Nottingham City Transport Terms and Conditions of Carriage

The following terms and conditions of carriage apply to all customers travelling on any Nottingham City Transport bus and were last revised on 27 July 2010.

Introduction

Nottingham City Transport is the principal bus operator in Nottingham, carrying around 1 million passenger journeys every week on over 300 buses throughout the City as well as to the neighbouring towns of Loughborough and Southwell.

With so many people using the bus, we have to set out guidelines and rules when travelling on the bus to ensure the safety and comfort of all passengers. These Terms and Conditions of Carriage have been fully updated to inform and advise you about the rules on our buses and the expectations we have of you as a passenger, when travelling with us.

When you buy a ticket or validate a smart card to travel on one of the buses operated by Nottingham City Transport, you enter into an agreement with the Company.
These Conditions of Carriage apply to all services operated by NCT and set out your rights and duties as a passenger with us.

Mission Statement

Our Mission Statement is: Providing those we serve with a safe, reliable, value for money, integrated, public transport network which has the least impact on our environment.

Passenger Charter

As Nottingham's major transport provider, our aim is to continually improve the standard of our service. This includes every aspect of our network – from punctuality and reliability to staff politeness, vehicle cleanliness, route branding and vehicle allocation.
Nottingham City Transport's vision is to provide the best possible public transport service for the people of Nottingham. We aim to:

Deliver the most reliable service possible
Keep you informed about change to your services
Supply accessible and understandable information about our services
Provide safe and comfortable vehicles
Operate our network with friendly and helpful staff

Our Passenger Charter outlines what you can expect from NCT when you travel on our buses. We regularly monitor the quality and reliability of our services and report our performance on a regular basis on our website (www.nctx.co.uk).
NCT has identified key performance indicators and has set a challenging target for each one. Our performance indicators and our delivery aims are:

Service performance – to operate at least 99.5% of all journeys
Service reliability – at least 95% of buses to depart the City Centre “on time”* (between 1 minute early, 5 minutes late)
Service reliability – at least 90% of buses to depart the non City Centre timing points “on time”* (between 1 minute early, 5 minutes late)
Call Centre – to answer at least 95% of all calls
Call Centre – for answered calls to be picked up within 30 seconds

* This is the definition of “on time” used by our regulator, the Traffic Commissioner
** defined by the Traffic Commissioner as the difference between average gaps in service and service frequency

Getting in Touch

If you need bus service information, journey planning advice or help with a bus ticket, please contact us we are only too happy to help.
To contact NCT, you can

Email – travelcentre@nctx.co.uk
Phone – 0115 950 60 70
Visit us in the Old Market Square, NG1 2JS at our Travel Centre behind the Old Market Square tram stop)

The NCT Travel Centre is open between 08:00 and 18:00 on Mondays; 08:00 and 17:30 on Tuesdays - Fridays and 09:00 and 15:30 on Saturdays. It is closed on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays.
Our Call Centre is open between 08:00 and 19:00 on Mondays to Saturdays and 09:00 and 17:00 on Sundays.
Opening hours vary at holiday periods. See website for details.
Timetable information is also available independently from Traveline on 0871 200 22 33 or www.triptimes.co.uk. NCT cannot accept any responsibility for information on its services supplied externally)

Complaints and Comments

Your feedback is very important and it allows us to identify areas where we can improve the service we provide to you. If you let us know when something is wrong, we have the opportunity to put it right.
We recognise that you will want us to investigate your comments thoroughly and appreciate you will want a prompt response. We aim to respond to all comments, complaints and suggestions within 5 working days of receipt.
Comments and complaints should be directed to:
1. Email feedback@nctx.co.uk
2. Call 0115 950 60 70 and press option 4
3. Write to Customer Relationship Team, Nottingham City Transport, Lower Parliament Street, Nottingham NG1 1GG
Complaints should be received within 48 hours of the incident to allow us to thoroughly investigate.
When making a complaint, please try to provide sufficient details to assist with our investigation. This includes: date, time, route number, bus number, where you boarded the bus, a description of the driver and details of the actual complaint. Your Easyrider Citycard number (if you used one) or your ticket, if you paid by cash, are very useful to us.
Where your complaint is about a driver’s conduct, Company Policy is that the exact outcome of any investigation will not be disclosed, since this information is of a sensitive nature.
If you are not satisfied with the response from NCT, you can contact The Bus Appeals Body, c/o Bus Users UK, PO Box 2950, Stoke on Trent, ST4 9EW.

