Home to School Transport Policy Consultation
Consultation has concluded
Why are we consulting on the Home to School Transport Policy?
BCP Council has a statutory duty to make home to school transport arrangements for all eligible children in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. Currently, three policies are used when making decisions regarding eligibility – one for each of the three former councils. To simplify the process for our residents and ensure that all decisions are made consistently across the conurbation, a single home to school transport policy has been drafted.
The BCP Council draft Home to School Transport Policy has been developed to ensure statutory minimum requirements are met.
We'd like to hear your views on the draft policy. In particular, we'd like feedback on the changes, which are explained below.
Who is eligible for Home to School transport?
Parents are responsible for getting children to school. Most children and young people living in the BCP Council area are not eligible for home to school transport assistance because they have access to a suitable school within a reasonable distance from their home.
Home to school transport assistance is normally made available for eligible children and young people who attend a qualifying school in the following four circumstances:
- they live beyond the statutory walking distance/reasonable distance
- they cannot walk to school because of their special educational needs, disability or mobility difficulties
- they are on a route that is within the statutory walking distance (where a child/young person is accompanied by an adult as necessary) that is considered to be unsafe
- they receive free school meals, or whose parents/carers receive the maximum working tax credit. Normally assistance will only be provided if the family live beyond the statutory walking distance
What are the changes in the BCP Council Home to School Transport Policy?
Please note that the move to a single policy will impact a minority of families and, in all cases, families will still need to apply annually for support with travel and have the right to appeal.
Whilst many of the eligibility criteria were consistent in each of the former councils, some differed. These differences were reviewed during development of the draft policy. The changes to the policy are highlighted in the draft policy (add link) and summarised below, showing who the changes will affect:
- Temporary housing
- Children in Care
- Fuel, wear and tear rate
- Transport assistance for Year 10 and Year 11
- Transport assistance for 16–19 year olds
- Transport assistance for 20–25 year olds
When will the policy be implemented?
If agreed, the policy would apply to all applications for travel assistance for the 2022/23 academic year.
Have your say
This consultation has now closed
The consultation runs from Tuesday 4 January to Friday 18 February 2022.