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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Free school transport

136 replies

Sheldonsheher · 17/08/2025 17:48

Curious someone from my daughter’s class gets free school bus to and from school. They live 1.5 miles down a country road so not that far buy not safe to walk. Does this really qualify you for council transport. I mean if you choose to live somewhere unsuitable for a child to walk should you not have to drive them yourself. Everyone else including myself have to do the school run every day and surely this is something the parents should be responsible for when they choose where they are going to live.

OP posts:
LlamaNoDrama · 25/08/2025 23:48

Children are entitled to free education. They can't access it if there isn't appropriate transport. Where do you draw the line on who is or isn't entitled? as that's not really clear from your posts @Morley19

SouthLondonMum22 · 25/08/2025 23:51

Morley19 · 25/08/2025 23:37

Everyone will have different opinions on what the would/would rather not pay for but this thread is specifically talking about school buses.

I have already said a few times that I can see the practical benefits of using buses rather than lots of cars but I don’t see why that translates into the buses should be free?

obviously the no 5 was just an example. But you are missing the point. The point isn’t whether there should be a bus for 1,2,3,4,5….. children. The point is ‘why do you expect other people to pay for it for you?’

Show quote history

To encourage people to use them for a start. If people can't afford them then they obviously won't use them and there will still be lots more cars on the roads near schools at those times.

It isn't about the parents, it's about the children and what would benefit them as well as society.

MrsFrumble · 25/08/2025 23:54

Why are “taxpayers paying” and parents getting it “free”? Surely if parents are tax payers, they are not paying any less than anyone else?

I live in the US and for all its flaws, rampant capitalism and obsession with personal responsibility, it’s interesting how no one seems to dispute the right to “free” school buses. In our state, it’s just accepted that children need to be educated, and if that’s going to happen at a public school, transport should be provided.

Stompythedinosaur · 25/08/2025 23:55

They didn't choose to live on a road that doesn't have pavements. The LA chose that it's cheaper to provide transport than provide equal facilities to your area.

Morley19 · 25/08/2025 23:59

SouthLondonMum22 · 25/08/2025 23:51

To encourage people to use them for a start. If people can't afford them then they obviously won't use them and there will still be lots more cars on the roads near schools at those times.

It isn't about the parents, it's about the children and what would benefit them as well as society.

Show quote history

In my opinion, it is about living your life within your means and not expecting other people to pay fir you/your children

Kingsleadhat · 26/08/2025 00:00

My son's got transport to school because of their learning disabilities. It wasn't obvious to anyone looking on that they had disabilities, so maybe it's something like that.

Morley19 · 26/08/2025 00:04

MrsFrumble · 25/08/2025 23:54

Why are “taxpayers paying” and parents getting it “free”? Surely if parents are tax payers, they are not paying any less than anyone else?

I live in the US and for all its flaws, rampant capitalism and obsession with personal responsibility, it’s interesting how no one seems to dispute the right to “free” school buses. In our state, it’s just accepted that children need to be educated, and if that’s going to happen at a public school, transport should be provided.

But why should all taxpayers pay for your children? Not all tax payers have children. What is wrong with a person paying for their own children?

Yes children need to be educated. They also need to be fed, clothed, entertained, transported to the doctors every c etc. Should everyone else pay for that too? Getting a child to school is just part of the overall cost of raising a child, all of which should be thought about when deciding how many children you can afford to have.

Morley19 · 26/08/2025 00:04

Kingsleadhat · 26/08/2025 00:00

My son's got transport to school because of their learning disabilities. It wasn't obvious to anyone looking on that they had disabilities, so maybe it's something like that.

I completely agree in scenarios like this

SouthLondonMum22 · 26/08/2025 00:05

Morley19 · 25/08/2025 23:59

In my opinion, it is about living your life within your means and not expecting other people to pay fir you/your children

Show quote history

As pp said, we all pay for children to have a state education. I see little difference in ensuring that they can actually get there.

Transport to school is hardly a luxury.

Morley19 · 26/08/2025 00:05

Stompythedinosaur · 25/08/2025 23:55

They didn't choose to live on a road that doesn't have pavements. The LA chose that it's cheaper to provide transport than provide equal facilities to your area.

The parent chose to live there

ARichtGoodDram · 26/08/2025 00:07

Someone had a dig at me recently about the fact my three youngest children all get free transport to school.

We moved into a street with a primary school literally in the street and a secondary school 15 minutes, safe, walk away.

The eldest 3 kids went to those schools.

The next two went to the primary school, but now get bussed 40 minutes away to a different secondary. The local one was left with damage so long it became non-cost effective to fix, so all the kids are bussed to a bigger school further away. At some point they'll have to build a high school as the school site has new houses and the site of an old factory has houses - all planned before the school closure and now the bigger school is bursting at the seams with pupils.

Youngest DD is taken in a taxi to school 45 minutes away as it's the nearest school that can deal with her physical disabilities.
No child in a wheelchair can attend the local primary. This will be rectified in 2029 when the school is rebuilt apparently.

Morley19 · 26/08/2025 00:07

SouthLondonMum22 · 26/08/2025 00:05

As pp said, we all pay for children to have a state education. I see little difference in ensuring that they can actually get there.

Transport to school is hardly a luxury.

Show quote history

I never said it was a luxury. Where do you draw the line? Why is paying to get your child to school
any different to paying for their uniform?

anyway, this will go round and round. Interesting discussion/exchange of views

Morley19 · 26/08/2025 00:10

ARichtGoodDram · 26/08/2025 00:07

Someone had a dig at me recently about the fact my three youngest children all get free transport to school.

