Education Travel Support
Dudley Council provides education travel support for eligible children and young people up to the age of 25.
Travel support can come in a variety of forms including travel training, bus pass, personal allowance or other direct transport, as appropriate to individual pupils' needs as determined by Dudley Council.
Applications for travel support - September 2023
As for last year, the deadline for applications for travel support is 30th June. This includes both new applications and requests to renew support for September.
As the majority of children and young people (CYP) receiving support in Dudley have Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEN/D), it is the policy that schools assist parents to complete new applications. Schools can help with technical language or completing forms online.
However, we wish to emphasise the fact that parents are responsible for applying on behalf of their children, making sure the information is correct, and the forms are completed fully. Incomplete forms my be rejected. Even when it is decided that support be provided, missing information will result in delays in determining the right type of support.
Where schools submit applications on behalf of families, they are required to sign to the effect that they consulted with, and have the approval of parents/carers. We strongly recommend parents and schools work together on preparing applications.
Please assist us in making sure what will be a very hectic time for everyone goes as smoothly as possible. We will endeavour to keep you up to date throughout the process.
All applications for home-to-school travel support are considered on an individual basis.
Eligibility
Home-to-school travel support is considered only for pupils of statutory school age residing in Dudley (from the term after the pupil's fifth birthday up to the end of Year 11) who:
- are under eight years of age and live two miles or more from the school or
- are eight years of age and over and live three miles or more from the school or
- qualify under an income based assessment and live more than 2 miles from the nearest available primary school or
- qualify under an income based assessment and live more than 2 but less than 6 miles from any one of the 3 nearest secondary schools or
- qualify under an income based assessment and live more than 2 but less than 15 miles from the nearest appropriate school chosen on the grounds of faith or belief.
N.B. Ages are taken at 1st September in each school year.
Further information
- Distance is measured by the shortest available walking route over public rights of way to the nearest relevant phase school (that is, primary or secondary, as appropriate to the age of the pupil) which has a vacant place.
- For all applications not made under an income based assessment free home-to-school travel support is provided to the nearest phase school with a vacant place and not necessarily the school preferred by parents. The nearest phase school may be maintained by another Council. Free home to school transport is generally only provided where the distance criteria are met.
Following a public consultation during 2022, the All-Age Travel Support Policy and procedures and the Post 16 Statement have been updated. The All-Age Travel Support policy will be effective from 3rd April 2023 and the Post 16 Statement from 1st September 2023.
The main change is that support for children under compulsory school age (pre-school) has been removed as it is not a statutory obligation. However, the Council will continue to use its discretion in complex cases and children in receipt of support at the 1st April 2023 will continue to receive it.
We are improving our internal processes and procedures, updating forms and improving links between websites such as that between Dudley MBC and Dudley CI, https://dudleyci.co.uk/ .
Alongside these changes, the Council is also developing more local specialist provision in pre-school, primary and secondary settings from September 2023.
New Transport Contract
The contract through which we procure all our transport was established in 2019 and expires in March 2023. It is now being re-procured and a new contract will be in place at the end of June 2023 following which our routes will be retendered during July- August. This may result in changes to some routes and we will ensure that parents, carers, young people and school are kept fully informed. Further details on how the process will work will be provided in the next few weeks.
New Transport contract update
Applications from suppliers to join Dudley Council’s Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the provision of home to school transport are now being invited, with a closing date of 16th June. We expect to have appointed suppliers by the end of June, following which the re-tendering of routes will begin.
Procurement rules require all transport arrangements are renewed on a regular basis, normally every two years. A series of tender exercises (mini competitions) will take place during July-August. These may result in changes to taxi companies and consequently in drivers and passenger assistants.
We will also take the opportunity to return the number of vehicles to pre-pandemic levels. Numbers of vehicles increased significantly as a result of Covid when routes had to be ended and then procured again.
In making these changes we will ensure the needs of children remain the priority, that they are not disadvantaged, and that parents/carers are kept informed.
Independent Travel Training Scheme
Trains young people who are transported into schools and colleges by council provided taxi/minibus, to become independent travellers. In the main, this is done using public transport, but if a young person wishes to undertake their chosen journey by bicycle, our trainers can also deliver cycle training. It is coordinated by Dudley MBC’s Road Safety and Travel Awareness team in partnership with Children’s Services Transport Team, and the Connexions Team.
Independent Travel Training Scheme
Travel Support Allowance
We believe that many parents, children & young people who are entitled to free school travel support may prefer to make their own arrangements to get their child to school. We understand that the cost and other factors, such as other commitments to other children can prevent you from making your own travel arrangements. However, we also know that some children find using our taxis/minibuses embarrassing as it makes them stand out from other children and it can significantly increase the time spent travelling, which isn't great for your child or your family time.
Each Travel Support Allowance is tailored to meet the individual family circumstances, and all have been welcomed by the children and families concerned.