Son refused college transport due to no statement of SEN- help!

[owlbethere]

I’ll try to keep this short and I’m just wondering if anyone can help me.
My son is 16 recently started an independent living skills course at my local FE college. He has special needs, including specific language impairment, autism, severe dyslexia and some mild physical issues with tight muscles.
He doesn’t have a statement of SEN, but has had an IEP all through school. We are in Wales.
The college is 10 miles from our house and requires 2 buses there and back which he’s just not able to manage safely on his own.
The LEA have refused to fund a taxi as he isn’t statemented. They haven’t even given me any recourse to appeal. The transport coordinator at the college has left her post with no new person for a couple of weeks. The LEA say the college have a budget to fund a taxi, the college say they do not.
Currently I’m driving him. But I can’t do this long term.
Anyone able to help?

If your child had an ehcp and this was the closest college that could meet their needs, then I believe transport would be provided. Given the needs you've listed, I don't get why there isn't already and ehcp, I would imagine you've been discouraged from applying because "we are meeting needs with an IEP" or similar. In short, you need the ehcp.

If your son was over 16 on 1st September, he is no longer of compulsory school age and therefore is not legally entitled to free transport, so, even if the LA does provide transport, they can make you pay the costs. Even if he does still qualify for free transport, that is generally only available to pupils attending the nearest suitable school.

The Welsh government has a guide to home to school transport which you can see at senedd.wales/media/dajpou0q/home-to-school-transport-english.pdf