The Bus Appeals Body

Step by Step - Making a Complaint

If you have a complaint about any bus, or regular coach service you should first write to the operator about it.  Be sure to give precise information about the date, time and route number of the journey(s) concerned.  If possible enclose your ticket.  You should give the company a chance to respond before considering any further action.  Except in London, Scotland and Northern Ireland, there is no statutory consumer body that can follow up bus service issues, but for some types of complaint there are ways to get problems investigated independently.

a) If the unsatisfied complaint is about unreliability, punctuality, staff behaviour, inadequacy of information concerning a service outside Greater London, Scotland and Ulster, the bus industry’s non-statutory Bus Appeals Body (BAB) may be able to help!  Appeals relating to England should be sent to:

The Bus Appeals Body
c/o BUS USERS UK,
PO Box 2950,
Stoke-on-Trent
ST4 9EW

b) Complaints relating to Wales should be sent to:

Bus Users UK,
Po Box 1045,
Cardiff
CF11 1JE

Tel: 029 2022 1370

c) Outside London, Scotland and Northern Ireland, there is no similar appeals body that can pursue commercial aspects of bus operations, i.e. fares and service levels, ticketing and timetabling, routings.  However, if a company is unwilling to provide or continue to run a service because of insufficient passenger use, local authorities and Passenger Transport Executives (Centro [West Midlands], Nexus [Tyne and Wear], Metro [West Yorkshire], Merseyside, Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire)  have powers to lay on appropriate contracted facilities, following tendering.  An approach to the local council or PTE might be worthwhile. See our Links page for the web addresses for the PTEs.

d) Before running services, bus companies must register timetables with the statutory local Traffic Commissioner, who also licences the operators.  The Commissioners are also responsible, through the Vehicle Inspectorate, for monitoring bus fitness and safety and adherence to drivers’ hours regulations.  Commissioners can, and do, bring operators to book (by fines and restriction of services) for regular infringement of these aspects of bus operations, including timekeeping.  Traffic Commissioners are located in Eastbourne, Birmingham, Leeds, Cambridge, Bristol and Edinburgh. There is a website for the Traffic Commissioner network giving full contact details which can be found listed on our Links page.

e) In London, London Travelwatch is the official passenger watchdog for all bus issues. Their address is 6 Middle Street, London EC1A 7JA. See our Links page for the web address for London Travelwatch giving further details.

f) In Scotland, Passenger Views Scotland (PVS) will represent public transport users. Part of their remit is to review and monitor delivery of agreed policy; to ensure that it continues to work in the best interest of passengers.

The function of the PVS is primarily that of an Advisory body to Scottish Ministers.  It has incorporated the Bus Passengers' Platform (BPP) which now deals with certain bus complaints.

The address is:

PVS Secretariat
2-D north
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ

Telephone for bus complaints 0131-2441709

See our Links page for the website details.

g) In Northern Ireland, The General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland (GCCNI) looks after the interests of bus and rail users.  The address is Elizabeth House, 116, Hollywood Road, Belfast, BT4 1NY. See our Links page for the GCCNI website details.

h) Bus stops, bus shelters and bus stations are usually the responsibility of the District or Borough Council.  But contact the PTE or Transport Section of the County Council first for advice if you have a complaint about waiting facilities and/or interchanges.

NOTE

1) Passenger focus is the passenger consumer watchdog covering mainland Britain for all rail matters. Its offices are based in London and Manchester but with locally based Passenger Link Managers. See our Links page for the Passenger focus website details.

2) Local bus travel information in Britain can be obtained from Traveline on 0870-608-2-608, or via the Traveline website (see our Links page).

3) Rail travel information in Britain can be obtained on 08457-484950, or via the NRES website (see our Links page)..

What is the Bus Appeals Body (BAB) ?

The BAB is a non statutory committee offering independent review of complaints arising from the operation of local bus and scheduled coach services.  It was set up in 1998 as the result of a joint initiative by the Confederation of Passenger Transport (UK) – the industry’s trade association - and the Bus Users UK predecessor - National Federation of Bus Users (NFBU).   Its remit is restricted to complaints about operational issues such as staff behaviour, reliability or information.  Commercial issues such as complaints about service levels and fares are not covered by the BAB.    An information booklet about the BAB and how it works can be obtained from the BUS USERS UK. Further information can also be found on the Bus Appeals Body website see http://www.busappealsbody.co.uk

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