Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support low-income families with the cost of transport to (a) school and (b) college for 16 to 18-year-olds in West Dorset constituency.

The department recognises that the cost and availability of transport can present difficulties for some students, including those in rural areas. However, the responsibility for post-16 transport lies with local authorities, who have a duty to publish a transport policy statement each year that sets out the travel arrangements they will make to support young people to access further education.

Arrangements do not have to be free, but the department expects local authorities to make reasonable decisions based on the needs of their population, local transport infrastructure, and the resources they have available.

Many local authorities do offer some form of subsidised transport. For example, in the West Dorset constituency, Dorset Council offer a surplus seat scheme and subsidised transport for young people from low-income families who meet their eligibility criteria. Some education and training providers also provide subsidised or free transport, such as college buses, and travel subsidies from private training providers.

The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund is also used to help students with travel costs, including those on low incomes. It enables schools, colleges and training providers to support students with transport costs where these have been identified as a barrier to participation.