Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet is set to discuss a proposal to begin a consultation on changes to home to school transport policies. The proposal follows the latest guidance from the Department for Education for new policies that already exist in other big cities and neighboring local authorities. The move aims to ensure the system funds those most in need, supports sustainability and active travel, and tackles a predicted £4m overspend in the budget.
The proposed change is expected to take effect from September 2025, and all pupils who receive travel passes or transport, under the current system, will remain beneficiaries until there is a change in their circumstances. Low-income families, representing 40% of pass-holders, will prosper from the proposals since they will be unaffected by the policy changes. According to an assessment, 60% of those who currently hold passes will enjoy the same benefit under the new program.
The proposal would bring some changes to the extended travel aid policies and make them in line with national guidance. These changes include terminating the discretionary free travel option if parents or carers decide to choose a school for religious or cultural reasons rather than the nearest suitable school. Year 6, 10 and 11 students who move from home and are no longer within qualifying walk distances to and from school will also have their travel support removed. The required minimum qualifying distance for free travel will also move from two to three miles for those aged over eight.
The council will continue to maintain travel support for low-income families who meet the statutory criteria. For example, in the 2021 academic year, 40% of travel passes issued were for pupils from low-income-family backgrounds. Students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) will continue to have their application needs assessed on an individual basis. The council proposes a ‘learner contribution’ of £680 every year to reduce the cost of transport for students aged over 16, who qualify for transport, costing the council an average of £5,843 per student, which would be reduced by 50% for students who qualify for free school meals. The council also recommends providing advice on accessing bursaries and working with colleges to encourage the use of public transport for students, for example, through ‘buddying up’ schemes.
If the proposed report, which the Cabinet is set to review on 19 December, is approved, the consultation will commence in February, and a recommendation for endorsement will be put forward in May 2024. Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for Education, Lila Bennett, stated that the new policy proposal aims to recognize the un-sustainability of the current home-to-school transport policy and support inclusion and independence for young individuals. Bennett further mentioned that increases in fuel, transport, and insurance costs make it necessary to bring the system in line with the Department for Education recommendations
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