Help with Transport
Entitlement to free transport or help with costs
LEAs have to provide free tansport for pupils up to the age of 16 if they need transport to get to a suitable school i.e. the school is not within walking distance (that is, up to 2 miles for children under 8 and 3 miles for children between 8 and 16). A pupil may be given a place on a coach, a school bus or be given a pass for public transport. Pupils who provide their own transport may be given a travelling allowance and parents who drive their child to school may receive a car allowance. If your child is disabled, the same rules apply – however LEAs can make a decision to provide transport on a case by case basis. If a child is unable to use transport other than a car due to their disability it can be argued that the parents should receive car allowance. Your LEA will assess your child's needs when making a decision.
If parents have chosen a school which is beyond walking distance the LEA does not have to support the pupil in getting to the school in any way if there is a suitable school nearer that the child could attend. However, if your child attends a voluntary school such as a church school, which is beyond walking distance, the LEA may provide free transport even if there is another suitable school nearer.
LEAs have discretion to pay all or part of a pupil's travel costs so it is always worth approching them and submitting a request.
A parent can challenge an LEA if they think that they have incorrectly assessed someone as not being eligible for help with transport costs.
Parents might also be given an allowance to visit their child if their child is living at a maintained special school. This again is at the LEAs discretion however.
Who provides the actual transport?
School transport is often provided by private companies who have been contracted by the LEA. You may find that a transport management company manages the relationship between the LEA and the transport company themselves. It is important that when transport is arranged that it is able to cater for your child's needs including seating, wheelchair accessible (if applicable) and most LEAs will provide an escort if your child needs one
The type of transport provided will depend on your child's needs and may be a taxi/minicab or a wheelchair accessible vehicle or minibus or similar.
.
