Conditions of Carriage

General
The company reserves the right to alter, suspend or withdraw any service without previous notice. Advance notice will, however, be given when possible.

There shall be no liability on the Company for delays, howsoever caused, or inconvenience which may be sustained by any passenger through the failure of any vehicle, nor will they be liable for unpunctuality. The publication of any timetable or notice is issued for guidance, and no guarantee can be given that vehicles will operate at the times stated, or at all.

Neither the holder of a ticket nor any other person shall have the right of any action against the proprietor in respect of (i) death or bodily injury to any person otherwise than while the passenger is being carried on, or entering or alighting from a stationary public service vehicle, or (ii) any other loss, damage or delay to any person however caused, or (iii) any loss or miss-delivery of or damage or delay to property however caused, or (iv) death or bodily injury or loss sustained while entering or leaving a public service vehicle whilst in motion.

Suggestions and complaints
We welcome feedback about our services - please get in touch, using the contact details on this website.

General conduct
We strive to encourage people to use public transport as an effective and pleasant way to travel. We ask that when you use our buses or coaches, consideration is given to other passengers and our staff and remind you that your conduct is governed by criminal laws and regulations. If you do not follow these points, you may be asked to leave our vehicle or refused travel. You will not be entitled to a refund or alternative travel if you are in breach of these conditions. We rarely have cause to do this; please help us keep it this way. 

  • Please indicate clearly to the driver that you wish to use the bus, in time so that they can safely stop at a bus stop
  • You should not attempt to get on or off one of our buses anywhere other than a designated bus stop
  • Please behave in an appropriate and decent manner which does not cause offence to other passengers or our staff
  • If you have a valid pass or ticket, please show this to the driver or scan it on the ticket machine when you get on. If you don't already have a ticket or pass, please tell the driver where you're going and pay the requested amount for your journey
  • You may be asked to leave our vehicle at any time, or refused travel altogether, where you are or are believed to be (1) smoking any substance or an electronic cigarette; (2) interfering with any equipment on or as part of the vehicle; (3) interfering with or threatening or being abusive to a member of staff or other person travelling on the vehicle; or (4) causing a public nuisance
  • Be considerate to other passengers who may need a seat more than you, including those who are elderly, have young children, are pregnant or disabled
  • If you're listening to music, please use headphones at all times
  • Please keep the wheelchair dedicated space free and, if you board with a buggy or pram and to the extent that it is possible for you to do so, you fold and store them in the luggage space. Where it is reasonable to do so in the circumstances, the driver will require non-wheelchair users to vacate the space and require, for example, that such non-wheelchair users move to a different part of the bus or even refuse to drive on until space is made available for a passenger in a wheelchair

We reserve the right to take any appropriate measure to ensure that our passengers can travel in comfort and safety, and our drivers can work without fear of abuse or intimidation. This could result in you being temporarily or permanently banned from travelling on our vehicles as a result of such conduct.

Fares and tickets
Passengers must be in possession of a valid ticket or pass throughout their journey. We accept cash or contactless payment on board our buses. Our drivers give change but they only start their shift with a limited amount and this can get used up quickly. Drivers are not obliged to accept large amounts of coins above the standard allowances. These are: 20p made up of 1p and 2p coins; £5 made up of 5p and 10p coins; £10 made up of 20p and 50p coins.

Adult fares are issued to all passengers aged 16 or over, unless in education and can present a valid NUS Card or other appropriate ID. Children aged under 5 (that do not occupy a seat to the exclusion of a fare-paying passenger) travel free with anybody who purchase an adult ticket or has a valid adult-rate pass (including English National Concessionary Passes).

English National Concessionary Passes are valid for free off-peak travel in accordance with the conditions published by local authorities.

Wheelchair users
All our buses have space for one wheelchair user, but we cannot guarantee this facility. We will carry most wheelchairs and electric wheelchairs up to 700mm wide, 1200mm long (including footplate) and a total weight of 300kg (including the occupant).

Mobility scooters are not normally carried as they are outdoor vehicles intended for use as an alternative to public transport for short trips. They are generally less manoeuvrable and some cannot be used as a seat on a vehicle due to their instability and difficulty in providing appropriate restraint systems for both the scooter and the user.

Carriage of animals
Pets are carried free, so long as they do not present a hazard or disturbance to customers. If another animal is already on board then the driver may refuse travel (excluding guide dogs or assistance dogs). Guide dogs in training are also permitted, subject to the driver’s discretion. All dogs must be on a lead, should sit on the floor (but not blocking the aisle) and on double-deckers should be taken upstairs.

Bicycles
We do not permit standard bicycles on board our vehicles. However, folded bicycles are allowed so long as they do not present a risk to other passengers, their property or our vehicle. We encourage owners of collapsible bikes to use a bike bag to prevent sharp edges from being exposed. Folded bicycles must not be taken upstairs and on coaches they must be stored in the underfloor luggage compartments.

Electric scooters
We do not allow carriage of electric scooters on our buses.

Food, drink and alcohol
Please don't bring food with a strong smell onto our vehicles, as it can be unpleasant for fellow passengers. If you bring a hot drink on board please make sure that it has a spill-resistant lid as drivers may otherwise refuse entry. We do not want to refuse alcohol aboard our vehicles but customers will be asked to leave the vehicle if their behaviour becomes aggressive, loud or generally unpleasant to other customers or our staff.

Luggage
All luggage is carried at the owner’s risk. On coaches, please ask the driver if you wish to store an item in the underfloor compartments.

Lost property
If you think you've left something on one of our buses, please contact us with details of the lost item, the date of travel and other journey details. We'll do our best to help find it for you. Items of lost property that are handed to a member of staff, or found on our vehicles, will be logged and dealt with in accordance with the applicable laws. Items that are perishable will be thrown away after a period of 24 hours. All other items are retained for a period of one month, after which will become our property and be disposed of appropriately, normally to a chosen charity. Should you wish to claim an item of lost property, we will need to establish that the item belongs to you. You will also need to provide proof of your name and address and describe the item of lost property or explain the contents of an item so we can establish you as the owner.

Services on public holidays
A Sunday service normally operates on Public Holidays. Special timetables may operate during other holiday periods such as Christmas and New Year. Details will be published in advance.

Refunds
All applications for refunds should be made in writing to:
Whippet, 2 Rowles Way, Buckingway Business Park, Swavesey, CB24 4UG.

We will only normally refund tickets for any remaining days of validity. The refund value will be based on the period already used, rather than a percentage of the total ticket price (e.g. a 4-Week ticket which has been used for just 1 week will have the price of a week ticket deducted from the value of a 4-Week ticket). An admin charge may also apply.