Conditions of carriage

INTERPRETATION

 

In these Conditions of Carriage, the following expressions, unless the context requires otherwise, have the following meanings:

        

Expression	Meaning
The Company	Edinburgh Trams Ltd, registered in Scotland (No.451434), with its registered office at 55 Annandale Street, EDINBURGH, EH7 4AZ
Company Official	An employee of the Company such as a Driver, Ticketing Services Assistant, Controller or Manager.
Conditions	These Conditions of Carriage and The Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990, SI 1990, No. 1020, as amended, the Public Service Vehicles (Lost Property) Regulations 1978, SI 1978, No. 1684, as amended, The Disability Discrimination Act 1995, as amended and any statutory modification or re-enactments, and the Edinburgh Tram Byelaws made under the Edinburgh Tram (Line One) Act 2006 and Edinburgh Tram (Line Two) Act 2006.
Timetables	The timetables of the Company’s tram services.
Accessible Vehicle	A tram designed to give level access from a tram stop to a designated wheelchair space and/or buggy space.

     

1. GENERAL

These Conditions form the entire understanding between the Company and their passengers and apply to all passengers. 

The Company uses all reasonable means to maintain the service published in its timetables but accepts no liability for any loss, damage, or inconvenience arising from the failure to do so. The Company reserves the right, for operational or other reasons, to alter, suspend, or withdraw the service, Conditions or fares at any time. 

The contract between the Company and any passenger is limited to carriage upon the Company’s own services and any liability shall be limited accordingly. In particular, but without limitation, the Company has no responsibility for the acts or omissions of third parties including any delays or cancellations to third party services.

The Company shall not be liable for any loss, damage, or inconvenience arising from the communication of information in good faith by any member of the Company’s staff. 

Entrance into any of the Company’s vehicles or premises confirms acceptance of these Conditions.

2. CONDUCT OF PASSENGERS

Travelling on a tram means sharing the space with other people. Passengers must therefore do nothing which endangers or causes discomfort or offence to any other person on the tram. Specifically, passengers must not smoke, put their feet on seats, play music which another passenger can hear or cause any other disturbance. 

Additionally, passengers must not distract or obstruct a Company official, or interfere with any equipment on the tram. 

Company officials may refuse to carry any item which they believe to be excessively large or likely to cause injury to anyone or damage to any property. Passengers must follow all instruction given by Company officials in relation to items brought onto the tram. 

Passengers must be in possession of a valid ticket for their journey before boarding a tram and retain their ticket until they have left the tram stop at their destination.  Any passenger who boards a tram without a valid ticket must pay a Company official the on-board fare as shown in the Company’s fare tables.

Passengers must not board or alight from a tram or obstruct the tram doors when the ‘door closing’ tone is sounding.

Passengers who break these rules must give their name and address to a Company official when requested and may be obliged to leave the tram by a Company official or a Police Officer. 

Food or drink taken on board the Company’s trams must be carried in a sealed container. Drinks with lids are considered as sealed containers. Cold food or drinks in a sealed container may be consumed on board. Hot food cannot be consumed on board.  The on board bins are not suitable for food or drink waste therefore empty containers must remain with passengers and taken with them at the end of their journey. If requested to do so by a Company official, passengers must not consume food or drink which is causing discomfort to other passengers or which is creating cleaning requirements.

Passengers must not cycle or use roller skates, roller blades or skateboards on board any tram or at any tram stop.

No alcohol may be taken on to a tram by passengers travelling to or from football matches at Easter Road or Tynecastle Stadiums or to or from an event at Murrayfield Stadium. 

The legal obligations which apply to passengers travelling on our vehicles are set out in “The Edinburgh Tram Network Byelaws” and the Edinburgh Tram Acts. 

For further details of these byelaws, please visit: www.edinburghtrams.com

3. ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES

We want as many people as possible to be able to use our trams in safety and comfort. All our trams have dedicated wheelchair spaces. 

