Conditions of Carriage

1. Introduction

Our aim is to provide all our passengers with a safe, reliable and pleasant journey. This document provides details of the conditions under which we carry passengers and their property on Hodgsons bus services. Please note that these Conditions of Carriage do not affect your statutory rights as a consumer, and do not limit our liability for death or personal injury resulting from our negligence.

2. Travelling with us

Details of our services are shown in timetables, which are available as a free booklet, or can be viewed at our website ( www.hodgsonsbuses.com ). You can also call in at our travel office in Barnard Castle (20a Galgate) for advice, or you can call us on 01833 630730 for independent travel advice on all bus services in the United Kingdom.

Occasionally, due to events beyond our control (such as severe traffic congestion, adverse weather conditions, or events which cause delays and diversions, for example) we may not be able to operate the advertised service. In the unlikely event that you are unable to make or complete your journey with us, we shall not be liable for any costs or losses that you suffer or for any inconvenience that you experience. We will not pay for taxi fares or other transportation costs.
We also cannot guarantee a seat on every journey or that you will be able to get on buses that are very full.

3. Your conduct

All passengers are welcome aboard Hodgsons Buses. We ask that all our passengers comply with the following Conditions of Carriage. Failure to do so may result in you not being permitted to travel with us, or directed to leave our buses or premises at any time.

Passengers must:

• Not smoke – including electronic cigarettes or other types of imitation smoking devices – at any time on any of our buses or premises.
• Not behave in an abusive or threatening manner which could cause offence to other passengers or our staff.
• All passengers must behave in a manner that shows due  regard to the  safety of other passengers and our staff, including passengers who may have some form of mobility impairment.
• Not drink, or eat hot food or other items that may cause annoyance to other passengers or our staff
• Follow all instructions shown on our vehicles and those given by our staff. This includes instructions on the maximum number of passengers that can be carried. Please note that that passengers are not permitted to stand on the upper deck of a double-deck bus
• Advise a member of our staff immediately if they sustain an injury travelling on our buses
• Advise a member of our staff or the emergency services if they see any suspicious article or package on or near to any bus

4. Travelling with wheelchairs, buggies and cycles

Some of our buses are designed to accommodate passengers travelling in a wheelchair, or who are travelling with buggies or folding cycles. Subject to enough space being available, and subject to the discretion of the driver, we can carry up to one passenger in a wheelchair or 2 single buggies in buses that have designated areas for wheelchairs and buggies. 

Unfortunately we are unable to carry cycles or scooters on any of our services

5. Travelling with luggage

All luggage and other property must be accompanied, is carried at the owner’s risk and at the driver`s discretion. No bulky, cumbersome, explosive, combustible or other hazardous items will be carried. We cannot be held liable for any loss, damage or inconvenience if you are unable to travel with us because of this restriction, or if your luggage or other property is damaged whilst travelling with us.

6. Travelling with accompanied dogs

Accompanied dogs that will not be a danger or nuisance to any other passenger or member of staff are carried on our buses at the discretion of the driver, free of charge. All such dogs must be under the control of the owner, on a lead, and must not be allowed to travel on seats. Assistance dogs travel free.

7. Buying your ticket

Each time you board a bus, you must either buy a ticket for the journey you are making, or present a valid pass or permit to the driver. If you buy a ticket, please try to pay using the correct change, contactless payment is now accepted on all our services, check that your ticket is new, shows the correct fare & destination and that you have received the correct amount of change. We cannot correct mistakes later, and we are unable to accept £50 notes. Please note that we may not be able to change other high value bank notes, and we cannot accept any liability for loss or inconvenience if you are unable to travel because of this condition.

8. Fares

Please see our timetable booklet or our website ( www.hodgsonsbuses.com ) for details of current fares and tickets.

Children accompanied by a full fare paying adult may travel on a reduced Child Fare to their 19th birthday. Child Fares are valid all day, but are not issued after 22:00

Accompanied children under the age of 5 travel free (up to three children with each adult).

Fares are determined by fare stages, and passengers will be charged for single journeys in accordance with the official fare table for the journey they are making. Passengers boarding at a stop which is not a fare stage will be charged from the previous fare stage; passengers travelling to a stop which is not a fare stage will be charged to the following fare stage.

Passengers over-riding beyond the stop to which they have bought a ticket will be charged an excess fare which will be the equivalent of a new ticket from their original destination to their ultimate destination.

9. Refund policy

This does not affect your statutory rights.

We, Hodgsons Coach Operators Ltd, shall not be obliged to change, cancel, replace or refund a ticket where we have reason to believe that such change, cancellation, replacement or refund is being requested fraudulently.

However, if you think that you have purchased the incorrect ticket for your requirements or if you subsequently choose not to use a ticket, we may be willing, at our sole discretion, to offer you a refund. Refunds will depend on the individual terms and conditions applicable to your ticket (as shown separately) and may not be available for certain ticket types including those mentioned below. Refunds will also be subject to deduction of our refund charges from time to time – current charges set out below.

Applications for refunds should be made in writing with the ticket concerned enclosed to:

Hodgsons Coach Operators Ltd

20a Galgate

Barnard Castle

Co. Durham

DL12 8BG

 

This policy only covers tickets purchased direct from Hodgsons Coach Operators Ltd, and does not apply to tickets purchased from any agents authorised to sell tickets on our behalf.

Concessionary Travel
We accept concessionary passes from all over England with the English Rose in the left corner. Passengers holding passes from other parts of the UK (Scotland, Wales, Ireland) are not valid and will continue to pay a full adult fare.

• County Durham Concessionary Passes (except all day versions) will be valid from 09:30 – 23:00 Monday – Friday and all day Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays (50p Concession Fare payable for passengers wishing to travel before 0930 boarding in County Durham)
• Darlington Concessionary Passes (except all day versions) will be valid from 09:30 – 23:00 Monday – Friday and all day Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays (30p Concession Fare payable for passengers wishing to travel before 0930 boarding in Darlington)
• North Yorkshire Concessionary Passes (except all day versions) will be valid from 09:00 – 23:00 Monday – Friday and all day Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays (FULL Fare payable for passengers wishing to travel before 0900 boarding in North Yorkshire)
• Only English passes, with the rose, are valid for free travel

10. Finding lost property

If you find any lost property on the bus, please inform the driver. If you lose any item of property whilst travelling with us, please contact:

Hodgsons Coach Operators Ltd

20a Galgate

Barnard Castle

Co. Durham

DL12 8BG

 

We will do everything possible to find any item of lost property, but please note that we cannot keep perishable or other items that could cause offence, and we cannot be held liable for any loss if we are unable to locate or return any item of lost property. We may ask for verification of identity in the case of valuable lost property items. After a sensible period of time, items of lost property may be destroyed or donated to local charities. You may be charged a fee when the item is returned to you. 

11. Contact us

Hodgsons  welcomes any comments or suggestions that relate to any aspect of our service.
Please contact us in writing, by telephone or by e-mail using the following addresses and telephone number:

Hodgsons Coach Operators Ltd

20a Galgate

Barnard Castle

Co. Durham

DL12 8BG

T: 01833 630730

buses@hodgsonsgroup.com

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service please contact us using the address or telephone details above. We aim to respond to any complaint within 7 working days