Terms & Conditions

• All bookings must be paid in full online at the time of reservation to be validated and confirmed.
• We accept all major credit and debit cards via our secure payment gateway, Stripe.
• Your booking is only confirmed after successful payment processing. If payment is declined or cannot be processed, your booking will not be confirmed and may be cancelled.

• For your security, all payments are processed by Stripe. We do not store your card or bank details at any stage.
• Payment details and receipts are sent to your registered email address.
• All payments are subject to the terms and conditions of the payment gateway provider.

• The price quoted for your journey includes all applicable payment transaction fees.
• Stripe's standard processing fees are generally 1.5% + 20p for European cards and 2.5% + 20p for non-European cards (subject to change).
• Any additional fees or surcharges will be clearly communicated before payment is taken.

• If a booking is cancelled by the customer, Stripe's non-refundable processing fees will be deducted from any refund, as these fees are not returned to us.
• Refunds are processed promptly, but may take 5–10 business days to appear in your account, depending on your bank.
• We recommend reviewing our cancellation and refund policies before making a payment.

• In the event of a payment dispute or chargeback, you agree to cooperate fully with both Stripe and Leo Taxis to resolve the issue.

• Ensure your payment method has sufficient funds and is authorised for online transactions.
• Provide accurate and complete information when booking.
• If you have special requirements or expect additional charges, these will be discussed and agreed before payment.

• Log in to your account on our website or mobile app.
• Navigate to the "My Bookings" section to find your upcoming bookings.
• Locate the booking you wish to cancel and click the "Cancel" button.

• Refunds are processed automatically within the timeframe outlined in Stripe's refund policy.
• Stripe submits refunds to your bank immediately. Depending on your bank's processing time, it can take 5–10 business days to appear in your account.

• A payment transaction fee will be deducted from the refunded amount. Stripe's fees are generally 1.5% + 20p for European cards and 2.5% + 20p for non-European cards (subject to change).

If you need to cancel within the 24-hour window or encounter any issues during the cancellation or refund process, please contact our team:

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: 01823 924 403

• This policy applies to our company leadership, office and dispatch staff, and every Hackney Carriage and Private Hire driver operating under the Leo Taxis brand.
• It reflects the Department for Transport's Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards, our regulated-activity obligations under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and Children Act 1989, and Somerset Council's safeguarding requirements for education travel.
• It also sets out the duty of care we apply to international student airport transfers arranged with partner schools, language schools, homestay providers, and guardianship agencies.
• Leo Taxis holds Public Liability Insurance and Private Hire Vehicle insurance covering our full fleet. Current certificates are provided to partner organisations on request and renewed annually.
• Personal data collected for a booking — such as a passenger's name, flight details, or a photo shared for identification — is used only to deliver that transfer safely, is not shared beyond what's needed to complete it, and is retained only as long as necessary in line with our Privacy Policy and UK GDPR before being securely deleted.

• Every passenger is treated with dignity and respect regardless of race, religion or belief, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, age, or any other protected characteristic.
• Drivers and staff must challenge, and report to our Designated Safeguarding Lead, any discriminatory behaviour they witness or experience while working with us.

• Enhanced DBS checks: every driver and passenger assistant working under our brand holds a valid Enhanced DBS certificate (including a check against the Children's Barred List), renewed at least every three years, and is registered with the DBS Update Service for ongoing monitoring. Certificate dates and numbers are provided to partner organisations on request.
• Staff verification: office and booking staff who don't require an Enhanced check undergo a standard DBS disclosure.
• Council licensing: every driver holds and visibly displays their Somerset Council photo ID badge while on duty.
• Specialist training: drivers assigned to school and SEN routes complete Somerset Council-approved training covering passenger care, disability awareness, passenger mobility assistance, emergency aid, and child protection and behaviour management.

• Where possible, the same driver is assigned to a route consistently, so students build familiarity and trust.
• Drivers work closely with any council-appointed passenger assistant or escort, who must be present before a student with complex needs is loaded.
• A primary school or SEN student is never left unsupervised — a named school representative, parent, or guardian must formally take custody of the passenger at both ends of the journey.
• Vehicles undergo a daily walkaround safety check, and drivers carry working two-way communication equipment at all times.
• In line with Somerset County Council procedures, eating or drinking is not permitted in the vehicle during school transport runs.

