At SOUTHTAX SOUTHAMPTON TAXI LTD, we are committed to providing safe, reliable and professional student transport services throughout Southampton, Hampshire and the wider United Kingdom.
Contracted student transport is usually arranged well in advance and may operate for several months, an academic term or another agreed service period. To maintain a consistent and dependable service, we allocate suitable drivers and vehicles to each confirmed transport schedule.
This Student Transport Cancellation Policy explains the notice required when cancelling a contracted student transport booking and the charges that may apply.
1. Scope of This Cancellation Policy
This policy applies exclusively to contracted student transport services arranged for regular, scheduled or long-term journeys.
It covers bookings made by or on behalf of:
Students, parents and guardians
Travel agents and transport coordinators
Universities and colleges
Schools and educational providers
Local authorities and government-funded transport programmes
Contractors and subcontractors
Agencies and care organisations
Businesses or other organisations arranging transport for a passenger
This policy applies to arrangements such as daily school runs, home-to-school transport, college and university transport, term-time journeys and other scheduled student transportation contracts.
It does not apply to ordinary one-off airport transfers, cruise transfers or standard private taxi bookings. Those journeys may be governed by separate booking and cancellation terms.
2. Confirmation of a Student Transport Booking
A student transport booking is considered confirmed when the journey schedule, service period and agreed charges have been accepted in writing by the customer or contracting organisation.
Depending on the requirements of the booking, confirmation may include:
The service commencement date
Scheduled journey dates and times
Pick-up and drop-off addresses
The expected duration of the service
Passenger or student requirements
The allocated vehicle type
The agreed price and payment schedule
Once a booking has been confirmed, SOUTHTAX SOUTHAMPTON TAXI LTD may reserve a driver and vehicle specifically for that transport schedule.
3. Minimum Cancellation Notice
Written notice of cancellation must be received at least seven calendar days before the agreed commencement date of the student transport service.
Providing at least seven calendar days’ notice allows us a reasonable opportunity to release the allocated driver and vehicle and make alternative operational arrangements.
Unless different terms have been agreed in a signed contract, no cancellation charge will normally apply where valid written notice is received at least seven calendar days before the scheduled commencement date.
4. Cancellations Made Less Than Seven Days Before the Start Date
Where written notice is received fewer than seven calendar days before the agreed commencement date:
No refund will normally be payable for amounts already paid.
The full agreed charge may remain payable under the confirmed booking or transport contract.
Any outstanding balance may become due in accordance with the agreed payment terms.
This is because a driver and vehicle may already have been reserved exclusively for the contracted service. Alternative work may have been declined to maintain the availability, continuity and reliability required for the student’s transport schedule.
Cancellation charges will be applied in accordance with the specific booking agreement and applicable law.
5. How to Cancel a Student Transport Booking
All cancellations must be submitted in writing.
The cancellation request should include:
The name of the student or passenger
The name of the person or organisation that made the booking
The booking or contract reference, where available
The scheduled service commencement date
A clear statement requesting cancellation
The reason for cancellation, where appropriate
Contact details for the authorised person submitting the request
Cancellation requests should be sent to:
Email: info@southamptonairporttaxi.com
A cancellation will not be treated as accepted until it has been acknowledged in writing by SOUTHTAX SOUTHAMPTON TAXI LTD.
Customers should retain a copy of their cancellation request and our written acknowledgement for their records.
6. Why This Cancellation Policy Is Necessary
Student transport contracts differ from ordinary one-off taxi journeys.
Regular student transport may require us to:
Allocate a dedicated driver
Reserve a specific vehicle
Organise a regular journey schedule
Plan suitable pick-up and drop-off times
Consider passenger assistance or accessibility requirements
Decline alternative bookings during the contracted periods
Maintain continuity for the student, educational provider or contracting organisation
Once these resources have been committed, a late cancellation can create significant operational costs that cannot always be recovered.
The seven-day cancellation period helps us balance the needs of customers with the operational commitments required to deliver a reliable contracted student transport service.
7. Changes to Journey Dates, Times or Locations
Requests to change a confirmed student transport booking will be considered where operationally possible.
