Stagecoach buses (Cambridge or any area)

joho

I've finally had enough of the shoddy service on my bus route and have complained.

I also told them that I intend to save all my tickets for a year and then go to Small Claims court to claim a refund on all the (very) late running services. I'm not going to be completely unreasonable - I understand that 10 minutes or so late during the rush hour etc is unavoidable.

I just wondered if anyone had done anything like this, had any success or had any advice?

Thanks. Joho.x :beer:

rev_henry

What an excellent idea, not sure if you'll have any success though. There is an independent bus complaints organisation - have you contacted them?

joho

Thanks rev henry. I wasn't aware of the independent complaints organisation. The problem is, it's not a single incident that I'm complaining about - it's their general shoddy service, rude drivers, state of the buses etc etc! I will let you know how I get on.

rev_henry

joho wrote: »

Thanks rev henry. I wasn't aware of the independent complaints organisation. The problem is, it's not a single incident that I'm complaining about - it's their general shoddy service, rude drivers, state of the buses etc etc! I will let you know how I get on.

Don't think it should matter. Ask to follow the Stagecoach complaints procedure to the letter, once that is exhausted you can go to the appeals body.

http://www.bususers.org/complain.htm

flyingscotno1

Equally if timekeeping is a consistent problem it may well be worth seeing if the traffic commissioners take that view.

They can then monitor the company, service and take action if consistently more than 5 mins late.

joho

Sorry - traffic commissioner? :question:

Crazy_Jamie

Correct me if I'm wrong, but are these not tickets that are bought at the point at which you board the bus? Because if so the fundamental crux of the contract would be for the bus to take you from Point A to Point B, and the time at which the bus actually arrived at the bus stop that you were waiting at makes no difference, because there was no contract at that point. So the fact that the bus was late wouldn't actually constitute any sort of breach of contract, because it arrived before the contract was made.

If you have a pass for a longer period of time, there may be something further than you could grasp on to, though in any event I would be surprised if the T&Cs didn't cover the fact that buses are often late.

I understand entirely why you would want to take this sort of action, but unfortunately my instinct is that you are going to struggle. Going through an independent complaints procedure may well yield better results, and would come without the risk of expense.

flyingscotno1

joho wrote: »

Sorry - traffic commissioner? :question:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/tpm/traffic-commissioners/

Basically they enforce license regulations against operators. If they are more than 1 minute early or 5 minutes late to the registered timetable with some exceptions they are committing an offence.

If the company is genuinely not caring and the buses are running consistently late day after day for weeks then they might be a good option as they have people who monitor timekeeping.

wealdroam

OP, have you seen Stagecoach Bus's Code of Practice?

joho

Crazy_Jamie wrote: »

Correct me if I'm wrong, but are these not tickets that are bought at the point at which you board the bus? Because if so the fundamental crux of the contract would be for the bus to take you from Point A to Point B, and the time at which the bus actually arrived at the bus stop that you were waiting at makes no difference, because there was no contract at that point. So the fact that the bus was late wouldn't actually constitute any sort of breach of contract, because it arrived before the contract was made.

If you have a pass for a longer period of time, there may be something further than you could grasp on to, though in any event I would be surprised if the T&Cs didn't cover the fact that buses are often late.

I understand entirely why you would want to take this sort of action, but unfortunately my instinct is that you are going to struggle. Going through an independent complaints procedure may well yield better results, and would come without the risk of expense.

On first reading I thought - seriously?! But I get what you are saying, and as I actually board at the 3rd stop in the village and there is only a scheduled arrival time for the 1st stop, this might be more pertinent.

Thank you.

flyingscotno1 wrote: »

http://www.dft.gov.uk/topics/tpm/traffic-commissioners/

Basically they enforce license regulations against operators. If they are more than 1 minute early or 5 minutes late to the registered timetable with some exceptions they are committing an offence.

If the company is genuinely not caring and the buses are running consistently late day after day for weeks then they might be a good option as they have people who monitor timekeeping.

Thank you. Thats useful, I will look into it in a quiet moment at work.

wealdroam wrote: »

OP, have you seen Stagecoach Bus's Code of Practice?

Thanks. Didn't take long to read.

Interestingly (well I think so) I had 2 prompt, email replies to my email, and the service has actually improved considerably - sheer coincidence I'm sure!

The drivers (some of them - I should add) are just the rudest, most miserable and awkward people you could ever care to meet - and every one of them has been cheerier and more polite for the last few weeks!

I have the POWER!!!!!

The_ICT_Engineer

Where you find stagecoaches, You find cowboys. The shocking and sub-standard service provide by this company in North Cambridgeshire is beyond Joke .
Their dirty, smelly, unheated unreliable buses are always breaking down or just not turning up. I had to get a cab (£20) to night as the last two buses never turned up. Well Iam not walking the 11 miles back. Avoid using them if you can.

Complaints to Stagecoach tend to end up in the bin.