Felixstowe Coach Hire is operated in partnership with Harlequin Travel supplying the coaches.
Felixstowe Coach Hire Term and Conditions
Enquiries and Quotations All telephone enquires are answered promptly with quotations given within 1 to 2 hours upon calling. (Felixstowe Coach Hire Telephone Hours of Business Mondays to Saturdays 12-00 to 18-00) All email enquires are answered within 48 hours.
Booking a Coach Bookings can be made by telephone, fax, email or letter. An agreed deposit (usually 25% of full charge) is required to secure the booking. This deposit may be paid by credit card, or by cheque/cash at our office. The details of your full requirements for the hire must be given at the time of booking. If there any changes to the hire we must be informed immediately.
Payments The balance for all hires is due not less than 14 days prior to the departure date. Any hires required within the 14 day period must be paid for in full at the time of booking. We accept payment by Cash, Cheque (Must be with us a MINIMUM of 7 days prior to travel, to allow time for clearance), Bankers Draft, Bank Transfer or Credit Card (This transaction may incur further charges).
Cancellation Fees Should you need to cancel your booking you should inform us by telephone, and then follow this up in writing. Our Cancellation Charges are:
• More Than 14 days: Deposit Only* • Less Than 14 days but more than 48 hours: 50% of Total Coach Hire* • Less Than 48 hours: 100% of Total Hire Cost
*External suppliers costs (Parking etc) booked on your behalf may be payable in full. This price will be confirmed when you cancel.
Amended Booking If the change is minimal we do not charge for alteration. However if the amendments change the structure of the hire, then extra charges may occur, chargeable at an applicable rate. Felixstowe Coach Hire/Harlequin Travel shall deem the alteration to be minimal or not.
Change in Waiting Time If the waiting time exceeds the hours of the hire, then we make charges per hour or part thereof. These charges are variable according to the hire. NOTE: Our drivers are governed by EEC Drivers Hours Regulations. Under no circumstances will these Regulations be breached.
Price Guarantee The accepted quotation is guaranteed providing the payment schedule for the hire is adhered to and the original structure of the hire is not altered. However, we cannot guarantee the price of external suppliers services booked on your behalf, as this is beyond the control of Felixstowe Coach Hire/Harlequin Travel.
Travel Insurance You are covered travelling within our vehicle under Road Traffic Act Insurance Requirements.
Complaints Should you have reason to complain during the hire, you should inform the driver who will endeavour to rectify the problem for you. If the matter cannot be rectified to your satisfaction, details of the complaint should be made in writing to either:
We can usually reach an amicable resolution to the few complaints we receive. In the unlikely event of a dispute arising between us concerning the terms of hire, then such dispute will be determined by arbitration. Either you or Felixstowe Coach Hire/Harlequin Travel may apply to the Institute of Arbitrators for the case to be heard before an official arbitrator. Any contract between us shall be deemed to have been made under English Law, and complaints arising will also be dealt with by English Law.
Felixstowe Coach Hire/Harlequin Travel Responsibility to Customers Felixstowe Coach Hire/Harlequin Travel will supply all the inclusions of the hire as specified in the hire confirmation. We accept responsibility for acts and/or omissions of our employees. We make every effort to adhere to agreed timings, but cannot guarantee this.
Felixstowe Coach Hire/Harlequin Travel does not Accept Responsibility for Bodily Injury, death or sickness to the signatory of the contract or any other persons except where this is caused by a member of staff of Harlequin Travel. In this case Felixstowe Coach Hire/Harlequin Travel has unlimited indemnity for third party personal injury arising out of travel on a Harlequin Travel vehicle. This is NOT passenger travel insurance.
Delays caused by inclement weather, or unforeseen traffic conditions. Amenities supplied by third parties such as ferry companies, hotels or any other party contracted on your behalf. Any theft or damage to properties of the signatory of the contract or any other person travelling within the contract, except where such theft or damage is caused by a direct action of the employees of Felixstowe Coach/Harlequin Travel. Any delays caused by strike action,. Acts of God or conflict or war or force majeure.
Felixstowe Coach Hire/Harlequin Travel will not be held responsible or liable for delays caused by passengers arriving to the coach later than the specified time of departure or for passengers being held by police, immigration or customs officials. Where such delays are caused the driver shall depart at the specified time and may leave any passenger(s) behind. Felixstowe Coach Hire/Harlequin Travel will not make any refund or compensation in such circumstances.
Felixstowe Coach Hire/Harlequin Travel Conditions of Carriage
Animals No pets shall be carried without the written permission of the company. Guide dogs are allowed but the company must be informed prior to the date of hire.