Amendment requests may include changes to:
Journey dates
Pick-up or drop-off times
Home, school, college or university addresses
The number of passengers
The required vehicle
The duration of the transport arrangement
Accessibility or passenger-assistance requirements
All amendments are subject to driver and vehicle availability and cannot be guaranteed.
An amendment may result in a revised price where it changes the journey distance, travelling time, route, vehicle requirement or operating schedule.
No amendment will take effect until it has been confirmed in writing by SOUTHTAX SOUTHAMPTON TAXI LTD.
8. Exceptional Circumstances
We understand that unexpected circumstances can sometimes affect a student transport arrangement.
Requests for an exception to this policy will be considered individually and solely at the discretion of SOUTHTAX SOUTHAMPTON TAXI LTD. Customers may be asked to provide reasonable supporting information where an exception is requested.
Examples may include serious medical emergencies, bereavement or another exceptional event outside the customer’s reasonable control.
Submitting an exceptional-circumstances request does not automatically waive a cancellation charge. Unless an exception is approved and confirmed in writing, the standard cancellation terms will continue to apply.
9. Contracted and Government-Funded Transport
Where student transport has been commissioned by a local authority, educational institution, government-funded programme, contractor or agency, the cancellation provisions contained in the signed contract, purchase order or service agreement will take priority where they differ from this general policy.
The organisation responsible for commissioning the transport should ensure that any cancellation request is made by an authorised representative.
Students or parents whose transport has been arranged by another organisation should normally contact that organisation before requesting cancellation directly.
10. Early Termination After the Service Has Started
Where a customer or organisation wishes to end a contracted student transport service after the commencement date, the request will be handled in accordance with the relevant signed contract or written booking agreement.
Customers should contact us as early as possible to discuss the proposed termination date, remaining journey schedule and any outstanding contractual charges.
The service should not be treated as cancelled until written confirmation has been issued by SOUTHTAX SOUTHAMPTON TAXI LTD.
11. Relationship With the Booking Agreement
This policy should be read together with the quotation, booking confirmation, service agreement, purchase order and any other written terms provided for the contracted transport service.
Where a specific written agreement contains different cancellation or termination terms, the terms of that agreement will take priority.
Nothing in this policy is intended to limit any rights or responsibilities that cannot legally be excluded.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice is required to cancel student transport?
Written notice must normally be received at least seven calendar days before the agreed commencement date to avoid cancellation charges.
What happens if the booking is cancelled less than seven days before it starts?
Payments already made will normally be non-refundable, and the full contracted charge may remain payable in accordance with the booking agreement.
Can a student transport booking be cancelled by telephone?
You may telephone us to discuss the booking, but the formal cancellation request must be submitted in writing and acknowledged by SOUTHTAX SOUTHAMPTON TAXI LTD.
Can I change the journey instead of cancelling it?
Changes to journey dates, times, addresses or passenger requirements may be considered, but they depend on driver and vehicle availability. Additional charges may apply where the requested change affects the route or service requirements.
Does this policy apply to schools and universities?
Yes. It applies to contracted transport arranged by schools, colleges, universities, local authorities, contractors, agencies and other organisations transporting students.
Does this policy apply to government-funded student transport?
Yes. However, where a separate contract or purchase order contains specific cancellation terms, those written terms will take priority.
Can cancellation charges be waived in an emergency?
Exceptional circumstances may be considered individually, but an exception is not guaranteed. Any waiver or revised arrangement must be confirmed in writing.
Contact SOUTHTAX SOUTHAMPTON TAXI LTD
For questions about a contracted student transport booking, a proposed amendment or this cancellation policy, please contact our team before making changes to the agreed schedule.
Telephone: +44 238 192 9833
Email: info@southamptonairporttaxi.com
Address: 12 Monastery Road, Southampton, SO18 4HT
SOUTHTAX SOUTHAMPTON TAXI LTD provides professional contracted student transport for schools, colleges, universities, local authorities, agencies and other organisations throughout Southampton and across the UK. Contact Us in case of any query.
