Conditions of Carriage

These Conditions form the entire contract between the Company and its passengers and apply to all passengers. Entrance onto any of the Company’s vehicles or premises confirms acceptance of these Conditions. Failure to comply with these Conditions may result in immediate or future travel refused.

The legal obligations that apply to passengers travelling on buses are set out in “The Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990”.

Lothian endeavours to provide an inclusive service for bus travel in Edinburgh that is accessible to all or our passengers. You can find out more about our commitment to accessibility at lothianbuses.com/accessibility.

All of our buses are equipped with a ramp and have at least one wheelchair accessible space available for manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs and specialised wheelchair buggies and many of our buses have an additional space for passengers travelling with prams/ buggies or mobility aids.

As per UK legislation, bus drivers are required to ask any passengers occupying the wheelchair accessible space to vacate the space if a passenger using a wheelchair wishes to board the bus. We ask that passengers vacate the space when asked to do so if they do not require it.

For the safety of all passengers, front-mounted power assist devices and handcycles for manual wheelchairs can only be carried on our services if they have been detached and stored in a bag.

We are unable to accommodate mobility scooters for travel on any of our buses unless they have been dismantled or folded before boarding, and there is space for them to be safely stored as luggage.

We can accept manual wheelchairs, powered wheelchairs and specialised wheelchair buggies on board our buses, so long as they are no larger than 0.7m wide, 1.2m long and 1.35m high, are in good repair and are deemed safe to travel, as per our Conditions of Carriage. All wheelchairs must be fitted with functional brakes to travel on board our services.

Mobility devices and equipment that could endanger the safety of other passengers or damage property may not be carried.

Front-mounted handcycle and power assist devices for manual wheelchairs can only be carried if they have been detached and stored in a bag prior to boarding. Wheel and axle mounted power assist devices may be permitted at the driver’s discretion provided they do not have any exposed brakes or gears and do not increase the length or width of the wheelbase beyond the permitted limits.

If you have concerns about whether a wheelchair can be accommodated, please contact our Accessibility Officer at [email protected] prior to travel and they will be able to help you further.

Wheelchair users and/or carers must ensure that the wheelchair is positioned against the backrest board facing the rear of the bus with the brakes applied.

Forward or side facing travel is not permitted. If the bus is fitted with a retractable anti-tip bar, please ensure that this is in place for the duration of your journey. Please ask the driver if you need assistance in positioning the anti-tip bar.

Specialised and wheelchair buggies are entitled to use of the wheelchair space on the same basis as any other wheelchair.

Many specialised and wheelchair buggies are not easily distinguishable for standard buggies, so please inform the driver if your child’s buggy is their wheelchair.

At Lothian Buses, we are able to issue a Disability Access Card to parents/guardians travelling with children that use a specialised wheelchair buggy. The purpose of which is to confirm discreetly to our drivers that due to the child’s disability, it is not practicable for their buggy to be folded when boarding one of our buses.

For more information about travelling with your wheelchair or the Disability Access Card, please email [email protected], or visit lothianbuses.com/accessibility/wheelchair-users for more information.

For those wishing to use our services, we strongly recommend that passengers purchase small, foldable and lightweight buggies to make travel as safe and as easy as possible.

As per UK legislation passengers using a manual wheelchair, powered wheelchair or specialised buggy have priority over the use of the wheelchair accessible space on public buses. Passengers travelling with a child’s pram/buggy which has been placed in a wheelchair accessible space will be expected to vacate that space if a wheelchair user wishes to board. In such situations pram / buggy users will have the option to either fold the pram/ buggy and store it as luggage or choose to leave the bus in which case the driver can issue a ticket for onward travel.

The aisles on our buses are 0.73m at their most narrow, which can be unsuitable for passengers travelling with two children in a wider double buggy, so please consider this before you buy something with the intention of using it to travel.

The wheelchair accessible space and shared space on our vehicles are 0.75m in width and any prams and buggies parked in these spaces must be able to fit safely without causing an obstruction.

This maximum size includes any attachments, handles or bags and our drivers retain the right to refuse entry or ask a customer to leave the bus if their pram/ buggy does not fit safely. Bags or other items that may cause the buggy to become unstable must be removed and stored safely. The brake must be applied, and the buggy must always be attended to.

For safety reasons, only one buggy or pram is permitted to travel in the wheelchair accessible space and it should be positioned against the backrest board with the brakes applied. The same guidance applies to the buggy/ shared space on our vehicles.

If a young child or children are not travelling in a recognised pram/buggy/travel system the driver may refuse travel if they have any concerns about their safety. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to ensure that all children travelling with them do so safely and adhere to all conditions of travel.

Children must remain seated whenever possible when the bus is in motion.

Parents / guardians should exercise extreme caution when ascending or descending the stairs whilst travelling with toddlers or young children.

For more information about travelling as a family, please refer to lothianbuses.com/accessibility/families or email [email protected] with any questions.

Lothian provide priority seating on all of our buses. These are positioned near the entrance and exit doors, have additional leg room and include appropriately positioned handrails and bells.

These seats are intended for use by elderly, disabled, pregnant passengers and those that travel with an assistance dog or mobility aids. Whilst signage is in place requesting other passengers offer this seat to those requiring it the driver cannot request someone occupying these seats to move. If priority seating is unavailable, please take the next available seat in the lower saloon. If you are required to stand, please ensure you are secure at all times that the vehicle is moving.

Passengers using a manual wheelchair, powered wheelchair or specialised buggy have priority over any other passenger for the use of the wheelchair accessible space on public buses, as per UK legislation. If you are occupying the wheelchair accessible space and a wheelchair user wishes to board, you will be expected to vacate the space.

Services can be very busy and passengers travelling with a mobility aid, such as a rollator or a wheeled walker, may be required to fold it when there is insufficient space available. Please ensure that you know how to fold or collapse your mobility aid, so that it can be stored safely as luggage, under the seat or in front of you in the space.

When wishing to alight, please ring the bell once prior to your stop to alert the driver. Please allow enough time for the driver to stop safely at your desired bus stop. You should remain in your seat/secure standing position until the bus comes to a complete stop, before moving to the exit doors as quickly as you are able.

For more information about travelling as an elderly or concessionary passenger, please refer to lothianbuses.com/accessibility/ or email [email protected] with any questions.

Passengers are not permitted to stand in the upper saloon or on the stairs. Notices are posted downstairs to indicate other areas where standing is not allowed.

When standing, passengers must not block the driver’s view or obstruct the flow of other passengers boarding or alighting.

Passengers should stand or move around the bus only when necessary. Passengers should be aware that they are on a moving vehicle and make every effort to secure themselves at all times using the rails and handles available, taking extra care on stairwells.

Eligible cardholders travelling on our services using either of these schemes must also comply with these conditions. More information can be found at transport.gov.scot/concessionary-travel.

8.4 The following items may NOT be taken onto the Company’s buses:

1. any weapon or explosive or any article which is dangerous, combustible (including unsealed batteries or petrol), offensive or excessively cumbersome
2. bicycles other than folding bicycles which are folded and fully enclosed in a suitable carrying bag
3. larger, adult sized unpowered scooters and electric scooters other than those which are folded and stored safely in the luggage rack or on the ground in the wheelchair space. (Small, unpowered children’s scooters are permitted on board subject to available space and the ability to stow them safely in the luggage rack).

9.7 Personal property is the responsibility of the person We will always endeavour to reunite passengers with lost property however it is not always possible to do so.

In the event that a customer believes a crime has been committed in relation to an item of property we would encourage them to contact Police Scotland directly.