Privacy Policy

The Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road and Ferry Company
Trading as Sandbanks Ferry

Last updated: 15 September 2025

1. Introduction

The Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road and Ferry Company, trading as Sandbanks Ferry (“we”, “us”, “our”), is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you use our website and services.

We are the data controller for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Our contact details:

  • Company Name: The Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road and Ferry Company
  • Trading Name: Sandbanks Ferry
  • Address: Ferry Office, Shell Bay, Studland, Dorset, BH19 3BA
  • Telephone: 01929 450203
  • Email: [email protected]

2. Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

We may collect the following personal information when you:

  • Use our website or contact forms
  • Purchase tickets or services
  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Contact us for enquiries

This information may include:

  • Name and contact details (email address, postal address, telephone number)
  • Payment information (processed securely by third-party payment providers)
  • Vehicle registration details
  • Communication preferences
  • Any information you provide in correspondence with us

Information We Collect Automatically

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect:

  • IP address and location data
  • Browser type and version
  • Operating system
  • Pages visited and time spent on our website
  • Referring website
  • Date and time of visits

Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience on our website. Please see our Cookie Policy for detailed information about the cookies we use and how to manage your preferences.

3. How We Use Your Information

We process your personal information for the following purposes:

Legitimate Business Purposes

  • Providing ferry services and processing bookings
  • Processing payments and managing accounts
  • Responding to enquiries and providing customer support
  • Improving our website and services
  • Ensuring the safety and security of our operations

Marketing (with your consent)

  • Sending you newsletters and promotional communications
  • Informing you about special offers and updates
  • Conducting market research and surveys

Legal Obligations

  • Complying with legal and regulatory requirements
  • Maintaining records for tax and accounting purposes
  • Responding to legal requests and preventing fraud

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we process your personal information based on:

  • Contractual necessity: To provide ferry services
  • Legitimate interests: To operate our business efficiently and improve our services
  • Consent: For marketing communications and non-essential cookies
  • Legal obligation: To comply with legal and regulatory requirements

5. Sharing Your Information

We may share your personal information with:

Service Providers

Third-party companies that help us operate our business, including:

  • Payment processing services
  • Website hosting and IT support
  • Email marketing platforms
  • Analytics providers

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law or to:

  • Comply with legal processes
  • Protect our rights and property
  • Prevent fraud or illegal activities
  • Ensure public safety

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

  • Fulfil the purposes for which it was collected
  • Comply with legal obligations
  • Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements

Specific retention periods:

  • Booking and payment records: 7 years (for accounting and tax purposes)
  • Marketing communications: Until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent
  • Website analytics data: 26 months
  • CCTV footage: 30 days (unless required for legal proceedings)

7. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights:

  • Right of access: Request copies of your personal information
  • Right to rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
  • Right to erasure: Request deletion of your personal information
  • Right to restrict processing: Limit how we use your information
  • Right to data portability: Receive your data in a portable format
  • Right to object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests
  • Rights regarding automated decision-making: Protection from solely automated decisions

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details provided above. We will respond within one month of receiving your request.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against:

  • Unauthorised access, use, or disclosure
  • Accidental loss or destruction
  • Malicious attacks

These measures include:

  • SSL encryption for data transmission
  • Secure servers and firewalls
  • Regular security assessments
  • Staff training on data protection
  • Access controls and authentication

9. International Transfers

If we transfer your personal information outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:

  • Adequacy decisions by the UK Government
  • Standard contractual clauses
  • Certification schemes

10. Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these websites. We recommend reviewing their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

11. Children’s Privacy

Our services are not directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will notify you of significant changes by:

  • Posting the updated policy on our website
  • Sending email notifications (if you have subscribed to our communications)
  • Displaying prominent notices on our website

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or our data protection practices, please contact us:

Data Protection Officer
The Bournemouth-Swanage Motor Road and Ferry Company
Ferry Office, Shell Bay, Studland, Dorset BH19 3BA
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01929 450203

14. Complaints

If you are not satisfied with how we handle your personal information, you have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk

This privacy policy is governed by English law and is subject to the jurisdiction of the English courts.