Privacy policy
Last updated 30 September 2026
This policy explains what personal information bus.me.uk collects, why, and what your rights are. You can use almost all of the site without giving us any personal information.
Who we are
bus.me.uk is run by Steven Smith in the United Kingdom, who is the data controller for the information described here. Contact: api@bus.me.uk.
Information we collect
When you visit the site
Like every website, our server records technical details of each request: your IP address, the page or data requested, the time, and your browser's user agent. We use these logs only to keep the site running and secure, for example to investigate faults and block abuse. They are kept for a short period and then deleted.
Your location, if you choose to share it
If you tap "Buses near me", your browser asks your permission and then gives your approximate location to the page, which uses it to centre the map and find stops near you. We don't store your location against you, though it can appear in the server logs described above as part of the map request.
If you create an account
An account is optional. It lets you save favourite stops and routes. We store:
- your email address, and your password stored as a secure one-way hash (we can't read it);
- when the account was created and when you last signed in;
- the stops and routes you save as favourites;
- a record of emails we send you, such as the sign-up confirmation.
Ride reports, only if you opt in
Signed-in users can choose to report which bus they're on, to help improve tracking. A report stores your account, the bus and route, and your location at the time of the report. This is off unless you turn it on in your account, and you can turn it off at any time.
Stop alerts
If you set a "leave now" alert, your browser gives us a push address so we can notify you. We store that address with the bus and the stop you chose. The alert is deleted within 3 hours if it isn't used, and within a day after it has been sent.
Why we use your information
| Purpose | Legal basis (UK GDPR) |
|---|---|
| Running your account, favourites and alerts | Performing our agreement with you (contract) |
| Ride reports | Your consent, which you can withdraw at any time |
| Server logs, security and preventing abuse | Our legitimate interest in keeping the site working and safe |
| Responding to your emails | Our legitimate interest in answering you |
We don't sell your information, and we don't use it for marketing.
Cookies and similar technology
We use one cookie of our own, called busmeuk. It keeps you signed in, is strictly
necessary for the account features, and lasts up to 90 days. We don't use analytics or tracking
cookies.
The site also registers a small "service worker" in your browser so it loads quickly and can show alert notifications. It doesn't track you.
Advertising
We may show adverts provided by Google to help pay for the site. When we do:
- Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your previous visits to this and other websites.
- Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visits to this site and/or other sites on the internet.
- You can opt out of personalised advertising in Google's Ads Settings, and read how Google uses data at How Google uses information from sites that use its services.
- Visitors in the UK and EEA will be asked for consent before any non-essential advertising cookies are used, and can change their choice at any time.
Services that receive information from your browser
Some parts of the page are loaded from other services, which therefore receive your IP address and browser details under their own privacy policies:
- OpenStreetMap provides the map images.
- unpkg provides the software library that draws the map.
- postcodes.io receives the postcode when you search by postcode.
- Your browser's push service (for example Google, Apple or Mozilla) delivers stop alerts.
Links to other sites, such as photo searches on Flickr or operators' websites, only share information if you click them.
Who we share information with
Only the hosting provider that runs our server, which processes data on our behalf, and anyone we are legally required to share it with.
Our server is located in the United States. Where your information is transferred outside the UK, we make sure it is protected by the safeguards UK data protection law requires, such as standard data protection terms with our hosting provider.
How long we keep it
- Account information, favourites and ride reports: until you delete your account. You can do this yourself at any time from the account page, which removes them immediately.
- Stop alerts: deleted within a day, as above.
- Server logs: a short period, then deleted.
- Emails you send us: as long as needed to deal with your message.
Your rights
Under UK data protection law you can ask to see the information we hold about you, have it corrected or deleted, object to or restrict how we use it, receive a copy to take elsewhere, and withdraw consent at any time. You can delete your account and everything linked to it yourself, straight away, from the account page. For anything else, email api@bus.me.uk from the address on your account. We'll reply within one month.
If you're unhappy with how we've handled your information, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
Children
The site is suitable for everyone, but accounts are intended for people aged 13 and over.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy we'll update the date at the top of this page, and tell account holders about any significant change by email.