Cookie Policy
This Cookie Policy explains how Instabus Limited ("we", "our", or "us") uses cookies and similar tracking technologies on our platform at instabus.co.uk. This policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal data more broadly. We are committed to full compliance with UK GDPR, EU GDPR, PECR, and other applicable data protection regulations.
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device (computer, smartphone, tablet) when you visit a website. Cookies allow us to recognise your device, remember your preferences, and improve your user experience. Some cookies are strictly necessary for our platform to function, while others are used for analytics, advertising, and personalisation purposes.
Categories of Cookies We Use
We use the following categories of cookies on Instabus:
1. Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are essential for the operation of our platform. They enable core functionality such as:
- Secure login sessions and authentication
- Account management for Customers and Operators
- Fraud prevention and security (e.g. reCAPTCHA, IP logging)
- Storing your cookie consent preferences
Without these cookies, key features of the platform would not function properly.
2. Analytics Cookies (Anonymous, with Consent)
When you consent, we use analytics cookies to collect anonymised information about how visitors use our platform. This includes:
- Which pages are visited and for how long
- Navigation patterns and usage trends
- Device, browser, and location (IP address anonymised)
This helps us improve website performance, service reliability, and user experience. Analytics data is collected via Google Analytics (with IP anonymisation enabled when applicable).
3. Marketing & Personalisation Cookies (With Full Consent)
With your explicit consent, we may use cookies for personalised advertising and marketing purposes, including:
- Google Ads personalisation and remarketing
- Tracking conversion metrics for marketing optimisation
- Personalised content recommendations based on usage
These cookies are entirely optional and will not activate without your full consent.
How We Manage Consent
We operate a fully compliant Cookie Consent system that allows you to make an informed choice regarding which types of cookies you accept. Upon your first visit (or after clearing cookies), you will be presented with options to:
- Accept All: Enables essential, analytics, and marketing cookies.
- Allow Anonymous Analytics: Enables only essential cookies and anonymised usage analytics.
- Reject: Limits cookies to strictly necessary cookies only.
Your consent preferences are securely stored locally on your device and can be changed at any time by clearing your cookies or visiting our website again.
Google Consent Mode & Tag Management
We utilise Google Consent Mode to ensure that all Google services, including Analytics and Ads, respect your chosen consent level:
- If you accept full cookies, Google is permitted to store both analytics and advertising data.
- If you accept anonymous analytics only, Google Analytics operates with anonymised data, while Ads personalisation remains disabled.
- If you reject non-essential cookies, Google Analytics and Ads are both disabled entirely.
This system ensures we remain fully compliant with UK GDPR and PECR while still allowing you to benefit from a personalised experience should you choose to do so.
Third-Party Services Using Cookies
We may allow trusted third-party services to set cookies, where relevant and only with your consent:
- Stripe (for payment processing and fraud prevention)
- Google Analytics & Google Ads (for analytics and marketing)
- Google reCAPTCHA (for platform security)
- Cloud hosting and content delivery providers (CDN)
- Email delivery services (transactional and account communications)
Each of these third parties operates under their own privacy and cookie policies, which may include data processing outside the UK or EEA subject to standard contractual clauses or approved frameworks.
Managing & Disabling Cookies
You can manage cookies in the following ways:
- Use our on-site Cookie Banner to set or update your consent preferences.
- Adjust your web browser settings to delete, block, or limit cookies.
- Use browser extensions or privacy tools to further control cookies.
Please note that disabling certain types of cookies may affect the functionality, performance, and user experience of the Instabus platform.
Legal Basis for Processing
Our use of cookies is based on the following lawful grounds under UK GDPR and PECR:
- Consent: For non-essential cookies (analytics and marketing).
- Legitimate Interests: For essential cookies necessary to operate the platform securely and efficiently.
Your Rights
In addition to your right to control cookies, you retain full data subject rights as detailed in our Privacy Policy, including:
- Right of access
- Right to rectification
- Right to erasure
- Right to object to certain processing
- Right to withdraw consent at any time
- Right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Contact Us
If you have any questions, requests, or concerns regarding this Cookie Policy, please contact us:
Instabus Limited
United Kingdom
Email: support@instabus.co.uk
This Cookie Policy was last updated on 16 June 2025. We reserve the right to update this policy to reflect changes in law, best practices, or our operations.