Music In the interests of other passengers no musical instruments or radios etc shall be played without the company's permission. Such permission shall be shown on the confirmation.
Smoking Smoking is not permitted under any circumstances in our vehicles.
Alcohol Drinking and conveyance of Alcohol is not permitted under any circumstances in our vehicles.
Drugs It is strictly forbidden for any person to carry or consume drugs of any description except where such drugs are prescribed by a doctor.
Punctuality It is your responsibility to ensure that you return to the coach at the times stated by the driver. These times must be strictly adhered to in order to keep running schedules within the current laws. The driver's stated times are final and no refund or compensation shall be made to anyone returning late or thereby missing the coach.
Disorderly conduct The company reserves the right to refuse travel to anyone it deems to be a nuisance or danger to its employees or passengers. In extreme cases of nuisance or danger the company may ask the police to assist in requiring the person(s) concerned to alight. Felixstowe Coach Hire/Harlequin Travel reserves the right to prosecute such offenders.
Sickness on board coaches Felixstowe Coach Hire/Harlequin Travel reserve the right to impose a cleaning charge of up to £175.00 plus VAT in any case of sickness affecting the coach. For schools a standard charge of £55 plus VAT will apply in these cases.
Any infringement of these conditions could render your hire with IBPTS/Harlequin Travel terminated without refund or compensation.
General Information
Luggage It is your responsibility to ensure that your luggage is correctly loaded and unloaded by the driver.
Use of Vehicles While every effort will be made to supply a Harlequin Travel coach, sometimes vehicles become unavoidably unavailable. In such cases we shall supply the highest standard of vehicle available to us at the time. This form of hire shall be known as a sub-hire. For operational reasons Harlequin Travel reserves the right to supply a vehicle of a higher specification than reserved at no additional cost.
Wearing of Seatbelts From Monday 18th September 2006 under EC Directive 2003/20/EC it is compulsory for all passengers aged over 14 years to wear seatbelts in coaches.
Statement Once we have confirmed the booking these terms and conditions become valid. You as the hirer are liable in all aspects.
Statutory rights Nothing in these terms and conditions affects your statutory rights under English law. These terms and conditions were compiled in April 2007 and were accurate at time of publication.
Harlequin Travel Health and Safety Policy
Seat Belt Safety Harlequin Travel complies with the “Department of Transport” seat belt regulations.
Risk Assessments and Safety Management Procedures It is Harlequin Travel policy that all drivers employed (Full or Part Time) are trained and appropriately qualified in all aspects of PCV Driving, Operating Regulations and Customer Service relating to Driving Duties.
Safety Harlequin Travel main priority is passenger safety. Drivers are trained to ensure there is no danger to either passenger or vehicle and in emergency procedures. Prior to departure the driver will check to see if all seat belts are worn and correctly fasten, point out emergency exits, location of fire extinguishers’, first aid boxes and ensure all escape routes are clear.
Vehicles All Harlequin Travel’s Coaches are fully maintained to the “Vehicle Operating Service Agency” (VOSA) All coaches are checked daily (Daily Walk Round Check) prior to going on the road (All checks are recorded and held on record), any faults detected are repaired or a replacement vehicle is provided. Every 6 weeks a full safety check is carried by our maintenance contractor “Bradmans Garage”. All faults are recorded in the repair book carried on each vehicle and rectified as the first opportunity.
Drivers All Harlequin Travel Drivers (Full & Part Time) are given induction training on company policies, procedures, E.E.C Driving Regulations, Driving Hours, Breaks, Tachograph use and Customer Service Delivery. All Drivers are CRB and licence check before commencement of employment.
Safety Management The safety of all Harlequin Travel’s passengers is of paramount importance. It is the prime objective of Harlequin Travel to convey all passengers in a safe travelling environment as is physically possible. It is Harlequin Travel policy to ensure all our drivers comply with the rules of the company.
Risk Assessments of Journeys Harlequin Travel assesses all journeys to be undertaken, in respect of Driving Hours, Breaks, Location, The Route Taken, Safe Parking at Destination, Pick Up/Drop Off points, to allow passengers safe access to and from the vehicle.
School Trips Prior to departure the driver will instruct teachers, group leaders and supervisors to check to see if all seat belts are worn and correctly fasten, point out emergency exits, location of fire extinguishers’, first aid boxes and ensure all escape routes are clear. As stated in E.E.C Law it is the responsibility teachers, group leaders and supervisors to ensure that all children under the age of 16 are seat belted before the coach depart.
