Beyond Your Journey – Comments and Suggestions

Somerset Council welcomes feedback about bus services across the Somerset area. To make any comments or suggestions regarding bus services you can contact us by completing a Complaints, comments and compliments or by telephoning 0300 123 2224.

When you forward any comments or suggestions to Somerset Council regarding local bus services, we will collectively use them to identify areas for improvement.

Beyond Your Journey – Compliments and Complaints

Please contact the local bus operator directly in the first instance regarding any issues relating to:

• Driver behaviour
• Reliability including early running and lateness
• Vehicle cleanliness
• Fares and ticketing
• Bus service and timetable information

For all other issues contact Somerset Council by completing a Compliments or Complaints form, or phone 0300 123 2224.

We aim to give you a response within 10 working days. If we are unable to do so within that timescale, we will contact you to outline an expected response time.

Independent Appeals

If you disagree with the response received to any complaint, you also have the option of approaching Bus Users UK,  who will try to resolve the issue for you.

You can contact them by sending an email to enquiries@bususers.org , by telephone on 0300 111 0001, or by post at:

Bus Users UK
22 Greencoat Place
London
SW1 1PR

They may refer your complaint to the Bus Appeals Body. Somerset Council and all local bus operators abide by the Bus Appeals Body’s recommendations.

What to expect when things go wrong

Where either Somerset Council or a bus or coach operator falls short of the commitments set out in this charter causing you to raise this directly with the relevant organisation, you will receive an apology from the relevant party and, where appropriate, compensation.

If for any reason the last scheduled journey to your destination from the bus stop at which you are waiting becomes later than 45-minutes or is cancelled, you will be reimbursed for the taxi cost to get you to the destination stop of the intended service. You must provide a taxi receipt to the relevant operator and details of the journey including date, time, and locations involved.

Where buses fail to operate or break-down for reasons within the control of the local bus operator causing passengers to miss connections to other bus or rail services suitable compensation will be provided on a case-by-case basis. Where the passenger has made alternative travel arrangements a receipt for the costs should be submitted with the complaint for consideration by the relevant operator.