Tony Cars respects your privacy and is committed to handling personal information fairly, lawfully, transparently and securely.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how and why we use it, who we may share it with, how long we keep it, and the rights available to you. It should be read together with our Terms and Conditions, Disclaimer Policy and Cookie Policy.
1.1 Tony Cars Ltd, trading as Tony Cars, is the data controller responsible for personal information processed in connection with our private-hire and minicab services, website, mobile app, booking systems and customer communications.
1.2 This Privacy Policy primarily applies to customers, passengers, website and app users, people making bookings on behalf of others, corporate account contacts and other people who contact Tony Cars about our services.
1.3 Separate privacy information may apply to employees, job applicants, drivers, contractors or other business relationships where additional information is required.
1.4 We process personal information in accordance with applicable UK data-protection law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and, where relevant, the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR).
2.1 Identity and contact information: your name, email address, telephone or mobile number, billing details and other contact information you provide.
2.2 Booking and journey information: pickup and destination addresses, dates and times, booking references, passenger numbers, vehicle requirements, stops, journey notes and other information needed to arrange or manage a booking.
2.3 Airport and travel information: flight number, airline, airport, terminal, scheduled or actual arrival information, selected meeting time after landing and related travel details where relevant to a booking.
2.4 Passenger and service requirements: luggage quantities, child-seat requirements, mobility or accessibility requirements and other information you choose to provide so that we can arrange a suitable service.
2.5 Payment and transaction information: fare amount, payment status, transaction references, refunds and limited payment information made available to us by our payment providers. Where a third-party payment processor handles card details, Tony Cars does not normally need to store your full card number.
2.6 Communications: emails, SMS messages, WhatsApp messages used for enquiries or journey updates, customer-service communications, complaint records, lost-property reports and notes relating to a booking.
2.7 Call recordings: telephone calls may be recorded where appropriate for booking verification, service quality, staff training, complaint handling, safety, fraud prevention and regulatory compliance.
2.8 Website and app information: IP address, browser or device information, app identifiers, pages or features used, technical logs, cookie or similar technology information, and location information where an app feature is enabled and you have granted the relevant permission.
2.9 Marketing preferences: whether you have agreed to receive promotional communications and any opt-out or suppression preferences.
2.10 We aim to collect only information that is relevant and reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.
3.1 Directly from you when you make or manage a booking, create or use an app account, call or email us, use our website, make a payment, submit an enquiry, report lost property, make a complaint or otherwise communicate with Tony Cars.
3.2 From another person who makes a booking for you, such as a family member, employer, personal assistant, hotel, travel organiser or corporate account contact.
3.3 From drivers or licensed operators involved in fulfilling or assisting with a journey, for example journey status, pickup information, lost-property information or incident details.
3.4 From service providers involved in bookings, payments, communications, website/app hosting, fraud prevention, mapping, flight monitoring or other operational functions.
3.5 From public authorities, regulators, insurers, professional advisers or law-enforcement bodies where it is lawful and necessary to receive such information.
3.6 If you make a booking for another person, you should make sure that they are aware that Tony Cars will process their personal information for the purposes of providing and managing the booked service.
4.1 To take and manage bookings, provide quotations, allocate an appropriate vehicle and driver, send confirmations and journey updates, manage changes or cancellations, process payments and provide the booked service. We normally rely on the lawful basis of contract or steps taken at your request before entering into a contract.
4.2 To keep records required by private-hire licensing, tax, accounting, safety and other legal obligations. We rely on compliance with a legal obligation where the law requires the processing.
4.3 To operate and protect our business, improve customer service, prevent fraud or misuse, maintain system security, investigate incidents, manage complaints, recover legitimate debts and establish, exercise or defend legal claims. We rely on our legitimate interests where those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.
4.4 To send optional marketing communications or use non-essential cookies and similar technologies where consent is required. You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting processing that took place before withdrawal.
4.5 Where you voluntarily provide information that reveals health, disability or another category of sensitive personal information in order to request accessibility or assistance arrangements, we will use it only as necessary for that purpose and will rely on an appropriate lawful condition, including explicit consent where required.