Timetables and Service Performance

Timetables for all our services are available from the NCT Travel Centre in the Old Market Square, over 230 outlets across the network (for example, libraries, colleges and hospitals), online at www.nctx.co.uk and by post.
Journey Planning advice and support is available from the NCT Travel Centre.
When changes are made to services, new timetables will be available at least 2 weeks before the start date, with advance warning displayed on all branded buses, on our website, in the local media and at key bus stops.
The timetable for any service is a guide to the times we aim to operate the bus and our timetables are designed to reflect different traffic conditions across the day.
On occasions buses cannot be run at times and frequencies advertised due to reasons beyond our control or that of our subcontractors, and we may have to cancel journeys or divert services where we are unable to operate the advertised route or timetable. This can be due to severe traffic conditions, adverse weather, roadworks, other disruptions or other reasons beyond our control. We reserve the right therefore, to alter, suspend or withdraw a service and to alter the route, bus stops or times of any service without notice or liability to you.
Passengers are advised to arrive at the bus stop at least 5 minutes before the scheduled departure time.

Getting on the Bus

For safety reasons, buses will only stop at recognised bus stops to allow passengers to board.
The service number for each service is clearly shown on the bus stop.
As the bus approaches, check the service number and destination on the bus to make sure it is the service you want. If in doubt, ask the driver.
Our bus stops are “request stops” and you should clearly signal the driver as the bus approaches to let them know you wish to board.
When the bus has stopped, allow passengers to get off the bus first.
Once buses have closed their doors and the driver has signalled to pull away, the bus will not be able to let you board because the driver is committed to rejoining the main traffic flow.
Responsibility for bus shelters and stop infrastructure rests with the local authority. We are responsible for maintaining up-to-date information at bus stops and employ a dedicated team to provide information at stops.

Paying Your Fare

To speed up journey times and to get you to your destination quicker, subject to the provisions of clause 35, we operate an exact fare policy and change is not available on the bus.
Drivers on some services (currently service numbers 1, 100, Citylink 1, Citylink 2 and Skylink) are able to offer change, though your support in tendering the correct fare is appreciated.
Excess fare receipts are available on request for passengers who are unable to tender the correct fare. The excess fare can be collected from the NCT Travel Centre.
An Unpaid Fare Voucher is available to passengers who have insufficient money to travel. An Unpaid Fare Voucher is issued when a passenger has provided and verified their name and address. The fare must then be paid at the Travel Centre within 2 working days.
When boarding the bus, please place your money in the red coin box near the driver’s cab or present your smart card to the card reader.
Please state your destination and/or the ticket type you want to the driver.
Where you have paid cash, please take your ticket as proof of payment and check that you have the correct ticket for your journey. Please inform the driver at the time of issue in the event of an error because errors cannot be rectified at a later date.
Please retain your ticket or your smart card, in good condition, and make them available for inspection, when asked for by a member of NCT staff.
We cannot replace or reissue damaged, lost or mutilated tickets that have been bought on the bus. See the Easyrider Citycard Terms and Conditions for details about smart card replacements.

Fares

When you make a journey, you have to pay for a ticket on the bus or use a pre-purchased smart card. Tickets must be retained at all times during your journey for inspection by an NCT employee, or any authorised agent or subcontractor.
A full list of available tickets and prices are contained within the guide “Fares and Tickets” or online at www.nctx.co.uk
Tickets are not transferable between passengers when making journeys, and can only be used by the person buying the ticket and must not be resold or given away for further use.
Single fares are valid for one journey between two points on the same bus at the time of purchase. A break in the journey is not permitted.
Return tickets are only valid on the day of issue, subject to clause 48. Return tickets are valid for travel between the two points stated on the ticket. When boarding for the return journey, please hand the ticket to the driver for validation, which will be done by punching a hole in the ticket.
On the Skylink service, “month” return tickets are available for use within 1 calendar month from the date of purchase. See www.skylink.co.uk for further details.
A fare-table for all services is available for inspection from the driver.
Where a passenger boards between fare stages, the journey is charged from the previous stage. Where a passenger alights between fare stages, the journey is charged to the next stage.
Where a passenger knowingly pays a lower fare than relevant for their journey, and is caught doing so by any on board inspection of tickets by NCT Staff, the passenger must pay for a new ticket. The price of this ticket will be from the point where the original ticket ended to the final destination.
Up to 4 children under the age of 5 may travel free with an adult passenger.
Child cash fares are available for passengers aged 5 to 15 inclusive until 21:45 daily. Children travelling after this time are required to pay the normal adult fare. Easyrider Citycard Under 18 cards are valid for travel after 21.45 daily.
CITY AREA DEFINITION: Easyrider Citycard, Easyrider Citycard Under 18, Easyrider Anytime and Easyrider Anytime Under 18, as well as, City Rider, Day Rider and Group Rider tickets are valid on all services within the 'City Area'. The 'City Area' includes all NCT services over their complete route except on the following services, where they are valid between the points shown:

1 between Nottingham and Clifton Pastures
26, 26C between Nottingham and Carlton-le-Willows School/Linden Grove
100 between Nottingham and Carlton-le-Willows School/Linden Grove
Skylink between Nottingham and Clifton Man of Trent

NCT accepts valid Concessionary Travel Permits in accordance with the national scheme requirements and additional local enhancements where available. Please contact your council for details of available concessions.

