Transport

The Education and Inspections Act 2006 inserts new school transport provisions into the Education Act 1996. This means that Local Authorities in England have a duty to make suitable travel arrangements free of charge for eligible children as they consider necessary to facilitate their attendance at school.

This is a complex area and our advice on transport covers a range of aspects.

If your child is of compulsory school age and has Special Educational Needs (SEN), a disability or mobility problem which affects their ability to walk to school then the Local Authority (LA) may have a duty to make suitable travel arrangements without charge. If your child has needs as described above and is attending a ‘qualifying school’ then the LA must make those travel arrangements. We are able to advise parents on such matters and whether the child would be eligible.

The LA may also have to make arrangements for suitable travel to school without charge in other circumstances where certain criteria are met and we are able to advise on individual circumstances. We are able to advise on whether the child is an ‘eligible’ child according to the criteria; how is distance measured and how ‘low income’ is defined.

We are also able to advise on other factors that impact on school travel arrangements such as the provision of escorts, specific training for escorts, vehicle adaptations, the provision of non-stressful transport and LA appeals procedures.

Contact our education law solicitors in Bristol, Bath, Hereford and Evesham

For specialised legal advice and guidance, please get in touch with our friendly and professional solicitors.

We have offices in Bristol (Southville and Fishponds), Bath, Hereford and Evesham, as well as working with clients across the rest of the UK and internationally. To discuss your case in more detail, please call us on 0117 939 0350 or email info@watkinssolicitors.co.uk.