4.6 We will not use personal information for a new purpose that is incompatible with the purpose for which it was collected unless permitted or required by law.
5.1 We use booking information to arrange and fulfil journeys and to comply with Transport for London and other applicable private-hire licensing requirements.
5.2 Information necessary to fulfil a journey may be shared with the allocated licensed driver, vehicle operator or another appropriately licensed operator assisting with the booking. This may include the passenger name, contact number, pickup and destination, journey notes and relevant service requirements.
5.3 Drivers and service partners must only use passenger information for legitimate purposes connected with the booking, safety, legal obligations and approved operational requirements.
5.4 Where Tony Cars uses another appropriately licensed operator or service provider to assist with fulfilment, personal information will be shared only to the extent reasonably necessary for that purpose and subject to applicable legal requirements.
6.1 Payments may be processed through third-party payment service providers. Those providers may process payment-card and fraud-prevention information under their own privacy terms and security standards.
6.2 Tony Cars may receive payment status, transaction references, card type, limited card information such as the last digits, and information required to process refunds or resolve payment disputes.
6.3 We use payment and accounting information to collect fares, issue receipts, process refunds, reconcile transactions, prevent fraud and comply with accounting and tax obligations.
7.1 We may record telephone calls where appropriate for booking verification, quality monitoring, staff training, complaint investigation, regulatory compliance, fraud prevention, safety and the detection or investigation of criminal activity.
7.2 Where a private-hire booking conversation is voice-recorded, Tony Cars will preserve the recording for the period required by applicable Transport for London rules.
7.3 Emails, SMS messages, WhatsApp messages used for enquiries or journey updates, and other communications may be retained where needed to manage bookings, resolve disputes, meet legal obligations or maintain an appropriate business record.
7.4 WhatsApp and similar third-party communication services operate under their own privacy terms. Customers should avoid sending unnecessary sensitive information through messaging services.
8.1 You may choose to tell us about disability, mobility, medical or other accessibility information where this is relevant to arranging appropriate assistance or a suitable vehicle.
8.2 We ask that you provide only the information reasonably necessary for the requested service. We do not need detailed medical histories to arrange ordinary private-hire services.
8.3 Where this information is legally classed as special-category personal data, we apply additional safeguards and use an appropriate lawful condition for processing it.
8.4 Relevant accessibility instructions may be shared with the allocated driver or service provider where necessary to provide the requested assistance safely and appropriately.
9.1 Licensed drivers, vehicle providers and licensed private-hire operators where necessary to fulfil or assist with a booking.
9.2 Booking, dispatch, app, website, hosting, cloud, mapping, flight-information, communications and IT service providers that support our operations.
9.3 Payment processors, banks and financial service providers for payments, refunds, chargebacks and fraud prevention.
9.4 Professional advisers, accountants, auditors, insurers and legal advisers where reasonably necessary.
9.5 Transport for London, other licensing or regulatory authorities, courts, law-enforcement agencies, emergency services or government bodies where disclosure is required or permitted by law, licensing conditions, safety obligations or a lawful request.
9.6 A prospective purchaser, investor or adviser where a business sale, reorganisation or similar transaction is being considered, subject to appropriate confidentiality and data-protection safeguards.
9.7 We do not sell personal information to third parties.
10.1 Some technology, communications, cloud or payment providers may process information outside the United Kingdom.
10.2 Where personal information is transferred internationally, we take reasonable steps to ensure that an appropriate legal transfer mechanism and safeguards are in place, such as adequacy regulations, approved contractual safeguards or another lawful transfer mechanism.
10.3 Further information about relevant safeguards may be requested using the contact details in this Privacy Policy.
11.1 We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, licensing, tax, accounting, safety, complaint-handling and dispute-resolution requirements.
11.2 Private-hire booking records are retained for at least the minimum period required by Transport for London. Current TfL operator guidance requires booking records to be kept for 12 months from the date the booking was accepted.
11.3 Where a private-hire booking conversation is voice-recorded, the recording is retained for the period required by TfL; current operator guidance specifies 12 months.
