Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had discussions with North Northamptonshire Council on school transport fees.

The department’s home to school travel policy aims to make sure that no child is prevented from accessing education by a lack of transport. Local authorities must arrange free home to school travel for children of compulsory school age, between 5 to 16, who attend their nearest school and would not be able to walk there because of the distance, their special educational needs, disability or mobility problem, or because the nature of the route means it would be unsafe for them to do so. There are extended rights to free travel for children from low income families.

Local authorities may not charge a fee for transport for eligible children. Some authorities choose to arrange transport for children who are not eligible, but they are not required to do so. They may also charge for such transport, but this is a matter for the local authority.

The department is keen to understand how well home to school transport supports children to access educational opportunities and will be working with our officials on this.