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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

College transport non existent

107 replies

Reallyneedsaholiday · 10/02/2026 12:12

Why is it so shit? DD goes to our “local” college. 18 miles away. Minimum 3 buses or bus, train, bus and 15 minute walk. Minimum 2 1/2 hours to get there. When she signed up, in September, there was a direct bus, albeit meandering, which took an hour and a half, running once a day (7am) to college and then once a day leaving college at 5pm (home at 7pm). That lasted until October, when they cancelled it. Now, she needs to leave the house at 6.30 and doesn’t get home until 8pm, when the buses are running properly. This morning, she’s just come home after leaving at 6.30, still not even having made it there, due to bus cancellations and diversions (in case of scepticism she has photos of the bus stop signs saying “cancelled”) So that was £12 down the drain for transport costs to nowhere. I can’t take her myself, as I don’t have a car. I really don’t know what to do anymore. She’s unmotivated to even try and get there anymore (don’t really blame her). She’s missed quite a bit (although her attendance isn’t the worst in the group). If she leaves, I could be fined and would lose all child benefit, child maintenance etc. without qualifications it’s really hard to get a job. We don’t live “in the back of beyond” but in a reasonable sized and growing town. AIBU to think that a reasonable standard of (affordable and efficient) public transport should be available for college, especially given that it is a legal requirement to remain in education until 18?

OP posts:
ThatOrThis · 10/02/2026 12:15

Ok, have you done the practical stuff?

  • lift shares with friends
  • Speak to the college to see what they can suggest / advise help for
  • contact your county councillor and ask for any funding grants available to pay for transport (most county councillors get a discretionary fund they can spend each year for personal requests)
  • driving lessons for your daughter
sashh · 10/02/2026 12:20

Contact local taxi companies, a minibus every day (if you can find enough other students to fill it) might not be as much as you think.

Skybluepinky · 10/02/2026 12:24

Change to a local one she can get to.

WaneyEdge · 10/02/2026 12:27

You won’t get fined for a start. The education till 18 thing isn’t really enforced in that way. Just your DD won’t be able to claim benefits.

It’s because post-16 transport isn’t a requirement like when still at school. Are there no other closer options?

Meadowfinch · 10/02/2026 12:33

Hampshire are particularly useless at providing workable solutions. They concentrate the 6th forms for our area in either Basingstoke or Winchester but then cancelled the bus to get there. I'd have had to drive 80 miles a day (20 miles x 4 a day) so 400 miles a week to get ds to 6th form.

When I rang Hampshire's education office to ask what they could offer as an alternative, I was told post-16 wasn't their problem and I should Google. No assistance with fares either.

Truly abysmal service.

Reallyneedsaholiday · 10/02/2026 14:44

Skybluepinky · 10/02/2026 12:24

Change to a local one she can get to.

This IS the local one, as I said in my OP.

OP posts:
Reallyneedsaholiday · 10/02/2026 14:44

WaneyEdge · 10/02/2026 12:27

You won’t get fined for a start. The education till 18 thing isn’t really enforced in that way. Just your DD won’t be able to claim benefits.

It’s because post-16 transport isn’t a requirement like when still at school. Are there no other closer options?

No

OP posts:
Reallyneedsaholiday · 10/02/2026 14:46

She doesn't have any old school friends going to the college, to share lifts with,they stayed on to 6th form. Not an option for her. She's not old enough to drive, and frankly, as I can't afford to buy a car for myself, I won't be able to afford to buy one for her either, let alone the cost of lessons and insurance.
College have no ideas.

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 10/02/2026 14:55

Yes when the government bought in the vague "education or training" until 18 they really didn't think it through properly.
Because it isn't inforced many teens are dropping out simply because they can't get to college that easy.
@Reallyneedsaholiday is there anyone local she can car share with. Someone who works in the same area?

JacquesHarlow · 10/02/2026 14:58

People only seem to notice how shit transport can be outside London and the major cities, once their kids are teens and need to get places independently during commuting hours.

Before that it’s “oh I ferry them around everywhere” 🙄 (why is it always this word on Mumsnet , “ferry”…!)

Once they leave home and go to a major town for employment, it’s back to not caring about buses or public transport

it’s so funny, it’s always the same. “Driving lessons” is the stock answer on here.

(from a Brit who owns and drives a car, before you point)

HeddaGarbled · 10/02/2026 15:02

Bike

tarheelbaby · 10/02/2026 15:07

Does your area have a WhatsApp group or similar which you could join and ask about lift sharing? It might not be another student but if anyone from your area is going that way, perhaps your DD could ride along and contribute some petrol money? Is it too far for cycling? Or can she cycle to a better/bigger station so that her train options/times are better?

