At Southampton Taxis, we are committed to providing safe, reliable and professionally managed student transport services across Southampton, Hampshire and surrounding areas.

Student transport is normally arranged in advance, with drivers, vehicles, routes and collection times reserved specifically for each confirmed booking. This policy explains the cancellation, amendment, refund and no-show conditions that apply to contracted student transport services.

1. Scope of This Cancellation Policy

This Student Transport Cancellation Policy applies exclusively to contracted or regularly scheduled transport arranged for students attending:

• Schools and academies

• Colleges and universities

• Special educational needs and disabilities provisions

• Alternative education settings

• Training centres

• Educational activities and placements

It applies to bookings made by parents, guardians, schools, colleges, universities, local authorities, transport contractors and other organisations acting on behalf of a student.

This policy does not normally apply to one-off local taxi journeys, airport transfers, cruise transfers or other standard taxi bookings. Those journeys remain subject to the general Southampton Taxis Terms and Conditions.

Where a signed student transport agreement contains different cancellation terms, the terms in the signed agreement will take priority.

2. Why Advance Notice Is Required

Student transport services are often scheduled for several weeks or months. In many cases, the service may continue for a school term, academic year or an agreed period of approximately three to six months.

To provide a consistent and dependable service, Southampton Taxis may allocate:

• A dedicated or regularly assigned driver

• A suitable vehicle

• Fixed daily collection and drop-off times

• A planned home-to-school transport route

• Additional time for safeguarding or accessibility requirements

• Passenger assistance where separately agreed

These arrangements may prevent the allocated driver or vehicle from accepting other work. For this reason, student transport cancellations are subject to different conditions from ordinary taxi bookings.

3. Cancellation Before the Service Start Date

To cancel a confirmed student transport booking without incurring a late cancellation charge, written notice must be received at least seven calendar days before the agreed service commencement date.

The cancellation request should be sent by email and must include:

• The student’s name

• The booking or contract reference, where available

• The school, college or educational destination

• The scheduled service start date

• The route or collection address

• The name of the person or organisation requesting cancellation

A cancellation will only become effective when it has been received and acknowledged by Southampton Taxis.

4. Cancellations Made With Less Than Seven Days’ Notice

Where a confirmed contracted student transport service is cancelled less than seven calendar days before its agreed commencement date, any deposit or advance payment may be non-refundable.

Where the driver, vehicle or other resources have already been reserved, no refund will normally be payable for the cancelled booking unless otherwise agreed in writing.

Any additional cancellation amount payable will be determined by the confirmed quotation, booking confirmation or signed transport agreement.

This condition reflects the operational costs and loss of work associated with reserving a dedicated driver and vehicle for the student’s transport schedule.

5. Cancellation After the Service Has Started

When a student transport service is cancelled after it has commenced, the notice period stated in the booking confirmation or signed contract will apply.

Where no separate notice period has been stated, at least seven calendar days’ written notice should be provided.

Journeys falling within the applicable notice period will remain chargeable because the driver and vehicle have already been scheduled and reserved.

Payments already made for journeys outside the notice period may be considered for a refund or account credit, subject to:

• The agreed contract

• Services already provided

• Costs already incurred

• Outstanding invoices

• Any approved amendments or replacement arrangements

6. Temporary Absence and Individual Journey Cancellations

Parents, guardians, schools and contracting organisations must notify Southampton Taxis as soon as possible whenever a student does not require transport because of:

• Illness

• Medical appointments

• School absence

• Examinations

• Study leave

• Temporary timetable changes

• Family arrangements

• School closure

• Any other reason

Notification should be provided before the scheduled collection time using the agreed contact method.

Cancellation of an individual journey does not automatically cancel the continuing student transport contract.

Because the driver and vehicle remain reserved, missed or temporarily cancelled journeys will normally remain chargeable unless the relevant contract expressly provides otherwise.