• Before dispatch, our team cross-checks flight details, arrival times, and student names against the booking supplied by the school or guardianship agency, and we share the assigned driver's name, photo, and vehicle registration with the booking organisation ahead of pickup.
• Drivers wait in the arrivals hall holding clear signage showing the student's name and the Leo Taxis or booking institution's branding.
• Where a passenger is travelling under an airline's official Unaccompanied Minor (UM) service, our nominated driver is registered in advance as the collecting adult and presents matching photographic ID directly to airline staff before the child is released, in line with the airline's own UM handover procedure.
• As soon as the student is located, the driver confirms with our dispatch team, who then verify safe pickup with the student's UK guardian or school contact.
• If a student hasn't appeared within 45 minutes of landing, the driver stays at the airport while dispatch immediately contacts our Designated Safeguarding Lead and the institution's emergency contact.
• Students are delivered only to the address specified by the booking organisation — host family, teacher's home, boarding school, or campus accommodation — never to an alternative location without written authorisation from our Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• Every partner organisation is given a named account contact and a 24-hour emergency number, so drivers and dispatch can always reach the booking organisation, and vice versa, for the duration of a transfer.
• No safe handover: if no one answers at a confirmed drop-off address, the driver does not leave the passenger unattended — they wait with the passenger, contact our dispatch team, and dispatch contacts the parent, guardian, or booking organisation's emergency number until safe custody of the passenger is confirmed.

• Before any journey involving a child or young person travelling without a parent, our booking team asks the parent, guardian, or booking organisation whether the passenger has any behavioural, medical, or health needs — for example asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, or allergies — and whether they can self-manage any medication, so the right driver and vehicle can be assigned.
• Any additional support needs, such as help entering or exiting the vehicle, are requested at the time of booking wherever possible.
• A driver who has any concern about a child's wellbeing before a journey begins may decline the booking and must inform dispatch immediately.

• Selected vehicles in our fleet run internal CCTV, operated in line with ICO guidance and Somerset Council licensing standards.
• Footage is encrypted and tamper-proof; drivers have no access to view or download it.
• Footage is only released to the Police, Social Services, or Somerset Council's Licensing Authority, on official request, to support an investigation.
• Vehicles fitted with CCTV display clear signage at the point of entry so passengers know recording is in use.

• Drivers must never engage in personal or inappropriate conversation with a child or student, request social media contact, share their own personal details, or make personal remarks.
• Drivers must never photograph a young passenger, or seek or share any personal information beyond what is needed to complete the booking.
• Physical contact is limited strictly to essential emergency assistance, or helping a passenger with a genuine mobility need or seatbelt safely into or out of the vehicle.
• Drivers take the most direct route to the destination; unscheduled stops or detours are not permitted without a valid operational reason, such as roadworks.
• In line with UK law for licensed taxis and private hire vehicles: children under 3 travel in the rear, using a suitable child seat where one is fitted; a suitable child or booster seat is provided for children under 12 (or under 135cm) where requested with reasonable advance notice; otherwise children aged 3 and over may travel in the rear using the adult seatbelt.
• Young passengers travelling alone are seated in the rear of the vehicle, and drivers keep a window ventilated for fresh air throughout the journey.
• Where possible, a young passenger exits the vehicle onto the pavement, away from moving traffic, and is not left to cross a road unsupervised.
• Vehicle interiors, door handles, and seating are cleaned between journeys, and drivers do not store any personal information about passengers on personal devices.
• If a passenger becomes distressed or presents a risk to themselves or the driver, the driver stops in a safe location and contacts the parent, guardian, or booking organisation's emergency number rather than attempting to manage the situation alone.
• Staff and drivers must never give gifts, money, or personal contact details to a young passenger.
• Drivers must never be under the influence of alcohol or drugs while on duty. Any driver suspected of breaching this is taken off the road immediately pending investigation, in line with our Somerset Council licence conditions.

Any driver or staff member who suspects a passenger is at risk must act immediately. This duty applies equally to a concern about the conduct of a fellow driver or colleague towards a child, not only a concern about a passenger's own welfare. Concerns can always be raised in confidence, including about a colleague or about how a previous concern was handled, without fear of any negative consequence.

• Immediate danger: call 999 straight away if a child, student, or adult is in immediate physical danger or a medical emergency.
• Report to our Designated Safeguarding Lead: Anton Nemeth (Owner) — 01823 924 403 (advance & airport), 01823 924 400 (local & same-day), 07519 002727 (DSL direct), or [email protected]. The DSL logs every report and preserves relevant GPS and CCTV data.
• Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: if the DSL is unavailable, Luminita Nemeth — a Somerset Council-licensed Hackney Carriage/Private Hire driver who supports Leo Taxis with office administration — can be reached on the same number, 01823 924 403.
• Escalate to the authorities for any verified non-emergency concern — Somerset Children's Social Care 0300 123 2224 ([email protected]), the Somerset Emergency Duty Team out of hours on 01278 454070, or Avon and Somerset Police (non-emergency) on 101.

A complaint about the standard of service — separate from a safeguarding concern — can be raised with our office at any time on 01823 924 403 / 01823 924 400 or by email to [email protected]. We acknowledge every complaint promptly, investigate it fully, and keep the customer or partner organisation informed until it's resolved.

This policy is reviewed annually to reflect changes in legislation, local authority requirements, and our own operations.

• Date of implementation: 2 January 2026
• Next scheduled review: January 2027
• Authorised by: Anton Nemeth, Owner & Designated Safeguarding Lead