Wheelchairs

Since December 2000, we have only purchased fully accessible buses which are designed to accommodate wheelchairs.
At 27 July 2010, 90% of all NCT buses can accommodate a wheelchair.
NCT aims to have a fully accessible fleet ahead of the 2017 legislative deadline. Until a complete accessible fleet is in operation, an up-to-date list of routes operated with accessible buses is available from the NCT Travel Centre or online at www.nctx.co.uk. Timetable leaflets also show which routes are accessible.
Fully accessible buses display a blue wheelchair logo on the exterior of the bus near the doors. Wheelchairs can only be accommodated on a bus displaying this logo. All vehicles now show the maximum number of wheelchairs to be carried on any vehicle at any one time. This number cannot be exceeded.
The wheelchair area is suitable for a “standard reference wheelchair” which has a maximum width of 700mm, a length of 1200mm, sitting height 1350mm, footrest 150mm from the floor. Electric wheelchairs are treated the same as other wheelchairs. Motorised scooters are not permitted on buses.
Fully accessible buses are fitted with ramps, backrests and security arms for the safety of the wheelchair user.
One wheelchair can be accommodated per bus and the wheelchair must have full access to the bay when on board. On all buses except those operating on Go2 48 and Citylink 1, pushchairs cannot be accommodated when there is a wheelchair already in the bay. On Go2 48 and Citylink 1, a new bay is being trialled where 1 wheelchair and up to 2 pushchairs can share the same bay.
The driver will lower the ramp for a wheelchair user to allow them access on and off the bus.
A wheelchair user must use the security arm and apply the brake when travelling. The back of the wheelchair must be positioned against the backrest. Do not travel sideways.
A wheelchair user does not have any priority over any other passenger on the bus and the space designed to accommodate a wheelchair is available on a first come, first served basis.
If the space is already occupied and when there is room, the driver should ask people if they are prepared to relocate to another area of the bus, although legally the driver has no power to compel anyone to move.
If the space is occupied and there is no room anywhere else for passengers to relocate to or they are not prepared to relocate, the wheelchair user must wait for the next available bus.
NCT endeavours to operate wheelchair accessible buses on all advertised accessible routes, though may in extreme cases have to allocate a standard bus when an accessible vehicle is unavailable e.g. due to vandalism or breakdown.

Pushchairs

Unfolded pushchairs can usually be accommodated on every bus.
An area for pushchairs is positioned at the front of the bus.
A pushchair does not have any priority over any other passenger on the bus and the space designed to accommodate a pushchair is available on a first come, first served basis.
When a pushchair is occupying the space, the child must be left in the pushchair and the pushchair suitably loaded (but not overloaded) with bags.
Pushchairs must not be left unattended. The parent/guardian must either sit or stand with the pushchair.
The pushchair’s brakes must be applied, at all times when it is parked within the bay.
The maximum number of pushchairs that can be accommodated on our low floor vehicles at any one time is displayed on the exterior of the vehicle.
Parents/guardians have a responsibility to ensure that the gangway is not obstructed by any part of the pushchair.
Once the designated space for a wheelchair or pushchairs has been occupied and on non-low floor buses, any further passengers wishing to board must remove their child from the pushchair and stow the pushchair in the luggage rack.

Behaviour on the Bus – Your Responsibilities as a Passenger

In order to ensure that your bus journey and that of other passengers is safe and comfortable, we ask you to note the following.
All passengers are carried on our services subject to the Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990.
When on the bus, you must not:

Smoke
Eat or drink
Damage or deface any part of the bus
Use a music system set at a volume that will annoy other passengers
Spit
Offend the driver or fellow passengers
Put at risk or cause discomfort to other passengers, the driver or an inspector
Act in a violent or abusive manner
Obstruct the gangway
Throw items from the bus
Lean out of the windows
Leave litter on the bus
Speak to or distract the driver when the bus is in motion except in emergency situations
Intentionally interfere with any equipment fitted to the bus
Alter or deface your ticket
Engage in any criminal activity

In the interests of health and safety, you must always follow instructions either given by signage on the bus or by any member of our staff, agents and or subcontractors.
Emergency doors and windows must only be used in the event of an emergency or when directed by the driver or an inspector.
Passengers or members of the public must not, without written permission from the Company, distribute or leave any materials or sell any articles on the bus.
Any passenger who is reasonably suspected by the driver or inspector of contravening the Public Services Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers Regulations 1990 (as amended) shall give their name and address to the driver or inspector on demand. They may also be asked to leave or be removed from the vehicle by the driver or any member of our staff, agents and/or subcontractors.
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.

