Transport to primary and secondary schools

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About this service

We provide free transport for children who are under the age of 16 and who attend their local (designated) school, if the distance from home to school is at least 2 miles, for children under 8 years, and 3 miles for children aged 8 or more (measured by the nearest available walking route). The distance criterion is reduced to 2 miles for children, aged 8 to 15 years inclusive, from families in receipt of Free School Meals or the maximum level of Working Tax Credit. Students in receipt of these benefits, and attending secondary school, can also receive transport to any one of the three nearest secondary schools providing the school is over 2 miles and less than 6 miles from home. Please refer to the policy (pdf 56Kb) for further details.

Schools are designated by the council, according to home address, to decide who can receive help with transport. If you are unsure as to which school has been designated to your address, please contact the Passenger Transport Unit. If the school you wish your child to attend is closer than the designated school, free transport can still be provided once the distances between your home and the two schools has been confirmed by the council.

If you live less than the 2 or 3 miles (measured by the shortest walking route) but you are concerned about the safety of children who may have to walk the route to school, help with transport can also be provided in many instances.

Transport may sometimes be provided in exceptional circumstances such as a temporary emergency move or short term medical condition. Please contact the Passenger Transport Unit to discuss what help may be available. If your child has a statement of special needs, further assistance may also be available from the SEN Team

For students who attend a denominational school for faith reasons, where the school is not the local catchment school for all pupils in the locality, subsidised transport assistance may also be given. Please contact the Passenger Transport Unit to discuss your case.

It is very important to check whether or not there is any entitlement to free or subsidised transport at an early stage in deciding which school your child will attend. All applications must be made in writing and these can be obtained from the school or by contacting the Passenger Transport Unit.

For more information: please see the Transport to Primary & Secondary Schools - frequently asked questions. Please note though that transport entitlement is very individual and you will need to apply for transport on an application form to have a definitive answer to your own situation.

Last updated: 22 March 2009