DP has recently finalised his divorce, but was advised to leave the consent order until after the divorce was settled.
His ex moved over 200 miles away, and since moving has expected him to do all of the travelling to see his DCs.
He travels the 12 hour round trip journey to see them EOW. His ex expects him to collect and drop off at her house, and has said she doesn't believe it is her responsibility to facilitate any of the travelling.
Sometimes, due to his work commitments, he can't go on a weekend, so he goes mid-week instead, and stays a couple of nights. For all of these visits, he has to rent an apartment in the town where his DCs live to have them. He bears all the costs of travel and accommodation for these visits, which comes to thousands of pounds a year.
DH is constantly knackered from all the travelling. He has a stressful highly demanding job as well, and often travels the 12 hour weekend round trip in between work trips.
He wants to seek a consent order to order to formalise the arrangements. He still wants to see the DCs EOW, but wants his ex to have to drive them some of the way to meet him. He would still have to rent somewhere to stay with them, since they can't make it all the way to his house and back in one weekend. But given that it was her choice to move so far away, he thinks she should bear some of the responsiblity of travel.
On the weeks where he's working a weekend, he would obviously need to travel to where the DCs live so they can go to school. So on those times, he wants his ex to contribute to the travel costs.
His solicitor has made it clear that in getting a consent order, he would lose flexibility, but I think the court would take into account his varying work pattern (it has always been the same), and maybe have one set of rules for when he has them on a weekend and another set of rules for during the week?
Its also clear that any consent order will be made in the best interests of the DCs. On a handful of occasions his ex has relented and driven an hour or so to handover the DCs. Every time she has done this, she has been difficult and awkward, and has said that the DCs were absolutely shattered and difficult afterwards. THey are aged 14 and 12 so they're hardly little kids - and a 1-2 hour journey after school on a friday, and back home on a Sunday doesn't seem too much for them. DH always asks them if they're happy with it, or if they were tired afterwards, and they assure him they are absolutely fine and love their visits.
Does anyone have any experience with a consent order regarding forcing a parent to contribute to the travelling like this? Any advice?