Customer Charter Our Commitment to You
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Customer Charter Our commitment to you January 2017 Contents Introduction Page Our vision at First Cymru is to be the number one choice for public transport providing our customers with a safe, • Introduction 3 reliable and cost effective means of bus travel. • Keeping you informed 6 To demonstrate our commitments to you, we have • Buying a ticket 7 produced this Customer Charter which sets out our service • Customers with additional needs 8 pledges to our customers. We welcome comments on this • Bus service standards and facilities 10 Customer Charter. We will review it regularly to ensure that • How YOU can assist us 11 it meets our customers’ needs and that it is a fair reflection • Safety and environmental issues 12 of the level of service we aim to provide. Over the next few • Smoking policy 13 pages, you will find information on the service standards • Alcohol and drugs policy 13 you can expect to receive from us and how we are • Bicycles 13 committed to making your journey as easy as possible. • Surfboards 13 • Dogs 14 This Customer Charter applies to all bus services operated • Lost property 15 by First Cymru. • Responding to your comments 15 • Independent bodies 16 • Have your say 16 • The First Cymru commitment 17 • What is the First Cymru commitment? 17 • When can I claim? 17 • When is First at fault? 17 Aberystwyth • How do I claim? 18 • How to contact us 19 Aberaeron • How to catch a bus 20 Lampeter Llandeilo Haverfordwest Carmarthen Ammanford Milford Haven Tenby Llanelli Pontardawe Pembroke Burry Port Neath Swansea Maesteg Port Talbot Newport First Cymru bus services operating area Bridgend Porthcawl Cowbridge Cardi 2 3 We are committed to looking More specifically, we will: • Ensure that you are able to travel safely and in clean and after our customers’ interests comfortable conditions. and will continuously review • Do everything within our control to operate our services what we need to do to ensure as advertised. • Treat everyone fairly and equally regardless of disability, that we achieve that aim. gender, age, racial or ethnic origin, religion, belief or sexual orientation. • Treat you with courtesy and respect. More specifically, we will deliver consistent standards for all • Respond promptly to your enquiries. bus services as follows: • Investigate in detail any issues brought to our attention • The provision of clear printed timetable information with a view to addressing any concerns raised. (where this is not undertaken by the Local Authority). • Inform you of the standard of service you can expect • The maintenance of up-to-date roadside or bus station from us. information (where this is not undertaken by the Local If we fail to meet any part of these commitments, Authority). please let us know. • The provision of user friendly internet information services. • Accurate information and assistance during disruptions to our services. 4 5 Keeping you informed Buying a ticket We know it’s important for you to get • A full range of Day, Week and Month information about our services prior to tickets can be purchased on bus. 3 starting your journey and on the day you wish Month, 6 Month and Annual tickets can to travel. Our aim is to provide you with: be purchased online from our website • Comprehensive, accurate and at www.firstgroup.com/etickets timely timetable information, • First Cymru participates in the local giving the service number, concessionary travel schemes. departure time and stops that will • Some multi-journey and student be displayed at each of our principal tickets are available through our bus stops. Information will also be m-ticket app. Full details can be available at major interchange points. found at www.firstgroup.com/buy-ticket/mtickets-faqs • Customer information produced in a In case of difficulty, contact our m-ticket helpline on format that is clear and user-friendly. 01282 688179 (Monday - Friday, 09:00 - 17:00) or by • Timetables and other information material emailing [email protected] at bus stations and other public locations. • We will seek to serve you in a professional and efficient way. • We will provide information in English and Welsh • Please ensure you always hold a valid ticket / pass while where ever practicable. We are striving to make all travelling on our services. First Cymru has a policy where of our information bilingual in time. a standard ticket (subject to terms and conditions of • Advance information informing customers of changes carriage) may be issued at the discretion of our to services as a result of Public Holidays, known road Inspection Team for the following ticket offences: works or special events that will be produced at least • Out of date ticket / pass two weeks in advance (where we are also notified by • Incorrect Zone usage the relevant body in a timely