train question

sianb84

This is something I have wondered for a while so thought would just ask and see what would happen in the follow situation.

A family have train tickets to go on holiday/see family, one of the members of the family is a small baby (say 3 months old) who is travelling in a pushchair (no car seat). Half way through their journey there have been delays and they are finally told they will have to get a coach. However the family have no car seat so no way of the young baby travelling safely on the coach. Do the train company whom they have a contract with have to make provisions to ensure the baby is able to travel safely?

TeaCake

Legally they don't have to provide baby seats and not all coaches are fitted with the right kind of seat belts that will keep a baby seat in place anyway (lap belts rather than over the shoulder ones). Did the family ask the coach driver if there was a seat available?

"The law does not require child restraints to be provided in taxis, private hire vehicles, minicabs, minibuses, buses or coaches, although they must be used if available."

http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/pdfs/carryingchildren.pdf

Owain_Moneysaver

The law does not require child seats on buses or coaches, although they must be used if provided on the vehicle. The alternative transport provided by the train operating company would therefore be in compliance with the law.

You don't have a contract in the ordinary sense when you travel by train; you travel according to the provisions laid down by parliament. In the same way you don't have a contract with your local council when you pay your council tax and they don't empty your bins.

sianb84

Its not a situation that has happened just one that I wondered what would happen.