"Help with meeting the costs of travelling to school."
In certain circumstances, the East Riding of Yorkshire will meet the costs of your child's journey from home to school.
Only those children who satisfy the provisions of the Council's policy on home to school transport will qualify.
Is my child entitled to school transport?
In certain circumstances, the East Riding of Yorkshire Council will meet the costs of part or all of your child's journey from home to school. The Council has a policy on home to school transport which sets out the circumstances in which a child would be eligible for transport. Some information about home to school transport is given below.
Unless otherwise stated, the information about home to school transport applies to pupils and students who are:
- resident in the East Riding of Yorkshire;
- attending a school; and
- of statutory school age or in a Reception class.
A copy of the Council's Home to School Transport Policy is available as a pdf document.
Who is eligible for free transport?
Primary school children
Your child will be entitled to free home to school transport if:
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you live in the East Riding of Yorkshire; and your child attends the school designated as serving the area in which you live (i.e. your catchment area school).
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the journey to school is more than two miles for a child in Reception and Years 1 2 and 3 or more than three miles for a child in Years 4 to 6. The distance from home to school is measured using the shortest available walking route. (See the notes below about families on low income).
Secondary school children
Your child will be entitled to free home to school transport if:
- you live in the East Riding of Yorkshire and your child attends the school designated as serving the area in which you live (i.e. your catchment area school).
- the journey to school is more than two miles for a child in Reception and Years 1 2 and 3 or more than three miles for a child in Years 4 to 6. The distance from home to school is measured using the shortest available walking route. (See the notes below about families on low income).
Does the Council provide transport in any other circumstances?
In certain circumstances the Council will meet the costs of your child's journey to school in full or in part, for example, if a child has a medical condition which prevents them walking to school or using public transport or if the child is looked after by the local authority.
Children attending a denominational school may also be entitled to some help with home to school transport if they have a brother or sister already at the school or if there are any special or exceptional reasons why the child should attend that school. A copy of the Council's policy is available as a pdf document and cn be found above.
Additionally, if your child does not qualify for transport under the Council¿s policy but you believe that there are special and exceptional circumstances which should be taken in to account, you can lodge an appeal. Appeals are considered by the Council's Appeals Committee.
Members of that committee can grant free transport or help with the costs of transport if they believe that the circumstances of the child or the family are such that they justify making an exception. Guidance on making an appeal and an appeal form are available by clicking on the link below.
How do I apply for free transport?
If you apply for a school place in the normal admission round and your child qualifies for free transport, the Passenger Services Unit will contact you before the start of the new school year.
If you are applying outside the normal admission round, you will need to contact the Passenger Services Unit by to request a form or you can download and print off our online application form.
If my child is not entitled to transport can they still use the Council's contracted transport?
Normally, pupils who are not entitled to free transport may use spare seats on vehicles contracted by the authority for home to school transport on payment of a fare. Many contracted buses can carry fare paying passengers who can pay the driver as they board.
Season tickets are also available on many of the Council's school buses. More information is available from the Passenger Services Unit or you can download the online season ticket application form.
The use of contracted services can be withdrawn if the transport is full and a seat is required for a pupil or student entitled to transport. If transport is withdrawn in this way, the authority will give at least 2 weeks notice.
What happens to lost or damaged travel passes?
A charge of £10 will be made if a replacement travel pass has to be issued because the original is lost or cannot be used because it is damaged. You can download and print off our online application form for a replacement bus pass.
What are 6th form Bus Monitors and what are they entitled to?
Post 16 students attending a school`s sixth form will be allowed to travel free using spare seats on council contracted home to school transport if they are appointed to act as Bus Monitors. Bus Monitors help by monitoring the behaviour of other pupils and reporting to their school any incidents of bullying and disruptive or inappropriate behaviour. They also help by monitoring the use of bus passes.
For more information, please contact the Passenger Services Team.
Does the council provide transport for children with special educational needs?
If a child has a statement, the authority will provide free transport where appropriate and in accordance with the authoritys policy. The authority cannot provide transport for physiotherapy or medical appointments.
If you think that you may be entitled to free transport you need to contact the SEN section to make a request. The contact details are:
Email: caroline.bentley@eastriding.gov.uk
Tel: 01482 392162
Is there any extra support for families on low incomes?
Extra support is available for children who are entitled to free school meals or whose parents receive the maximum level of Working Family Tax Credit. The extra support given to these families is set out below.
Primary school children
Children in Years 4 to 6 are entitled to free transport to their nearest school or to the catchment area school if the journey to that school is more than two miles.
Secondary school children (from September 2008 onwards) - children in Years 7 to 11 will be entitled to free transport if:
- the child is attending their catchment area school, and the journey to that school is more than two miles; or
- the child is attending one of the three nearest schools to their home address and the distance to the school is more than two miles but less than six miles;
- the child is attending the nearest suitable qualifying school preferred by the child's parents on the grounds of the parents' religion or belief and the school is more than 2 miles but not more than 15 miles from the child's home address.
More information is available from the Passenger Services Unit.
Who can I speak to if I have a query?
Home to School Transport
Passenger Services Team
East Riding of Yorkshire Council
Annie Reed Road
Beverley
HU17 0LF
Tel: 01482 392125, 392126
Free School Meals
Benefits Team
Revenue Services Division
East Riding of Yorkshire Council
County Hall
Beverley
HU17 9BA
Tel: 01482 394799
Special Educational Needs Section
Children, Family and Adult Services
East Riding of Yorkshire Council
County Hall
Beverley
HU17 9BA
Tel: 01482 392165