7. Student No-Shows

A no-show occurs when the driver arrives at the confirmed collection point at the agreed time but the student is not available to travel and no advance cancellation notice has been received.

In the event of a no-show:

• The driver will wait for the period agreed in the booking or transport contract.

• Reasonable attempts may be made to contact the authorised parent, guardian, school or organisation.

• The journey will normally remain fully chargeable.

• An alternative journey is not automatically included.

• Repeated no-shows may result in the transport arrangements being reviewed.

Parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring that the student is ready at the agreed collection point at the scheduled time.

8. Changes to Routes, Addresses or Timetables

Requests to change a student’s pickup address, destination, days of travel, collection time or return schedule must be submitted in writing.

Changes are subject to:

• Driver and vehicle availability

• Safeguarding considerations

• Route suitability

• Additional mileage or waiting time

• Existing student transport commitments

• Revised pricing where applicable

Where possible, at least seven calendar days’ notice should be provided for permanent changes.

Southampton Taxis cannot guarantee that a requested amendment can be accommodated. The existing transport arrangement will remain in place until the change has been confirmed in writing.

9. School Holidays and Planned Closures

School holidays, inset days, examination periods and other planned closures should be identified when the student transport schedule is arranged.

Unless otherwise stated in the contract, the customer or contracting organisation is responsible for providing accurate term dates and notifying Southampton Taxis about any changes.

Journeys reserved because incorrect or incomplete timetable information was supplied may remain chargeable.

10. Severe Weather and Unexpected School Closures

Where a school or educational setting closes because of severe weather, an emergency or another unexpected event, the parent, guardian or contracting organisation should contact Southampton Taxis immediately.

If a driver and vehicle have already been dispatched or reserved, the journey may remain chargeable.

Where Southampton Taxis determines that a journey cannot be completed safely because of dangerous road conditions or circumstances beyond our reasonable control, we will inform the relevant contact as soon as reasonably possible.

Safety will always take priority when deciding whether a student transport journey can operate.

11. Cancellation by Southampton Taxis

If Southampton Taxis must cancel an individual journey, we will make reasonable efforts to:

• Notify the authorised contact promptly

• Arrange a suitable replacement driver or vehicle

• Minimise disruption to the student’s journey

• Coordinate with the school, parent, guardian or contracting organisation

Where we cancel a journey and cannot provide a reasonable replacement service, any payment made specifically for the affected journey may be refunded or credited.

Southampton Taxis will not be responsible for indirect losses resulting from delays or cancellations caused by events outside our reasonable control, including severe weather, road closures, accidents, emergencies or official restrictions.

Nothing in this policy excludes any legal responsibility that cannot lawfully be excluded.

12. Refunds and Account Credits

Any refund or account credit will be assessed according to:

• The amount of notice provided

• The confirmed booking conditions

• The applicable transport contract

• Journeys already completed

• Driver and vehicle costs already committed

• Any outstanding account balance

Approved refunds will normally be returned using the original payment method unless another arrangement has been agreed.

Banking and payment-provider processing times may affect when a refund appears in the customer’s account.

13. How to Cancel Student Transport

All permanent student transport cancellations must be submitted in writing.

Email: info@southamptontaxis.net
Telephone: +44 2380 005 005
Address: Southampton Taxis, 20 Craven Street, Southampton, SO14 1AX, UK

Telephone notice may be used for urgent same-day absences, but permanent cancellation of a contract must also be confirmed by email.

Please retain the cancellation acknowledgement for your records.

14. Questions About This Policy

For questions about cancellation charges, notice periods, refunds or changes to a student transport booking, please contact Southampton Taxis before cancelling the service.

Our team will review the booking confirmation and any signed agreement and explain the conditions that apply to the specific transport arrangement.

By confirming or continuing to use a contracted student transport service, the customer, parent, guardian or contracting organisation confirms that they have read and accepted this Student Transport Cancellation Policy.