Serious Breaches of Passenger Safety and Duty of Care
I am extremely disappointed and absolutely disgusted with the entire trip from start to finish.
From the moment we arrived, the experience was unacceptable. We were unable to locate the coach, and it was delayed by 1 hour and 45 minutes, which completely disrupted the schedule. While I appreciate that delays caused by traffic can sometimes be unavoidable, this delay appeared to be the result of poor organisation rather than circumstances beyond anyone’s control.
I am asthmatic, and the conditions on the coach made it extremely difficult for me to breathe. The coach was unbearably hot, and the air conditioning was so weak that it was barely noticeable. This caused me significant discomfort and distress throughout the journey.
Throughout the trip, the driver travelled at an excessively high speed and braked harshly on numerous occasions, leaving many passengers feeling uncomfortable and unsafe. As we approached our destination, there were clear warning signs instructing drivers to reduce their speed due to the narrow road. Any responsible driver would have slowed down, and I would expect a professional coach driver carrying passengers to exercise an even greater level of care. Instead, the driver continued at what felt like a reckless speed.
Several passengers asked the driver to slow down, but these concerns were ignored. Shortly afterwards, we heard a loud impact as the coach struck something, sending rocks flying against the windows. It was a terrifying experience that words can hardly describe. A few minutes later, the driver stopped and informed us that the coach had suffered a punctured tyre.
After the coach became undriveable, the driver told us he would be taking a 30-minute break. We all agreed and got off the coach. However, after approximately 15 minutes, the driver returned while I was sitting with my group and asked, “How many of you are there?” I replied that there were five of us. He then said, “I’m not leaving.”
At that moment, my heart stopped. It appeared that he intended to leave us stranded in the middle of nowhere unless we agreed to his terms. We calmly tried to reason with him and repeatedly asked him to take us back to the location where we had originally been picked up, but he refused. His attitude showed a complete lack of care or responsibility towards his passengers.
Thankfully, several members of the public stopped to help us as much as they could. Then, by what truly felt like a blessing, an eight-seater Uber arrived after dropping off passengers nearby. The driver contacted his company, which arranged for additional vehicles to come and collect us. We were eventually taken directly to London Victoria, which was approximately 1 hour and 55 minutes away from where we had been abandoned.
No passenger should ever have to endure such treatment. We were left frightened, vulnerable, and unsure how we would get home. This entire ordeal was traumatic and felt like something out of a horror film.
I sincerely hope that both this driver and the company are held fully accountable for the danger, distress, and inconvenience they caused. Their actions demonstrated a complete disregard for passenger safety and welfare.
I expect this matter to be investigated thoroughly, and I request a full explanation of how this situation was allowed to happen, together with details of the action that will be taken to ensure no other passengers or families ever have to experience such a horrific ordeal. I will continue to pursue this complaint until our rights as passengers are respected and appropriate action has been taken.
11 July 2026
Unprompted review