School transport

Page Contents

Introduction

Parents have a duty to ensure that their children attend school and to make any necessary transport arrangements, including accompanying their children when necessary on their journeys to and from school.

To find the schools nearest to where you live, please check the catchment area list.

Who can receive assistance with school transport

If you're seeking assistance with school transport, then please read the below criteria before applying.

Further guidance and eligibility criteria is detailed on the Peterborough Education Network website.

Primary school pupils

We will provide free transport for:

primary age children in Reception to Year 3 who attend their nearest suitable or designated school and live at least 2 miles from the school.
primary age children in Year 4 to Year 6 who attend their nearest suitable or designated school and live at least 3 miles from the school; or
who attend their nearest suitable or designated school, where the parents are in receipt of the appropriate benefits, and live at least 2 miles from the school.

Secondary school pupils

We will provide free transport for secondary age children in Year 7 to Year 11 who:

attend their nearest suitable or designated school and live at least 3 miles from the school; or
attend any one of the three nearest suitable schools, where that school is more than two miles and less than six miles from their home, where the parents are in receipt of the appropriate benefits, and they live at least 2 miles from the school; or
attend their nearest suitable school chosen on grounds of religion or belief, where that school is more than two miles and less than fifteen miles from their home, where the parents are in receipt of the appropriate benefits.

Post-16 students

Please note: If you meet the criteria below, then please submit an application as well as the payment.

We provide assistance with the cost of transport to approved courses for post-16 students who meet all the requirements below:

the student must be enrolled on a full-time course i.e. a minimum 15 taught hours per week at sixth form centres either in school or college; or 12 hours if the course is in the school or college full time prospectus
the student must be under the age of 19 at the beginning of the educational year, i.e. by 31 August of the relevant year, or continuing a course (progression levels are regarded as a new course) started whilst aged under 19
the student must not be receiving an award under the terms of the Student Support (Loans & Fees) awards, and
the distance between the family home and the 'nearest appropriate centre' must be 5 miles or over (for students paying the subsidy) or 3 miles or over (for students in receipt of accepted benefits measured by the shortest unimpeded walking route, and must not exceed 30 miles, measured by road route.

The Department of Transport (DfT) have recently implemented Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulation 2000 (PSVAR) legislation requiring any vehicle of 22 or more seats, carrying paying passengers, to meet new accessibility requirements, i.e. low access, wheelchair accessible.

Full information about this change in legislation is available on the Gov.uk website.

Due to the above a decision has been made for academic year 21-22 only, that the usual Post 16 parental contribution fee will be waived and therefore free transport for all Post 16 students who meet the criteria will be provided.

Further information in relation to the decision can be found online.

Peterborough Post 16 Transport 2021-2022572KB–pdf

Size: 572KBFile format: pdf

Apply for school transport assistance

If you believe your child is eligible, you can apply for school transport assistance by clicking on the green button below.

Apply for school transport

Pupils in Year 10 or 11 who have moved

For children in Year 10 or 11 who have moved and require transport to their existing school, free transport or assistance with costs can be provided. This is for the continuity of education at their existing school as they are in their examination years.

The following criteria apply;

the pupil is undertaking public examination courses in Years 10 and 11
the pupil or the family have not elected or chosen to move, but have been moved by another agency (e.g. housing association), because of circumstances beyond their control
the new home is within the city council boundary
the pupil and their family have moved to their new home after the first term where the pupil is in Year 10
the new home to school distance is greater than three miles, and the journey on existing transport does not exceed 75 minutes each way.

Provision will be made only until the end of the course. If a pupil is taking public examination courses in other school years, provision of transport will be at the discretion of the Director of Children’s Services.

To enquire, please contact customer services or email childrenstransport@peterborough.gov.uk.

Pupils with special educational needs

All schools make provision to support pupils with a wide range of special educational needs, some of whom will have a statement of special educational needs; Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC) or Learning and Development Agreement (LDA).

Students of compulsory school age (5-16) who have a statement of special educational needs or Education, Health and Care Plan may be entitled to receive transport if it is appropriate to their needs and if, without it, they would be unable to receive the education provision specified in their statement.

If the assessment and review team do not agree with the school placement, on the basis that the most local mainstream provision would meet the child's needs rather than the parent's more distant choice, transport will not be provided.

Post-16 students may be eligible for assistance with transport, subject to an assessment of the student’s needs. Assistance with travel for students above school leaving age is discretionary and is subject to regular review and possible change.

For older students, the Local Education Authority believes that the ability to travel independently, either by foot or by public transport, is an important part of the young person's development and social education.

For children placed at an out-of-city residential special school, the Local Education Authority will provide home to school transport either on a weekly basis, at the start and end of term, half termly or school closure times as required by the details of the individual placement.

If you are applying for free transport for a child or young person with special educational needs and disabilities, you should contact the children's services department by contacting customer services or email childrenstransport@peterborough.gov.uk.

Discretionary seats

Change to Discretionary seats process

Full information about this change in legislation is available on the Gov.uk website.

Unfortunately, as a result of this change in legislation, we are unable to provide PSVAR compliant vehicles to serve all routes where the Council currently offers spare seats for purchase by families whose children are not entitled to free transport. We have, therefore, taken the very difficult decision to cease discretionary seat provision on vehicles of over 22 seats with effect from September 2021.

Lost, stolen or damaged travel pass

If you have lost your travel pass, or it has been damaged, be advised there is a charge. Stolen travel pass will be replaced free of charge, when you supply a valid Police Incident Number (if train ticket lost could incur a further payment).

Pay for

Lost bus passes