Bus Users UK has welcomed publication of the Post Implementation Review of The Rights of Passengers in Bus and Coach Transport (Exemptions and Enforcement) Regulations 2013.
The Regulations set out the rights and protections of passengers, particularly when it comes to discrimination on the grounds of disability or nationality, and ensure effective routes to redress when things go wrong.
Bus Users UK contributed extensively to the Review which confirmed the framework remains broadly fit for purpose and should be retained. However, while awareness of the Regulations was found to be high among operators, awareness among passengers was low, with many people simply not knowing what their rights are, how to raise concerns or who to turn to when problems occur.
The Review also highlighted uncertainty around enforcement and complaints handling and while responsibilities exist in law, the experience for passengers can feel fragmented and unclear. Bus Users UK is calling for better signposting, greater consistency and clearer communication to build trust and ensure passengers feel heard.
Barclay Davies, Director for Wales with Bus Users UK and a leading expert on the Regulations in the UK, said:
“Passenger protection must be practical, accessible and actively promoted. While we welcome the overall findings of this Review we would like to have seen a commitment to a UK wide promotion of the Regulations to improve passenger awareness, and a strengthening of the passenger voice within enforcement processes. The lived experience of passengers should inform, not only individual case handling, but policy and regulatory decisions.
“The conclusion that the Regulations should be retained provides stability, but stability must not mean complacency. There is a clear opportunity to build on the existing framework by ensuring passengers are central to future developments.”
Read Bus Users UKs response in full HERE.
(Picture: Bus Users UK)
