TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR PASSENGERS
1. GENERAL & LEGAL STRUCTURE
1.1. Disclosed Agency Status: Airport Taxi Cheltenham is a trading name of Business Drive Cotswolds Ltd (the “Company”, “we”, “us”, or “our”). The Company operates strictly as a disclosed introductory booking agent on behalf of independent, self-employed private hire drivers (the “Driver” or “Supplier”).
1.2. The Contract for Transport: When you book a private hire vehicle via our website or by telephone, you are entering into a contract for transport services directly with the Driver, not with the Company. A legally binding contract is formed exclusively between You (the Passenger) and the allocated Driver at the moment the Driver accepts the booking request dispatched by the Company.
1.3. Binding Agreement: By ticking the “I agree to Terms and Conditions” or placing a booking over the phone, you agree to these terms as the exclusive basis governing the booking. If you are booking on behalf of someone else, you warrant that you have their explicit authority to accept these terms on their behalf.
1.4. Operator Licensing: Business Drive Cotswolds Ltd is licensed by Tewkesbury Borough Council as a Private Hire Operator under License Number: PHO103. In fulfillment of its statutory duties, the Company acts as the intermediary to accept booking requests and dispatch appropriately licensed vehicles and drivers in accordance with local government licensing acts.
1.5. Severability: Should any provision of these Terms be pronounced invalid or unenforceable by a competent court, only the provision in question will be void. The remaining provisions of these Terms will remain fully in effect.
2. USE OF THE WEBSITE & BOOKING PLATFORM
2.1. Accuracy of Information: In making a booking via our website, you must provide accurate travel details (including a valid postcode, flight numbers, and contact details) and are solely responsible for any failure to do so.
2.2. Age Requirement: You hereby warrant to the Company that you are at least 18 years of age and legally able to enter into a binding contract.
2.3. Right of Refusal: The Company acts on behalf of its network of Drivers and reserves the right to refuse any booking request or cancel an existing booking on behalf of a Driver if a vehicle cannot be allocated. In such cases, any fee paid by you will be refunded in full as final settlement of any claims.
2.4. Cookies: The website may use “cookies” to track user behavior and enhance future visits. You can set your browser to reject cookies, but this may preclude the use of certain parts of the website.
3. BOOKINGS & PRICING
3.1. Quotes and Allocation: The Company endeavors to provide you with quotes and vehicle options that match your travel criteria. A quote does not constitute a guaranteed booking until you receive a formal confirmation screen or email from the booking system.
3.2. Amendments: If you need to amend a booking, you must contact the Company via email. Any price increases caused by changes to your route, vehicle class, or pickup times must be paid before the booking is re-confirmed. If an amendment results in a price decrease, the difference will be refunded to your original payment method.
3.3. Premium Dates: Fares will be calculated at a 50% premium rate on the following dates: 24th, 25th, and 26th December, 31st December, 1st January, and during the Cheltenham Race Festival. This premium reflects driver availability and seasonal rates set by the independent drivers.
3.4. Child Seats: The Company and its network of Drivers do not provide child car seats due to health and safety regulations. Passengers are encouraged to provide their own seats. The Company can store your child seat safely until your return trip for an additional fee of £10, payable directly to the driver in cash or via card over the phone.
3.5. Late Bookings: Online bookings cannot be accepted within 8 hours of the scheduled transfer time. For short-notice bookings, you must contact the booking desk via telephone.
3.6. Tolls and Charges: Local tolls, airport drop-off fees, and congestion charges are not included in instant online quotes. The Driver will request reimbursement for these charges directly, or the Company can process this from your payment card upon your authorization.
4. CANCELLATIONS, FLIGHT DELAYS, AND REFUNDS
4.1. Cancellation Notice and Fees: Cancellations must be submitted via the website’s contact form or via email. Refunds are subject to the following windows:
- (i) If you cancel more than 24 hours prior to the agreed pickup time, you are entitled to a refund of the fare minus a 2.5% card processing fee and a £20 administration fee.
- (ii) If you cancel within 24 hours of the agreed pickup time, you will not be entitled to any refund for any reason (including flight cancellations by your airline).
4.2. Flight Delays: There is no additional charge for flight delays caused directly by the airline. The Company monitors flight tracking data on behalf of the Driver to adjust pickup times where practical.
4.3. Driver No-Shows: In the event that an allocated Driver fails to arrive at the agreed pickup point within 15 minutes of the scheduled time (or within 30 minutes at an airport), and you choose not to use the Driver, you will be entitled to a full refund of the fare as final settlement. If you choose to proceed with the trip despite the delay, you waive your right to a refund.
4.4. Missed Flights: If you miss a flight, you must notify the Company immediately by email or telephone so the Driver can be instructed not to enter the airport. Prepaid journeys where the passenger misses a flight without prior notice are non-refundable.
4.5. Waiting Time: Airport transfers include 1 hour of free waiting time starting from the actual time the flight lands. After the first hour has elapsed, waiting time is charged at £15 for the first 20 minutes, and £1 per minute thereafter, payable directly to the Driver or processed via card through the Company office.
5. PAYMENT & FINANCIAL FLOWS
5.1. Pay by Card (Client Account Processing): When selecting the “Pay by Card” option, you agree to pay the fare at the time of booking. The Company collects all card monies solely as a collection agent on behalf of the Driver. All passenger card fares are deposited directly into a dedicated Client Funds Account held by the Company as an intermediary before the transport share is disbursed to the Driver.
