Free School Transport

When to apply for free transport

If your child is starting primary school you should apply when you enrol him/her for school. If your child is going into secondary school you should apply in February of his/her last year at primary school.

You can apply at a later time but there may be a delay while arrangements are being made.

Should you move house at any time during the year a fresh application for transport must be made.

What happens after you apply?

You will be informed by letter about the outcome of your application. Staff will be happy to discuss this or any other matter connected with your child's application with you. If your application relates to a child already attending school and it is successful, we will aim to notify you of the arrangements before the end of June, although there can sometimes be a delay into the summer holiday period.

Appeals

If you wish to appeal against any decision made regarding your application for school transport, you may do so by writing to Learning and Leisure Service at the address shown on the contact us box, indicating the grounds on which you wish to make your appeal.

Parents/Guardians

It is essential that you encourage your child to behave properly and safely when boarding, travelling on the transport and alighting from it.

As parents you are responsible for ensuring that your child arrives at the pick-up point on time.

Good behaviour

Misbehaviour could result in your child losing the right to free transport. The responsibility of ensuring safe and acceptable behaviour remains YOURS while your child is travelling in the vehicle provided.

In the case of misbehaviour, the driver may retain your children's ticket/pass for the identification of pupils involved. The incident will then be reported to the driver's supervisor.

Details will be sent to the head teacher and parents will be invited to an interview with the head teacher for assurance on their children's good conduct prior to the return of the free travel pass. During this period parents/guardians will be responsible for making their own arrangements for the attendance of their child at school.

If you need to know more or wish to complain

If you have any enquiries about the eligibility of your child for transport please contact Learning and Leisure Services using the Contact Us box at the address listed below.

Parents who have any concern or complaint about the provision of school transport should raise them with the school. The details will then be recorded and submitted to SPT.

Parents may also complain directly to SPT in writing to reinforce their concerns. SPT will respond directly to parents and advise the school on the outcome of their investigations.

SPT is responsible for placing primary and secondary school contracts and for their day-to-day operation. SPT actively monitors the performance of school transport contracts through the deployment of a team of specialist inspectors. To assist its monitoring, SPT welcomes the raising of any issues of concern by schools or by parents.

SPT can be contacted at the address given below.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport

Public Transport Officer

Consort House

12 West George Street

Glasgow G2 1WN

T. 0141 333 3256/3257

Additional Information

1 Walking Distance

Shortest walking distance between your home and the local school i.e. 1 mile for primary

schools and 2 miles for secondary schools.

2 Medical

Requests for transport on medical grounds should, in the first instance, be supported by a letter

from your GP.

This request will then be referred to the school medical officer who will arrange to have your child

examined.

3 Safety

If you think there is no safe walking route between your home and the school, the issue may be raised with Learning and Leisure Services. A decision regarding eligibility for free transport will be based on the outcome of a route assessment.

4 Privilege Transport

Privilege application forms can be obtained from Learning & Leisure Services.

Privilege seats are allocated when there are vacant spaces on home to school transport. These seats can be allocated to non- entitled pupils, this is known as privilege transport.

Privilege transport is normally allocated at the end of September after all applications for entitled children have been processed. A privilege seat may be withdrawn at any time during the school session if it is required for

an entitled child.

5 Placing Requests

Please note if your child attends a school by means of a placing request you are responsible for arranging transport to school.

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