manner). Wherever • Over riding possible, such information will be displayed at relevant bus stops, bus stations and on our website. • Scanned and defaced ticket / pass • No ticket/pass presented on request • As much notice as possible in the event of unplanned or emergency service alterations. We will endeavour to • Any other ticket irregularities as identified by the keep disruption to a minimum. Inspection Team • Passes may be withdrawn where fraudulently used • New timetable leaflets at least two weeks prior to their commencement. • Please keep your ticket throughout your journey and afterwards. Should you have any issues, this will enable • A clearly identifiable bus route and destination. it to be inspected by our staff and, if necessary, help us All buses will show the correct number and destination to track any problem that may arise following your when in service and display the “Sorry, out of service”/ journey. “Dim gwasanaeth” sign when not in service. • Information about our services on our Internet site, www.firstgroup.com - there is also a Smartphone text version available. Traveline Cymru provides comprehensive information on all our bus services in both Welsh and English. First Cymru will continue to promote and support this national bus information service. Traveline Cymru can be contacted on 0800 464 0000 or by visiting the website at www.traveline-cymru.info. 6 7 Customers with additional needs We are constantly looking at ways of improving services for our customers with limited mobility who wish to travel by bus. • We will try to provide spaces as far as is practicable in our vehicles for customers using standard wheelchairs or powered wheelchairs up to a maximum width of 67cm and length of 120cm. • Unfortunately, mobility scooters and other motor operated mobility vehicles cannot always be carried. If you would like us to undertake an assessment of your mobility vehicle for authorisation to travel, please contact our Customer Service team (see Contact Us on back page). They will make the necessary arrangements for you. You will then receive a “Passport to Travel” showing that your mobility vehicle is acceptable for transportation on our vehicles. • Our drivers will always endeavour to stop as close to any kerb as is possible and to use the ramp where fitted. All of our local bus services use low floor, easy access buses, We would expect our drivers to do this as a matter of designed to carry wheelchairs and buggies. Currently, we course, but please ask if this does not happen. can only carry wheelchairs on service X10 coaches if they are folded in the underfloor lockers. • First Cymru is pleased to support the Guide Dogs Travel Charter. For further information, please e-mail On board these vehicles there is a dedicated space for one [email protected] wheelchair user. If the wheelchair space is occupied by a non-wheelchair user, the driver will ask them to vacate the • We work closely with local disability groups to establish wheelchair space and move to another part of the vehicle. productive relationships. There is limited space for buggies on board our vehicles • We work closely with local organisations to promote and will vary according to the interior design of the vehicle. the Safe Places scheme which has been set up to offer If the spaces are already occupied, customers may be asked people with learning difficulties a place to go if they to fold the pushchair or buggy in order to travel. Wheelchair encounter a problem. First Cymru has agreed our staff users have priority over unfolded buggies on board the will do what they can to help a person in distress. You vehicle, please do not be offended if the driver asks you to can download your own Safe Journey card and Better fold your buggy and move to another part of the vehicle. Journey card from our website at http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/cymru/bus_access/ safe_journey_card/ 8 9 Bus service standards and facilities How YOU can assist us • We aim to operate all of our services to the published You can assist us in providing a safe and high quality bus timetable and try our best to ensure that they run on service by always ensuring that you: time. We regularly monitor the reliability of our services • Do not speak to the driver whilst the vehicle is moving and make changes to improve them. (unless in an emergency situation) . • We will continue to aim for improved standards of • Signal to the driver in good time that you wish to get on punctuality and reliability. or off the bus. • All our drivers will be adequately route trained and • Allow people off before you get on. familiar with the service they operate. • Say where you are going and, wherever possible, give • Wherever possible, in cold weather our buses will be the driver the exact fare. appropriately heated. We will try to ensure adequate ventilation in hot weather.