Dear Eleanor

[lnr]

Stagecoach replied:

Thank you for your e-mail below.

Firstly, I must apologise that you have encountered an issue with the number 10 service on Saturday 15th October 2016.

Unfortunately, the service in question was unable to operate due to a passenger being very ill on the bus which, resulted in the driver being unable to continue due to health and safety reasons.

With regards to MyBusTripp App, this is a third party app and we have not responsibility as to the information which is or is not provided. Stagecoach has just started a new app with live information. To down load this please go to your app store and type in stagecoach app.

As the disruption to the service were circumstances beyond our control I an unable to honour your request for compensation on this occasion.

Please accept my sincere apologise for the disruption in the service and I hope any future travels on our services are trouble free.

I'm not sure how I was supposed to know about their app (it's not obviously advertised anywhere), and they don't say whether it's any better at distinguishing not-running buses from no-live-data buses.

Comments

[lnr]

Thanks [Name] for your prompt response.

The MyBusTrip app was originally advertised by the council I believe, and covers both Stagecoach buses and those run by other companies, but I will give your app a try. I've not seen it advertised anywhere, perhaps some posters on bus stops would be helpful?

Can you clarify would your app have told us immediately that the bus was cancelled, or would it have continued to show the timetabled bus until it was due?

Is there any way you can arrange for Traveline to be told when buses are cancelled, so there is some way for passengers at bus stops who don't have smartphones to access this information.

Thanks again,

Eleanor

[aldabra]

Also, they must surely have insurance against circumstances beyond their control, and ought also to have contingency plans; is there some OfBus you can take that denial of compensation to?

[lnr]

It would be nice, wouldn't it?

Their Conditions of Carriage include:

2) General conditions
We aim to provide a safe, reliable and punctual service but there are occasions when we are simply unable to run as advertised due to factors outside of our control such as road works, diversions, exceptional traffic congestion, major events, extreme weather conditions and other unforeseen operating circumstances.

Wherever possible, we will take reasonable steps to advise you of any disruption to services but, in the event of cancellation, delay, diversion or termination of any service or the service being unavailable to you as a result of the vehicle being fully loaded or for any other reasons, we shall not be liable for losses, damages, cost or inconvenience that you suffer as a result.

And as I mention to Sally below there only seem to be any actual overall rights for longer journeys.

[atreic.livejournal.com]

If the trains run late you get compensated no matter why the trains were late. It's clearly their choice not to compensate. Surely almost everything that causes a bus to run late is a circumstance beyond their control, whether that's heavy traffic, drivers being ill, or a sudden blizzard?

[lnr]

It seems there is a right to compensation on long distance coaches (250km or > 3hours) but not on local buses.

http://www.goeuro.co.uk/blog/bus-delays-and-cancellations/

(Trains)

[mair_in_grenderich]

No, you really don't. I think Virgin Trains East Coast (or whatever they're currently called) do, but First Great Western, for example, explicitly have a "circumstances beyond our control don't count" clause, and refused me any repayment for a two-hour late train following a tree-on-line incident. (Although a grumpy follow-up email did result in some vouchers as a show of goodwill).

[lnr]

Hmm yes, according to http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/ticket_types/72098.aspx :

"Train companies may not pay out if the delay was caused by something outside the control of the rail industry. The National Rail Conditions of Travel sets out these circumstances which include, vandalism, exceptionally severe weather and when the police or emergency services close the line. For more information see the National Rail Conditions of Travel and the company's Passenger’s Charter."

I'm sorry they were so awkward with you!

[lnr]

Thanks [Name] for your prompt response.

The MyBusTrip app was originally advertised by the council I believe, and covers both Stagecoach buses and those run by other companies, but I will give your app a try. I've not seen it advertised anywhere, perhaps some posters on bus stops would be helpful?

Can you clarify would your app have told us immediately that the bus was cancelled, or would it have continued to show the timetabled bus until it was due?

Is there any way you can arrange for Traveline to be told when buses are cancelled, so there is some way for passengers at bus stops who don't have smartphones to access this information.

Thanks again,

Eleanor