Standing Passengers

Limited standing is available on all our buses as determined by the standing limit displayed on the lower saloon of all vehicles.
Where passengers choose to stand when there are still seats available, other intending passengers may be deprived of the chance to board, so your co-operation in moving down the vehicle is appreciated.
Standing is not permitted on the stairs, in the door well or on the upper deck of double deck buses.
When standing, please make use of the handrails, seat backs and supports fitted.

Getting off the Bus

When you wish to get off the bus, please ring the bell once to let the driver know you want to alight.
For your comfort and safety, please give the driver sufficient time to be able to slow down properly for your stop.
Do not stand too close to the doors or on the red floor when waiting to alight.
You should alight through the front doors only, except on articulated “bendy buses” where the rear door can be used.
You must not alight when the vehicle is still in motion.

CCTV and Data Protection

CCTV may be in use on our buses. 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 footage is processed by us in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
We will take all reasonable precautions to keep your personal details secure, but unless we are negligent, we will not be liable for unauthorised access to information supplied by you to us.

Animals

Small pets may be carried at the sole discretion of the bus driver but a charge of the minimum adult fare is made for dogs, except assistance dogs which are carried free.
No animal may be placed on a seat.
You must comply with applicable legislation in relation to any pets travelling with you. The responsibility for keeping an animal under control rests entirely with the owner and any passenger must immediately comply with any request from an NCT Employee, our staff, agents or subcontractors to leave the vehicle if the animal they are responsible for is causing upset or distress to other passengers.

Luggage and Lost Property

The driver has the right to refuse, at his sole discretion, any item of property being brought on to the bus which they consider is unsuitable for carriage. Such items include:

Explosive, hazardous or combustible materials
Uncovered tins of paint or other similar liquids
Sheets of glass
Non-folding bicycles
An item which would cause offence or injury to passengers or staff
An item likely to cause damage to the bus
Any item of an excessive size.

Luggage must be safely stored away to not cause an obstruction to the main gangway or any emergency exit.
The responsibility for any item of property on the bus 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 our buses, please contact us on 0115 950 60 70, where we will be happy to check if an item has been handed in.
For important items, such as purses, handbags or mobile phones, we will try to arrange for a radio call to be made to drivers to look for an item. Please ensure you have as much information about the route, time, direction of travel, where you were sitting and bus stop you boarded or alighted at when you contact us.
Any passenger who finds an item of lost property on the bus has an obligation to hand it to the bus driver. Our drivers will, where practicable, check the bus for lost property at each terminal stop.
All items of lost property handed-in are saved for 1 month and then disposed of, except perishable items which are saved for 24 hours. Any disposal of ‘lost property’ in accordance with this clause shall be without any liability whatsoever to you.
We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to open, examine and or destroy any items of lost property.
When collecting any item of lost property, contact details must be provided. Proof of identity will be required.

Compensation

Any claim for compensation for any additional travel costs incurred by you as a result of our service is considered on a case by case basis and the final decision will be made at our sole discretion. Where additional costs have been incurred, receipts and supporting evidence should be provided to us.

The Legal Bits

We are liable to you for:
Any death or personal injury due to our failure to use reasonable skill and care;
Any act of fraud by us;
Any reasonable losses you incur as a direct result of us breaching these Conditions of Carriage.
We will not be liable to you for any failure to perform, or a delay in the performance of, any of our obligations under these Conditions of Carriage that is caused by events outside our reasonable control.
We are liable to you without limit for our fraud or death or personal injury caused by our negligence. Our liability for all other liability relating to these Conditions of Carriage is limited to £200 in aggregate.
The terms of these Conditions of Carriage do not affect your statutory rights.
NCT is not the conveyor of commercial goods.
These Conditions of Carriage, which may be amended from time to time by us without notice, commenced on 1 May 2008 and were last updated on 27 July 2010. They replace all previous versions published by us.
These Conditions of Carriage are made for the benefit of the parties to them and are not intended to benefit, or be enforceable by, anyone else.
No waiver by us of any breach of these Conditions of Carriage shall be considered a waiver of any subsequent breach of the same or any other provision.
These Conditions of Carriage will be subject to English law, and the English courts will have jurisdiction in respect of any dispute arising from them.

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