We moved into a street with a primary school literally in the street and a secondary school 15 minutes, safe, walk away.

The eldest 3 kids went to those schools.

The next two went to the primary school, but now get bussed 40 minutes away to a different secondary. The local one was left with damage so long it became non-cost effective to fix, so all the kids are bussed to a bigger school further away. At some point they'll have to build a high school as the school site has new houses and the site of an old factory has houses - all planned before the school closure and now the bigger school is bursting at the seams with pupils.

Youngest DD is taken in a taxi to school 45 minutes away as it's the nearest school that can deal with her physical disabilities.
No child in a wheelchair can attend the local primary. This will be rectified in 2029 when the school is rebuilt apparently.

That sounds a nightmare for you all! And you deserve the help in this scenario. Exceptional circumstances

WhenYouSayNothingAtAll · 26/08/2025 00:10

Morley19 · 25/08/2025 22:41

Yes I agree with that. But I don’t agree with people thinking they are entitled to it, just because they live a certain distance away etc Which I appreciate you weren’t implying, sorry I skim read your message.

it is topical as I was reading a chain on FB earlier where someone was complaining about the cost of bus passes and how expensive it was because they had 4 children, stating that parents should not have to pay for transport to get children to school. That is what I disagree with.

Depends on the bus. DD’s school bus costs more than £1k a year. Fun times.Grin

SouthLondonMum22 · 26/08/2025 00:12

Morley19 · 26/08/2025 00:07

I never said it was a luxury. Where do you draw the line? Why is paying to get your child to school
any different to paying for their uniform?

anyway, this will go round and round. Interesting discussion/exchange of views

Show quote history

It's a good question.

I suppose I don't see it as any different to providing a free school lunch as an example which happens for primary school children.

ARichtGoodDram · 26/08/2025 00:15

That sounds a nightmare for you all! And you deserve the help in this scenario. Exceptional circumstances

It's not that exceptional tbh - there's 3 or 4 double deckers full of kids go to that school. Most would either have walked or been dropped off at the local school. It affects a lot of people.

There was always some transport round here as there are a lot of farms and small villages, but nothing like this.

Also school allocations can play a big part as well - I know a child who gets his school bus outside a different school (that he didn't get a place at) 5 minutes walk from his house.

Ratafia · 26/08/2025 00:20

x2boys · 17/08/2025 20:17

I don't know ask your LA what the criteria is for getting free school transport?

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The criteria should be the same everywhere in England, as the law is the same everywhere. The law says that if a child cannot walk to school then transport must be provided, and that means that if they cannot walk safely to school the duty kicks in.

Ratafia · 26/08/2025 00:22

MamaElephantMama · 17/08/2025 20:21

In my area you need to live 3 miles away from the school and receive free school meals.

No, your area will be no different from the rest of the country. If those are the rules your council is operating, it is breaking the law

Ratafia · 26/08/2025 00:23

Sheldonsheher · 17/08/2025 21:20

Well it’s the same distance as myself and most parents and tbh I would not let my children walk as they have to cross a major road without traffic calming. I guess it’s just the lifestyle choice element I mean you chose to live down a rural lane and you have a car. Everyone else has to do the school run but you don’t. you don’t really have to live there it’s a lifestyle choice to live semi rural outside the town.

How do you know it is their choice? There could be all sorts of reasons why they live where they do and why they cannot move.

Ratafia · 26/08/2025 00:28

PringlesTube · 17/08/2025 22:49

I don’t think it would ever occur to me that it should be someone else’s responsibility to get my child to school.

Even if, say, one child was disabled and in a different school from their siblings, and you couldn't conceivably get them all to school on time if you had take them all?

Delphiniumandlupins · 26/08/2025 00:32

You don't have to drive your DC to school though. You could walk with them. The other child couldn't safely walk, even with an adult, if there are no pavements.

Ratafia · 26/08/2025 00:33

Morley19 · 25/08/2025 22:23

Why should the taxpayer pay to get other people’s children to school?

For the same reason as they pay to provide the schools? Because it's in everyone's interests for children to be educated?

Kendodd · 26/08/2025 00:33

Wait until you find out about how many children are provided with 'free' taxis to and from school OP! That'll really wind you up.

PurBal · 26/08/2025 00:35

DS gets “free” school transport for this reason, I asked for the risk assessment and the bit they deem dangerous is not, in my opinion, the worst part of the route. I get a daily allowance to drive him (4 journeys, 2 return trips). It’s his catchment school, we live in a village 1.8 miles away. I asked if I could choose to walk him instead and I was told to take legal advice. I honestly didn’t think about schools much when we moved. We didn’t have children at the time, there are schools and I assumed it would be up to us to get him there. ETA there’s no parking at the school, the only place to park is on a street without parking restrictions, to get to the school from there means crossing a main A road with no formal crossing. For safety, taxi would have been better.

Needspaceforlego · 26/08/2025 00:58

Op there has to be a line somewhere that its agreed kids are too far to walk.

You mentioned taxis my secondary had a mini bus that picked up rural and farm kids. Eventually it was changed for two taxis i assume on a numbers of kids and the cost.

Someone else mentioned free public transport. That doesn't always work.
Town A is divided half go to school in town A, the other half were bussed to town B. Council decided the kids should either walk 2.5 miles or use public buses.
The public buses mean they don't all fit on the buses. And they need to get two buses, bus 1 drops them in the town centre right next to the secondary they are out of catchment for and then they need to get a second bus to take them to school.

Bonkers!

And reality is lots of parents will say sod that and start driving kids around