Free School Transport

Free school transport.

How can we help your child to school?

What free school transport means

When to apply for free school transport

What happens after you apply

Appeals

Parents/Guardians

Good Behaviour

If you need to know more or wish to complain

Additional Information

How can we help get your child to school?

Whilst it is the parent's responsibility to secure their children's education, North Lanarkshire Council is happy to help you get your child of school age to

school, safely and on time.

That is why school crossing patrols are provided and we operate a school transport policy which is more generous than the law requires. Indeed our home to school transport provision is amongst the most generous of any Scottish local authority.

The policy states that we provide FREE school transport if:

•  Your child lives more than one mile away from his/her local primary school (by the shortest safe walking route).

• Your child lives more than two miles away from his/her local secondary school (by the shortest safe walking route).

• Your child has been recommended on health grounds by a designated medical officer.

• Your child has been assessed to attend a school to meet the requirements of his/her special needs. (Transport for pupils with additional support needs is arranged directly by Learning & Leisure Services).

• Your child has to walk a route, which after seeking advice from Planning and Environmental Services is considered by Learning & Leisure Services to be unsafe for children.

What free school transport means

Learning and Leisure Services identifies the need for the provision. For primary and Secondary school pupils we work through the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) who engage the operators to provide school transport.

For pupils with additional support needs Learning and Leisure Services undertakes all arrangements.

The choice of the precise mode of transport depends on a variety of factors and is decided by Learning and Leisure Services after taking all circumstances into account.

This can result in any of the following:

• Dedicated school contract bus (service solely for pupils).

• Bus pass on local service bus (which can either be a commercial service or subsidised local Service also carrying members of the public).

• Train pass on service train.

• Taxi or private hire cars and minibuses.

• North Lanarkshire Council's own school transport vehicles.

Free transport normally covers one return journey, to school in the morning and home at the end of the school day. No additional provision is made for home journeys for infants who may have a shorter day until October each year. Children not collected by parents are supervised until the end of the normal school day.

Parents of pupils wishing to return home for lunch have to make their own arrangements. Special arrangements may be available locally to cover pupils taking part in school activities after the end of the normal school day. 

[Next Page]