A pledge to provide the best possible bus services in Plymouth
Issued November 2023 and valid until October 2024
This Customer Charter is our promise to you, the public, as to what standard of service you should receive from both Plymouth City Council and the operators who provide a service within our administrative boundaries. These include the services provided by the following bus operators:
- Plymouth Citybus (Go South West)
- Stagecoach South West
- Tally Ho Coaches
- Country Bus
- Gorran and District Community Bus Association
- Downderry and District Community Bus Association
It also covers elements of service provision that are the responsibility of Plymouth City Council, which is the local transport authority, including bus stops. The Council works to co-ordinate and improve public transport and financially supports several bus services across the city.
This Charter can be made available in other formats, if you would like this information in another format or language please contact: buspartnership@plymouth.gov.uk
Our pledge to you
What you can expect from bus services in Plymouth:
Services and information
- A network of regular bus services designed to connect people to places according to demand.
- A single source of information available on the Plymouth City Council website displaying our integrated bus network map and providing links to local bus operator websites and the Traveline website. All you need to know about bus services in Plymouth (including maps, routes, and timetables) can be found on our Plan your bus journey page. All local bus operators will have a link to this webpage on their own websites.
- A place to wait for the bus that is in a suitable location, with shelters at busier stops.
- Up-to-date information at most bus stop equipped with an information display, including details about bus times.
- Real Time Passenger Information displayed at key stops.
- Timetable and fare information can be provided in accessible formats upon request, for example, large print timetables, maps and departure lists for bus stops. Please contact the operator or Plymouth City Council for help with accessible formats.
Reliability
- We aim to run reliable services, which means buses normally running no more than one minute early or five minutes late, but sometimes external factors beyond operators’ control disrupt the network (for example, roadworks, traffic incidents, diversions, unusual traffic levels, etc.)
- You will be kept informed by the driver and/or via social media if your bus is seriously delayed and given a reason why.
- Sometimes there are exceptional circumstances that mean buses can’t operate as advertised. Wherever possible operators will keep you informed through alerts and messages on bus apps and operator websites and will let you know about planned changes ahead of time.
On the Bus
- A range of value for money tickets available for travel on Plymouth’s bus services, including the multi-operator Skipper ticket
- A range of payment methods (including cash and contactless) are accepted on most services.
- CCTV on a majority of buses for your safety and security.
- Priority seating available for elderly and disabled customers, as well as those with reduced mobility.
- Accessible buses that meet legal requirements, including a space large enough to take one wheelchair or two pushchairs on every bus.
- A clean bus, both inside and out, at the start of its service (but please be patient with us, sometimes it’s hard to keep a bus clean – especially when it’s raining a lot).
- Drivers will be provided with a uniform and will be friendly and helpful. All drivers will be professionally trained in providing good customer service and will undertake regular training to maintain their customer service and disability awareness skills.
- A pleasant and comfortable journey experience, with a smooth ride.
Improving the bus services in Plymouth
- Readily available information about the progress we are making to improve bus services on our Bus improvements page
- You will be able to view information about the performance of bus services against our targets on the Bus improvements page. This will be updated every 6 months.
- We will keep you informed of any significant future changes to services.
- You can send us suggestions and comments about bus services and ways that they can be improved by either contacting an operator through the sites listed below, or the Council at buspartnership@plymouth.gov.uk.
- All complaints will be fully investigated, and a response provided by the Council or the operator within 10 working days. You will have the opportunity to feedback on how well you consider your complaint has been dealt with.
- This Charter will be updated each year, taking on board your thoughts and comments.
The small print
This Charter does not affect your statutory rights. Passengers are carried by each bus operator in accordance with its own conditions of carriage. Conditions of carriage, where they exist, are available on the bus operator’s website; links to each website are listed below. A paper copy of the conditions of carriage will be carried on board the bus if it is not displayed online by the bus operator.
Complaints and comments
If you would like to provide feedback, be it positive or negative, we would like to hear from you. The best way to do this is to contact the operator directly, details of how to contact operators can be found on their websites, below:
| Operator | Website |
| Plymouth Citybus (Go South West) | www.plymouthbus.co.uk |
| Stagecoach South West | www.stagecoachbus.com |
| Tally Ho Coaches | www.tallyhoholidays.co.uk/Service-details |
| Country Bus | www.countrybusdevon.co.uk |
| Gorran and District Community Bus Association | www.gorranbus.org |
| Downderry and District Community Bus Association | www.dasra.co.uk/local-links/community-bus |
Alternatively, if you would like to provide feedback direct to Plymouth City Council please refer to the guidance on our website.
Complaints will be taken seriously and will be investigated.
If you are not satisfied with how the Council or any operator has dealt with your complaint you can approach Bus Users UK who will try to resolve the issue for you. You can contact Bus Users UK via:
Phone: 0300 111 0001
Email: complaints@bususers.org
Post: Bus Users UK
22 Greencoat Place London
SW1P 1PR
Website: www.bususers.org