11.4 Complaint and lost-property records are retained for at least the period required by applicable licensing rules; current TfL operator guidance specifies 12 months from the relevant record entry.
11.5 Financial, invoice and accounting records are normally retained for six years, or longer where required for tax, accounting, legal claims or regulatory purposes.
11.6 Marketing preference and suppression records may be retained for as long as necessary to respect your communication choices and demonstrate compliance.
11.7 Information relating to an active dispute, complaint, insurance matter, investigation or legal claim may be kept for longer where reasonably necessary. When information is no longer required, we will delete it, anonymise it or securely dispose of it in accordance with our retention practices.
12.1 Our website and digital services may use cookies and similar technologies to make services function, remember preferences, maintain security, understand website performance or provide optional analytics and marketing features.
12.2 Strictly necessary technologies may be used where they are required for the website or booking service to operate.
12.3 Where consent is required for non-essential cookies or similar technologies, we will request consent before using them and provide a way to manage preferences.
12.4 More detailed information about the cookies and similar technologies used on our website should be provided in our Cookie Policy and cookie-consent settings.
13.1 We may send service communications that are necessary to manage your booking, such as confirmations, driver or vehicle details, payment information, reminders and important service updates. These are not marketing messages.
13.2 We may send promotional emails, text messages or other direct marketing only where permitted by law, including where you have consented or another lawful basis is available under applicable direct-marketing rules.
13.3 You can opt out of marketing at any time by using an unsubscribe option where provided or by contacting us. Opting out of marketing will not stop essential booking or service communications.
14.1 We use reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.
14.2 Access to personal information is limited according to business need and appropriate confidentiality obligations. We also expect relevant service providers to apply appropriate security measures.
14.3 No internet, email, mobile or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Customers should use care when sending sensitive information electronically and should notify us promptly if they believe their account, booking information or communications have been compromised.
14.4 Where a personal-data breach occurs, we will assess it and make any notifications required by applicable data-protection law or licensing requirements.
15.1 Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to be informed about how your information is used, request access to your personal information, request correction of inaccurate information, request erasure, request restriction of processing, object to certain processing, request data portability, and withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
15.2 These rights are not absolute. Legal, licensing, tax, fraud-prevention, safety or record-keeping obligations may require us to retain or continue processing certain information even after a request is made.
15.3 You also have the right to object to direct marketing at any time.
15.4 To exercise a privacy right, contact us using the details below. We may need to verify your identity before responding in order to protect personal information from unauthorised disclosure.
15.5 You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data-protection regulator. We would appreciate the opportunity to address your concern first, but this does not affect your right to contact the ICO.
16.1 Our systems may use automated functions to calculate fare estimates, match bookings with available vehicles, monitor journey status, process payments, detect potential fraud, provide route information or monitor flight information.
16.2 We do not normally make decisions based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects on customers without appropriate safeguards where such safeguards are required by law.
16.3 If our mobile app offers location-based features, location information is processed only where the feature is used and the relevant device permission has been granted. You can control location permissions through your device settings, although disabling them may affect certain app features.
17.1 Tony Cars services are generally booked by adults and are not designed for children to create independent customer accounts without appropriate adult involvement.
17.2 We may process limited information about a child where necessary for a journey, such as age or child-seat requirements. We ask customers not to provide unnecessary information about children.
17.3 Where a parent, guardian or responsible adult makes a booking involving a child, we process the relevant information for the purpose of arranging and providing the requested transport service and meeting applicable safety obligations.
18.1 We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, technology, legal requirements, regulators, service providers or business practices.
18.2 The latest version will be published on our website with the date of the most recent update. Material changes may also be communicated by another appropriate method where required.
Tony Cars Ltd, trading as Tony Cars
Company number: 11795265
Registered office: 5 Norton Avenue, Surbiton, United Kingdom, KT5 9DX
Registered in England and Wales
Telephone: 020 8399 9473
Email: info@tony-cars.co.uk
Website: www.tony-cars.co.uk
For privacy questions, requests to exercise data-protection rights, or concerns about how Tony Cars uses personal information, please contact us using the email or postal address above.