If there is no wheelchair/mobility scooter user occupying or requiring to occupy a wheelchair space, other passengers including those travelling with a buggy or with bulky luggage may occupy a wheelchair space. Any passenger using a wheelchair space must vacate that seat if requested to do so by a Company official.

Our trams have certain seats which are designated as ‘priority seats’ and are intended for use by those passengers who are less able to stand throughout their journey.  Any passenger using a ‘priority seat’ must vacate that seat if requested to do so by a Company official.

3.1 Travelling as a wheelchair/mobility scooter user or with a wheelchair/mobility scooter user

All of our trams have a dedicated wheelchair spaces. These spaces are designed for wheelchairs/mobility scooters which are no bigger than 700mm wide, 1200mm long and 1350mm high. A wheelchair/mobility scooter user will not be able to board a tram if the tram is full, or if there is already a wheelchair/mobility scooter user occupying the wheelchair space.

Wheelchairs/mobility scooters which are in a condition which could endanger other passengers or damage their belongings or the tram will not be carried.

When using a tram, wheelchair/mobility scooter users and/or carers must ensure that the wheelchair/mobility scooter is positioned in the wheelchair space and comply with the instructions given by notices and or a Company official. Wheelchairs/mobility scooters must have the brakes ON whilst the tram is in motion. Whenever the wheelchair space is needed by a wheelchair/mobility scooter user, other passengers must move to make it available unless the tram is full.

Please note: a permit scheme operates for mobility scooter users. For full terms and conditions please visit www.edinburghtrams.com/access or visit a TravelHub or contact Customer Relations. Mobility scooters users without a valid permit may be refused travel by a Company official.

3.2 Travelling with young children

Space on our trams is limited. We recommend that passengers who intend to travel on our trams with a small child use a smaller, easily foldable buggy. 

Buggies including pushchairs and travel systems which will not obstruct the aisle or doorways may be brought onto our trams unfolded. 

In common with all other passengers, whenever the wheelchair space is needed by a wheelchair/mobility scooter user, passengers with unfolded buggies must move to make it available. In order to allow a wheelchair/mobility scooter user to board, any passenger occupying the wheelchair space with an unfolded buggy should fold it and place it in the luggage rack. Alternatively, they may choose to get off the tram, in which case a receipt will be issued to allow them to complete their journey on a following tram free of charge. 

A Warrant is available to people who cannot fold their buggy because they are disabled or the child in their buggy is disabled. If a Warrant holder shows their Warrant to a Company official they will not be asked to fold their buggy. This Warrant does not provide any priority over other passengers when boarding. 

Empty buggies must be folded and placed in the luggage rack.

4. STANDING PASSENGERS

Notices may be posted on trams to indicate areas where standing is not allowed. When standing, passengers must not block the view or obstruct a Company official.

5. TICKETS

Before boarding, every passenger must buy or already have a valid ticket which they must show on request to a Company official. Tickets are only valid for the person they are issued to and remain the property of the Company at all times. Please ensure that you are issued with the correct ticket for your journey. Passengers must retain their ticket for inspection by a Company official until they leave the tram stop that they are travelling to. Single tickets and return tickets must be used to board within 30 minutes of purchase/validation/activation.

We reserve the right to refuse travel to anyone who presents a ticket which has been obtained fraudulently or which is damaged. 

Edinburgh Trams participates in the City of Edinburgh Concession Travel Scheme for travel on trams. Eligible cardholders can travel at the concessionary rate on all of our services.

All tickets are typically non-refundable. However, requests for refunds should be made to Customer Relations and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The Company shall not be liable for any inaccurate conditions of carriage supplied by a third-party ticket provider.

6. FARES

Fares and ticket prices for travel on the Company’s services are posted at tram stops. The most up to date information on fares and prices is set out on the Company’s website. 

Children aged from five to fifteen inclusive will be charged the Child fare. Up to two children under the age of five may travel free when accompanied by a fare-paying passenger who is responsible for them. Additional children under five will be charged the Child fare. 

