Passenger Promise

Our vehicles and staff

We promise that our buses will be safe, clean and comfortable. We clean our buses every day and they undergo detailed safety inspections from qualified mechanics every four to six weeks. We invest heavily every year in brand new buses to keep our average fleet age low, and almost all of our fleet now have USB charging sockets, leather seats and wood effect flooring, to keep you charged up and comfortable on the move. We also provide printed timetable leaflets on board our buses so you can find out what time your bus home is!

Getting support if you need it

Our buses run from five o’clock in the morning until midnight, seven days a week. We promise that you can reach us by telephone during these times, and we’ll provide help if you need it. If you have a general enquiry about fares or times you should call between 07:00 and 19:00 on Mondays to Fridays, but if you’re waiting for a bus that hasn’t arrived as scheduled, you can call us any time. You might also want to track your bus on the myTrip app*.

You can also email us (contact@central-connect.co.uk) or follow one of our regional Twitter accounts. We do monitor and reply to emails and Tweets / DMs outside of normal office hours where possible.

We'll never leave you stranded

If your bus is cancelled, severely delayed (30 minutes or more), runs early or is unable to pick you up for any other reason (e.g. if it is full), and the next Central Connect bus is more than 30 minutes away, we will pay for alternative transport to get you to your destination. This may be by travelling with another bus operator, or by train or tram, or alternatively you may need to get a lift from a friend or relative (in which case we reimburse fuel costs) or take a taxi.

Please note that all Passenger Promise claims are cross-checked by our commercial team. If you claim for a journey where our GPS tracking and CCTV systems show that the claimed disruption did not occur, your refund claim will not be paid.

Please be advised that Passenger Promise covers our DRT services, but only if you have a confirmed booking for the service which subsequently gets cancelled for operational reasons. If you are unable to make a booking because the service is fully booked at the time that you wish to travel, you are not able to reclaim costs via Passenger Promise.

How to claim?

To make a claim under our Passenger Promise please complete a refund request form here. You will need to submit your receipt / ticket from the alternative transport that you took.

Passenger Promise FAQs

Can you book a taxi for me?

Usually it is quicker and easier for you to use a local taxi operator or a taxi app such as Uber to book your own taxi. In exceptional circumstances our team may be able to book a taxi on one of our taxi accounts, but this cannot be guaranteed.

How quickly will I receive my refund?

We aim to process refunds within seven days of receipt. During busy periods it can take up to 21 days.

What happens if I did not get a receipt for my journey?

We will not pay any Passenger Promise claim if it is not accompanied by a receipt.

Please note that our Passenger Promise is a commitment to our passengers as part of our desire to provide excellent customer service. However, it does not form part of our Terms and Conditions of Carriage and does not affect or vary any contract which may be or become in place between Simonds and any passenger or third party. Your statutory rights are not affected.