How did her friends 'stay on for 6th form?' was that an independent school? why did she not stay on there too?

I hear your frustration, OP. Transport to 6th form college can be really tricky. @Meadowfinch mentions Hampshire as an example and I can confirm. Part of the reason my DDs go to a certain (thankfully very good) college is that there is regular transport going there vs. to other colleges.

onpills4godsake · 10/02/2026 16:19

My dd would have to walk 1.5 miles on an unlit no pavement 60mile and hr or 2 miles on pavement with limited light on a 60 mile hr road which floods so would get drenched in the rain then get a bus which refuses to stop if it’s full

its crap and there are no options

i joined her up to a gym near college with a coffee shop so just meet her there before and after - it’s the only thing that made the place commutable

Automagical · 10/02/2026 16:22

How did her friends 'stay on for 6th form?' was that an independent school? why did she not stay on there too?

Sixth forms often only offer A-levels, certainly where i grew up you could stay on at sixth form if you were doing A-levels, but other post 16 qualifications were only offered at the college 15 miles away.

Reallyneedsaholiday · 10/02/2026 19:15

Needmorelego · 10/02/2026 14:55

Yes when the government bought in the vague "education or training" until 18 they really didn't think it through properly.
Because it isn't inforced many teens are dropping out simply because they can't get to college that easy.
@Reallyneedsaholiday is there anyone local she can car share with. Someone who works in the same area?

I haven't managed to find anyone, but its a good suggestion, thank you

OP posts:
Nopenott0day · 10/02/2026 19:17

Moped?

toomuchfaff · 10/02/2026 19:20

Reallyneedsaholiday · 10/02/2026 19:15

I haven't managed to find anyone, but its a good suggestion, thank you

Another option, cheap and easy is a moped, 50cc or 125cc, she can get a CBT licence with a day of training and be on the road by weekend.

suburberphobe · 10/02/2026 19:28

I don't understand living in the middle of nowhere with kids and no transport options for them as they start to go to college/jobs.

I'm lucky to live in a great city with great public transport. Solo mum, took me to work and DS to school and uni.

I don't drive or have a car so - cheaper.

Reallyneedsaholiday · 10/02/2026 19:33

HeddaGarbled · 10/02/2026 15:02

Bike

🤣🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 10/02/2026 19:33

suburberphobe · 10/02/2026 19:28

I don't understand living in the middle of nowhere with kids and no transport options for them as they start to go to college/jobs.

I'm lucky to live in a great city with great public transport. Solo mum, took me to work and DS to school and uni.

I don't drive or have a car so - cheaper.

My mum grew up in a village.
She could get to school and later on work just fine because they had a daily reliable bus.
That village no longer has a bus service.
Just provide a decent public transport system and it wouldn't be a problem.

Appletree56 · 10/02/2026 19:47

No solutions sorry but just wanted to sympathise. We too struggle with unreliable, infrequent public transport and we're hardly in the middle of nowhere. It hampers my DC to be independent. I grew up in the area too and there used to be so many bus options that I hardly got given a lift anywhere. I keep raising it with the local MP, who in fairness has it as top of thier agenda, but they don't seem to have the support from above them.

I went to London recently and was sat in a pub restaurant overlooking a main road and was amazed how often buses were coming past. The funding is obviously in some places but not others

toomuchfaff · 10/02/2026 20:00

Reallyneedsaholiday · 10/02/2026 19:33

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Not sure why you're laughing, a bike or moped is the perfect solution for a college student?

Reallyneedsaholiday · 10/02/2026 20:09

toomuchfaff · 10/02/2026 20:00

Not sure why you're laughing, a bike or moped is the perfect solution for a college student?

I'm trying to picture my 16 year old cycling 18 miles "anywhere" let alone a return trip to college

OP posts:
sashh · 11/02/2026 08:23

Appletree56 · 10/02/2026 19:47

No solutions sorry but just wanted to sympathise. We too struggle with unreliable, infrequent public transport and we're hardly in the middle of nowhere. It hampers my DC to be independent. I grew up in the area too and there used to be so many bus options that I hardly got given a lift anywhere. I keep raising it with the local MP, who in fairness has it as top of thier agenda, but they don't seem to have the support from above them.

I went to London recently and was sat in a pub restaurant overlooking a main road and was amazed how often buses were coming past. The funding is obviously in some places but not others

But I bet those busses were more than half full.

Randomchat · 11/02/2026 08:29

Can she cycle part of the way?

What are her options if she can't keep going to college?

It is frustrating in our city too. Ds has to get a bus into the town centre then another out to college because the routes are so limited.

He cycles in the summertime but not in the dark.