5.2. Payment Failures: If your card issuer refuses payment, the Company will be unable to fulfill or process your booking request on behalf of the Driver.
5.3. Pay by Cash: When booking via the “Pay by Cash” option, any required upfront deposit is processed by the Company as an agent. You agree to pay the remaining balance of the fare directly to the Driver inside the vehicle upon completion of the journey.
5.4. Receipts: The Company will issue an electronic payment receipt via email on behalf of the Driver, detailing the booking breakdown.
5.5. Route Deviations and On-Board Extras: Instant quotes apply strictly to the route entered during booking. Any passenger-requested deviations, additional stops, or physical extras requested during the journey will be subject to extra charges determined by the Driver. These are payable directly to the Driver (via their in-car payment device, if available, or cash) or must be cleared through the Company’s telephone booking desk.
5.6. Cash Warranties: The Company offers no financial warranties, tracking, or liability for payments made in cash directly to a Driver without an official digital system update.
6. INSURANCE & ILLEGAL DIRECT BOOKINGS
6.1. Luggage and Property Insurance: Neither the Company nor the Driver is responsible or insured for loss or damage sustained to personal luggage, electronics, or goods during a trip. It is your exclusive responsibility to ensure your property is adequately covered by personal travel insurance.
6.2. Prohibition of Direct Bookings: Bookings made directly with a Driver (e.g., via a driver’s personal mobile phone or cash outside the booking system) are strictly illegal under UK private hire law. In the event of a direct booking, the vehicle’s commercial hire-and-reward insurance is completely invalidated. All journeys must be pre-booked officially through the Company’s website or telephone desk to maintain valid insurance and passenger protection.
7. WARRANTIES AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
7.1. Liability Directed to the Principal (Driver): You explicitly acknowledge and accept that because the Company acts solely as an introductory booking operator/agent, any legal remedy or claim for breach of contract, negligence, vehicle faults, or service delays must be sought directly against the independent Driver, not against Business Drive Cotswolds Ltd or Airport Taxi Cheltenham.
7.2. Driver Licensing Warranties: The Driver warrants to the Company that they possess valid private hire driver and vehicle licenses issued by the appropriate Local Authority alongside valid commercial insurance.
7.3. Company Liability Cap: The Company’s aggregate liability in respect of these Terms and any administrative errors arising out of the booking platform (whether in contract or tort) shall be strictly capped at £500.
7.4. Statutory Rights: Nothing in these clauses operates to exclude any statutory consumer rights you hold under English law, or to limit the Driver’s liability for death or personal injury arising out of the Driver’s direct negligence.
7.5. Estimated Travel Times: All journey durations, arrival times, and pickup windows provided by the Company are indicative estimations only and are subject to traffic, road closures, and weather conditions. Passengers bear full responsibility for choosing an appropriate pickup time that allows sufficient padding to catch flights, trains, or appointments.
8. PASSENGER BEHAVIOUR & CONDUCT
8.1. Right of Termination: The Company (on behalf of its Drivers) and the Driver independently reserve the right within reasonable discretion to terminate a trip immediately if your conduct, or the conduct of your party, is disruptive, abusive, damaging to the vehicle, or affects the safety of the Driver or other road users. In such events, no refunds will be provided, and neither the Company nor the Driver accepts liability for any extra costs you incur.
8.2. Alcohol Consumption: Passengers are strictly prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages inside the vehicles during any part of the journey.
8.3. Refusal of Carriage: The Driver reserves the right to refuse carriage to any individual who appears to be under the influence of drugs or excessive alcohol, or whose behavior is deemed threatening.
9. LIMITATIONS AND EXCLUSIONS OF CARRIAGE
9.1. Excluded Items: Drivers will not undertake the transport or delivery of:
- Money, securities, antiques, precious metals, furs, jewelry, or any single item with an intrinsic value exceeding £50.
- Any goods or property of a hazardous, dangerous, inflammable, explosive, toxic, or illegal nature under English Law.
- Perishable items or property likely to deteriorate in transit.
9.2. Property Liability Exclusions: The Driver carries no liability whatsoever for loss or damage related to the items listed in Clause 9.1. Furthermore, the Driver shall not be liable for consequential losses (including loss of profits), or damage to highly fragile items resulting from standard transit movements.
9.3. Force Majeure: Neither the Company nor the Driver shall be held liable for any loss, damage, or delayed delivery arising directly or indirectly from circumstances beyond their reasonable control, including but not limited to mechanical breakdowns, traffic accidents, severe weather events, strikes, industrial actions, government restrictions, acts of God, riots, civil war, or acts of terrorism.
10. PRIVACY & DATA PROTECTION
10.1. Data Confidentiality: The Company maintains strict compliance with UK data protection laws. Personal data collected during the booking process is used solely to facilitate the booking and is shared only with the allocated Driver to execute the journey. Your data will not be sold or shared with unauthorized third parties without your explicit consent.
11. JURISDICTION & GOVERNING LAW
11.1. Governing Law: These Terms and Conditions, the booking platform transactions, and the legal relationship between the Passenger, the Company, and the Driver shall be governed exclusively by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of England and Wales.
11.2. Jurisdiction: The courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with these terms.
11.3. Service of Notice: All formal notices to the Company must be delivered in writing via email to booking@