Free school transport

Our village school closed in 2012 and the council made a commitment to provide free school transport to the school in the next village so every child in our village gets picked up and dropped off from their front door. It is nice not having to rush out but I do miss the school run from where we used to live, was so nice to see the other parents.

Love it when people roll out this line... just shows how self centred people can be.

We live in a society where rules are made which benefit a whole variety of people.

How many children do you have?
Do you have a dog?
How many cars?
Do you use locally amenities such as parks and leisure centres

If you actually pay a lot of tax you would likely be unbothered by this

So your issue here is that it's about what you didn't know rather than what is actually available. It's totally up to the family where they live, and if the council provide transport then that's a bonus of living there?! So they probably did consider that when moving there and thought brilliant, kids can still get to school from here so we can move 👍🏻👍🏻?! I don't see the issue. Where I am, anyone living 2 miles or more away from their catchment school is eligible for transport from a designated pick up point which could be up to 2 miles away from.home as long as it's safe to walk. We live fairly rurally.

So why start quoting me when I have specifically only mentioned one singular child who meets the threshold to qualify for free transport whom the LA DO have a legal obligation to ensure can access school?

Go quote someone else who actually is having the same conversation as you.

No has said that though. They've only talked about children living over statutory distance, which is 2 or 3 miles depending on age.

The conversation has moved on from the OP. I have repeatedly said there are exceptions. But if you read the thread the conversation has moved on with people thinking that all children should have free transport to school, at the cost of taxpayers.

We're not talking about every child.

We are talking about 1 child in the OPs post.

Right...

And in the post of mine that you quoted I specifically stated this singular child, who had unsafe country lanes to traverse...

Unsafe walking routes...

Making school accessible...

Legal obligation...

Yes, the law says that children have to go to school. The law doesn't say that taxpayers should pay to get every child to school

Exactly - 'eligible' children. Not all children.

Because the law says that children have to go to school. It’s a state decision not a parental one.

Well, you're wrong.

Under section 508B of the Education Act 1996 councils must make free transport arrangements for eligible children.

Both my 2 were bussed to the Academy 7 miles away and at primary all out lying areas got free school bus as not safe to walk. This will totally blow your mind in Scotland all children under 22 get free bus travel

I don't have any problem with free school transport for qualifying children.

But I do think, for environmental reasons, it would be better to have transport for all instead - not free but subsidised to no more than the cost of petrol if parents were doing it themselves. There could be walking buses in areas with lots of children living a mile or less from their school and actual buses for longer distances. The taxis and minbuses for more rural children and specialist schools would need to remain but most could pay the subsidised rate instead of them being free. That would help fund subsidised transport for all instead of free transport for a few. In cases where parents needed the transport and couldn't afford even the subsidised cost, it could operate like free school meals and they wouldn't need to pay.

Free school transport came in with 1944 Education Act. As both Conservative and Labour governments have maintained it subsequently, it's fair to assume that both reckon it's a sensible use of taxpayers' money.

Same - early to mid 80s for me and I had a bus pass.

got me out of Games early too coz there was only one bus out home so I couldn’t stay. Shame.

I was a secondary in the late 70's early 80's and we had free transport then, so it's been going on for a lot longer than 30 years.

When village schools were closed in the past, presumably the council worked out that it would be cheaper to provide transport than to keep the school open. Our village school was closed in the middle of the last century, and the kids from this village all picked up by minibus and taken to a school just over 3 miles away.

In your opinion do you think all children should get free transport? If you have children do you think other people should pay to get them to school?

The exceptions would be too long to list but some have been quoted on here eg SNs etc.

There are people on here that think every child should have free transport at teh cost to the taxpayer. I disagree with that

This has been the case for as long as I can remember. I get more annoyed about the parents at our local school who don't put their children on the free school bus as they just add to the parking chaos around the school.
At our school it's not just very rural children that qualify. There is a huge 'village' with no facilities, sandwiched between 2 very major roads. It is about 1.5 miles to school but there is absolutely no safe walking route, so there's a coach.

So in your opinion who shouldn't be allowed Free School Transport? You keep talking about exceptions, but not explained exactly who should and shouldn't.

Hence what t said about 'exceptions.'

As an aside I think sentence 'I always try to remember that whenever Governments spend money it's because the cost of not doing so is higher in the long term' is beyond misguided in the age of current governments, who throw around left, right and centre.

Free transport for eligible children was introduced under the Education Act 1996, so 30 years ago.

The cost is staggering but unless the way school places are organised changes, it will continue.

DD1(with SN) used to go to college 20 miles away. She had taxi transport with 2 other students. DDs 2&3 (with SN) also go to a school 10 miles away and have taxi transport. They can't go by minibus because there aren't enough students that go to that school from their area. So they get door to door transport. In bigger towns they do group pupils and have a pick up point.

My LA is actually building a new special school for SEMH, probably because they spend huge amounts on independent schools because of a lack of provision, and then they have to pay for transport too. It makes much more sense to build schools that are suitable.

Rarely, transport is given outside of the prescribed criteria. An example would be a pupil who lived relatively close but for social reasons had high absence because the parent was unable to cope with getting them to school on time, so just didn't. Providing transport ensured the child got an education and that's hopefully a child who will go on to be a productive adult.

I always try to remember that whenever Governments spend money it's because the cost of not doing so is higher in the long term.