7. CCTV

Our trams and premises are fitted with CCTV. Our Ticketing Services Assistants are equipped with personal CCTV. This is done to ensure that evidence of any act of violence and aggression or other inappropriate behaviour or of theft or criminal damage can be passed to the Police and the prosecuting authorities. We will always use all means to secure prosecution of anyone who commits a violent or criminal act on our trams or in our premises.

8. LUGGAGE

Accompanied luggage is carried at the Company official’s discretion and the passenger’s risk. The Company will not be liable for any loss of, or damage to, luggage. Larger items of luggage should be stowed in the luggage racks and must not be placed on any seat or cause any obstruction. 

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

a)    any weapon or explosive or any article which is dangerous, offensive or excessively cumbersome

b)    non-folding wheelchairs, except where the designated wheelchair space is unoccupied

c)    any battery from which corrosive liquid might leak

Paint may be brought on to our trams only if it is in a sealed, newly purchased container and is placed on the floor of the tram. 

Passengers are liable for the cost of any cleaning or repairs required as a consequence of any spillage from articles they have taken onto the Company’s trams. If cleaning or repair requires the tram to be withdrawn from service, the cost will include any revenue lost. 

Passengers are responsible for the safety and security of their luggage and liable for any injury, damage or loss which it may cause to the Company’s trams, property, employees or other passengers.
8.1 Bicycles

Up to two bicycles may be carried on the Company’s trams at the discretion of Ticketing Services Assistant. Restrictions may apply on peak services (Monday to Friday, 07:30–09:30 & 16:00-18:30 hours), throughout the Edinburgh International Festival in August or any pre-publicised events. 

Once on board, bicycles users must follow instructions given to them by a Company official. For full terms and conditions please visit www.edinburghtrams.com/contact/tram-accessibility or visit a TravelHub or contact Customer Relations.

9. LOST PROPERTY

If you find any property which someone else has left on a tram, please hand it to, or advise a Company official. 

If you leave property on a tram, please report the details to our Lost Property Office as soon as possible. A fee is payable when lost property is reclaimed from our Offices. Lost property will be held for one month unless it is perishable when it will be held for 24 hours. Property which is, or becomes, objectionable may be disposed of sooner. Please note that some items will not be held as Lost Property. Drugs and medicines will be disposed of immediately. Passports will be passed to the Police (UK passports) or to the relevant consular authorities (non-UK passports). The Lost Property Office is open Monday to Saturday 08:30-17:30hrs (Closed Sundays, local and bank holidays). It is situated at the Shandwick Place TravelHub, 49 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh EH2 4SD

Call 0131 475 0652 or e-mail [email protected]

10. ANIMALS

Small animals are carried at the Company official’s discretion. Guide dogs, assistance dogs and learning dogs will be carried if there is room on the tram. All dogs must be on a lead and all other animals must be secured in a suitable cage or carrying case. A Company official may require an animal to be taken off the tram at any time. 

Animals taken onto the Company’s trams are the responsibility of the person they are travelling with. The owner of an animal carried on the Company’s trams is responsible for any damage caused by that animal to any person or property on the tram. The cost of any necessary repairs or cleaning will be charged to the owner of the animal. 

All animals are carried at the owner’s risk and the Company will not be liable for any loss or injury.

11. SUGGESTIONS AND COMMENTS

You can contact Customer Relations using the contact details below:

Telephone: 0131 338 5780
SMS: Text ‘TRAM’ to 82228
Social: Find us on Facebook and Twitter
Email: [email protected]
Post: 1 Myreton Drive, Edinburgh, EH12 9GF
Live Chat: www.edinburghtrams.com or www.edinburghticket.com 

For more information visit www.edinburghtrams.com/contact/get-touch

If we cannot resolve a complaint, you can write to: Bus Users Scotland, Hopetoun Gate, 8b McDonald Road, Edinburgh, EH7 4LZ or call 0300 111 001 or e-mail [email protected]