Paid-for school transport

For pupils who don’t qualify for free school transport, we offer any spare seats on our free school transport service as a paid-for alternative.

Please note that paid for transport seats are limited and we cannot guarantee one for every child and paid for travel can only be awarded where there are spare seats on school buses operating for students who qualify for free statutory transport, and where a public transport route is not available – please check for public routes before you apply for paid-for travel.

If we have written to you to say we not able to offer your child a space we will keep their details on a waiting list.

We review this list regularly and will only write to you if a space becomes available, so we recommend that you make other school transport arrangements for your child.

Update on paid-for school transport 

We have extended the application deadline for paid-for transport to 6 July 2020 with one transport offer round.

For further details on paid-for school transport from September 2020, see our changes to school travel arrangements.

Alternative transport options

Public bus services: You can get season tickets and child discounts from most bus and train operators or see the Citizencard information. See our local bus timetable page or plan a journey on Traveline. Taxi operators may also offer discounts for regular journeys.

Schools: Ask your school if they have a travel plan in place – this can include walking and cycling routes. See our cycle training information.

Childcare: If you use a childminder they may be able take your child to school, or pick them up. If they’re close to school they may walk or drive your child there.

Parent and community schemes: Your school PTA may help you to see if there is interest in contracting your own transport through a local operator. ‘Walking buses’ that use parents as volunteers to pick up children, walk them to school and take them home may work for some groups of parents.

Car share: Setting up a lift scheme for parents to car-share may be an option, or consider using a car share app like Liftshare.