Extortionate school bus pass increase - anyone organised a shared private alternative?

[TeenyWeenyBikini]

Our LA have just announced that the cost of a school bus pass will be increased 21% to £450 per child from September. They can only use it Monday to Friday 7am-7pm (not that any buses serve the schools after 4:30pm!). With 3 children and only a small discount for the 2nd child, I just can't afford this. We live just under 3 miles away so don't quality for a free bus (but wouldn't anyway for eldest 2 as they go to grammar school which is not our nearest school) so next year my kids will be driven to school unless I'm working then they'll have to walk. Cycling not an option ridiculous traffic makes it totally unsafe for even the most experienced cyclist.

We live in a village and LOADS of kids travel on the buses so I'm pretty sure there would be demand but I've no idea if we could find anything cheaper and if so, how it would work. But right now I'm just seriously pissed off with the LA and don't want to line their pockets (who ironically are investing ££££££ to try and get people out of their cars and encourage more walking and cycling .)

Fuel prices are going through the roof.

DC are at secondary school that is 3 miles away?
Let them walk/ cycle if you can't afford the bus pass.

@Ylvamoon

DC are at secondary school that is 3 miles away? Let them walk/ cycle if you can't afford the bus pass.

If this is KCC, I know many families feeling the same way.

As for walking, that's an hour each way, and if as rural as our area, you would not want your children walking those routes and sadly even goibg via fields would not be practical and longer!

How much would a taxi be? If you're sending three kids then it might work out cheaper.

I pay £12 a week to send our eldest to school three miles away. We live on the edge of Northumberland and Durham so can choose from either school system. If we had chosen the Northumberland option the bus which is hired privately would have been £100 a month to go 12 miles each way.

@ChoiceMummy yup KCC . Service was free & year round 6 years ago and has gradually increased since but this is a serious hike even by their standards!

Walking will be ok in the summer but no chance in the dark or when it's wet (verges and path through woodland) and yes they are quite capable of cycling the distance but I wouldn't want them taking the main road route it's a complete death plus lack of secure bike parking. School have also banished lockers so all Sports kit, books etc have to be taken in & out each day which can mean serious extra load some days which won't make for a nice walk home.

I honestly don't know how people are suppose to pay for it - we at least have the option of walking even if it isn't practical / a long way. Oh, and just realised eldest is likely to cost even more as she's going into 6th form & current bus pass only goes to 15.

If it's for the whole school year, it works out at around £11.50 per week for a child and I think it would be hard to beat that. While a three mile each way walk in town would be fine, it's a nightmare in rurals with bad roads. A cycling convoy or walking crocodile would be safer but I think most people will just drive,car pool, or pay up. If they get free school meals or you get maximum Tax Credits and it's one of the three nearest schools and between two and six miles away - they should be able to get free passes.

11.50 a week isn't bad and cheaper than here. We have opted to drive one way and they can walk home as it works for us (diffefent area so different roads though.)

Wevehad to stop school lunches too as although 2.50 is technically okay we just cant afford it.

Tram is £13 a week for two of mine, combined pass similar for the youngest and £7.50 for the middle one. I confess that I’d never worked it out per year. And cycling isn’t free once bikes/ maintenance/ lights/ waterproofs etc are considered.

Op there is a petition against this if you are interested in signing
At 3 miles you have choices but some of the people in the further villages are really indirectly being told they don't get a choice of what school to send their child. (I am thinking Edenbridge Hever Cowden) their nearest school is 9 miles away and basically its send them to Oxted or you have to pay for the privilege of wishing a school for your child that you feel will fit your child best.

If you in that area want to send your child to a grammar school (in a county that is a grammar county) you have to pay for it.

We no longer have secondary age children but I have signed the petition as I think the amount is extortionate. We found it hard to pay for 2 when it was 350.. (mine went to Bennett and TWells boys grammar)

Does it have to be paid upfront, or can you set up a monthly DD ?

£450 per child works out as £1.25 per journey assuming 180 school days per year. That doesn't sound ridiculous to me - the child single is £1.15 on our local buses and I don't feel that's disproportionate. Presumably a liftshare arrangement wouldn't really work as with 3 kids of your own you can only offer one passenger space in a standard car, so you'd be looking at arranging a minibus. I don't think you have any chance whatsoever of arranging a minibus for less than £1.25 per seat.

Sorry I think you will need to make savings elsewhere. The increased bus pass cost for 3 children works out as you needing to find an extra £4.50 per week in your budget across the year. How difficult that is will depend on how close to the breadline you are living but try looking at the Frugaleers and earn £10 a day threads for things other mn-ers are doing to stretch the budget.

When our children needed the passes they had to be paid upfront. I believe they have introduced a limited pay monthly (you have to qualify)

That’s cheaper than it is in my area. If there’s no safe walking road (eg walking on verges rather than path) you can probably challenge them that the council need to provide it free

If there is no safe walking route your under 16s are entitled to a free bus pass.

www.gov.uk/free-school-transport

A school near me is £90 per month per child for a 3 mile journey (Catholic school with a big catchment and a flat rate charge). A group of parents have a private contract with a local coach company which is a lot cheaper. I don't know the ins and outs but it is a popular alternative to the council run service. I believe parents are asked to sign up and pay for the year in advance.

Further than 3 miles but private bus is £40 a week near me.

I think you would be hard pressed to organise a private alternative for less TBH. My kids get a taxi to schools (LA pays) but if they have to get a taxi into town which is 3 miles away it's £10 a journey, so £20 a day. They're in school for what - 190 days a year, which would be £3800 in taxi fares (though I appreciate there might be a discount for a regular booking), divided by 4 kids in the taxi, that's £950 per year...

@Kilimanjaro97 KKC is getting around that by saying they do provide but only to closest school. If you do not put that school as first choice then no free busspass.

If the journey doesn't include a safe walking route, then doesn't transport have to be provided by the council?

Is the £450 a year per term, or per year?