowed to travel until an unpaid fare has been paid for.
7. 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/Tram then you must carry or hold your dog on a leash for the whole journey. Dogs are not allowed on seats and a charge will be made for dogs as per our fare chart.
Dogs should be kept under control at all times.
Guide dogs and hearing dogs are carried free of charge. This also applies to identifiable trained assistance dogs for customers who have visible and non-visible disabilities.
Other animals may be carried on vehicles at the driver/conductors discretion and must be caged, boxed or kept on a lead.
8. 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 or tram 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)
• Food or drink (except water) is not to be taken on board or consumed while using our services
• Use a music system without headphones or set it at a volume that 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 any way
• 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.
9. 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.
10. Customer Property
The driver/conductor has the right to refuse any item of property or luggage being brought onto 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 or e-scooters.
• An item which could cause offence 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. Bicycles must be folded and preferably stored in a bag.
Bicycles must only be carried on the lower deck of double deck vehicles.
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.
11. Lost Property
Any property found on our vehicles is passed to one of our depots and logged on to our Lost Property system.
Whilst we cannot be held responsible for any items lost on our services, we endeavour to reunite all lost items with their owners where possible.
If you have lost a mobile phone, house keys, a wallet/purse or medicine, please contact us using the methods below:
- Phone us 01253 473001 (Monday to Friday 11am to 3pm option 3)
- Email: [email protected]
- Use the Live Chat feature on our website
Please note that our Customer Centre is closed. Any lost property collection will be between 11am and 5pm Monday to Friday. We do suggest arranging the collection of an item first by contacting us via the above options, as our phone lines close at 3pm.
12. Travel Concessions
The company is a participant in the schemes for concessionary travel for elderly persons provided by Blackpool Borough Council and other local District Councils in conjunction with Lancashire County Council and any National Concessionary Scheme from time to time. Details are available from your local District Council Offices.
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 5-15 years. Proof of age and your name and address may be requested by the driver or conductor or any authorised Company official.
Children under 5 years old travel free of charge on all services.
13. Use of CCTV images
- CCTV is in use on most 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 the investigation of crime and or be used as evidence in criminal or civil proceedings. CCTV footage is processed by us in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
14. 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/conductor is also useful.
If your feedback is about a driver's conduct, the 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 things 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.
15. Compensation
Any requests for compensation are looked into on a case by case basis. Detailed information about the reason for the request should be given to us at this time. Compensation is awarded at our sole discretion.
Last updated: 10th October 2023