Home To School Transport - LA Cutbacks.

[Vallhala]

Has anyone had warning that their DC's home to school transport will no longer be paid for/subsidised as a result of LA cutbacks?

If so, does this apply to all children who take home to school transport or only those who come under certain categories/go to certain schools?

My own DC's situation is rather unusual and I'm trying to make sense of it.

Thanks in advance. :)

Yes we have had notice of that too.
As far as I understand it, unless your child attends their catchment school and lives more than 2 miles from that school, or has a statement of special needs naming a specific school, then the funding and subsidies for home to school transport will no longer be paid by the local authority. The whole costs will need to be met by parents.

Having said that, even if there is a statement the LA can still challenge the suitability of the school named if they feel a closer school will meet the needs of the child. They do not take any parental preferences into account just the schools and distance involved.

You can give the education department a ring at the county council and they will explain how it could / will affect you.

Hope this helps

Thank you AngelHMum. I keep meaning to call the LA but only remember that I must do it when the ruddy offices are shut!

DD2 is due to attend an out of catchment school about 8 miles away which has been allocated to her by the LA under their In Year Fair Access Protocol so she may be covered for expenses/transport because it isn't parental preference but by LA direction, she may not as she's neither going to attend our catchment school nor is she a statemented SEN child. In anotherwords I'm none the wiser despite your kind help! :)

Either way, heck it's a cods of a decision and going to mess up an awful lot of families I fear.

Just being nosey here and wondering if you have found out where you stand yet ?
We have just heard that our school bus service will almost certainly be stopping from September as the loss of the subsidy means it would no longer be affordable for most parents as they were quoting over £1,000 a year per child.
We are faced with a choice of using the train service or doing the school run ourselves - which is pretty impossible when you have other children at primary school and you work. The commuter trains are already crowded so how the heck they will cope with the extra children is anyone's guess.
The LA will still retain some assistance for exceptional cases but you need to live more than 2 miles and less than 15 miles away from your allocated school and it must be either nominated by them or be your catchment.
I am struggling with what they count as exceptional though because all scenarios I came up with they told me didn't count.
I hope you get a positive outcome though.