TRANSPORT POLICY STATEMENT FOR YOUNG PEOPLE OF SIXTH-FORM AGE
POLICY

2018/19

Updated May 2018

  1. INTRODUCTION

This is the Transport Policy Statement which the Education Act 1996 requires Birmingham City Council (“the Council”) to publish each year, setting out what travel support is available, from the Council and other bodies, to help young people aged 16-18 (and older in some cases) to attend their school or further education institution.

It is available on the Council’s website at:

The Councilitself does not generally provide any transport or travel assistance for post-16 education. However, it does make some provision for young people aged 16-18 (and older in some cases) who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs/Education Health and Care Plan or have a disability or have learning difficulties. Such assistance is discretionary and is determined in accordance with the criteria set out below.

However, financial assistance may be available from (or by applying through) the school or further education institution in question and Appendix 1 sets out full details of these schemes. In addition there are various concessionary travel schemes in Birmingham which may be available and these are set out in Appendix 2. There is also relevant government guidance which is available at:

  1. WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR TRAVEL SUPPORT?

The minimum criteria to be eligible for travel support from the Council are as follows:

(1)You must be a resident of Birmingham

(2)You must be attending a course at a school, further education college or institution or 16-19 Academyconsisting of at least 450 guided learning hours per year

(3)You must have a Statement of Special Educational Needs or Education Health and Care Plan

(4)You must be aged 16-18 years, or have started the relevant course before you turned 19 and continuing to attend it.

An application which meets these minimum criteria will then be considered in accordance with the further criteria below. Applications which do not meet these minimum criteria will only be considered in accordance with the criteria below in exceptional circumstances.

3.FURTHER CRITERIA FOR TRAVEL SUPPORT

The majority ofyoung people who meet the minimum eligibility criteria above do not receive or require travel support from the Council and will make their own transport arrangements in the same way as their fellow students.

The Council has discretion to determine when to provide travel support to facilitate young people's participation in education and training. This power to provide transport or financial support must be exercised reasonably and lawfully. In determining what support to provide, the Council will have regard to the following:

  • The needs of those for whom it would not be reasonably practicable to attend aparticular establishment to receive education or training if no arrangements were made;
  • Theneed to ensure that persons in the Birmingham area have reasonable opportunities to choosebetween different establishments at which education or training is provided;
  • The Council’s general duties to ensure that enough suitable education and training is provided to meet the reasonable needs of 16-18 year olds;
  • Distance and journey time from the student’s home to establishments of education and training, the cost of transport there and alternative means of facilitating attendance at establishments;
  • The nature of the route or alternative routes which the young person could reasonably be expected to take;
  • Any preference to attend a particular educational establishment based on religion or belief;
  • The nature of the young person’s special educational needs, disability or learning difficulty;
  • Anything said in a Statement of Special Educational Needs or Education Health and Care Plan about transport;
  • Whether there is a nearer institution which is suitable and can provide the same or similar qualification(s)
  • The best use of the Council’s resources

4. TYPES OF TRANSPORT OR TRAVEL SUPPORT PROVIDED

Young people must be attending the nearest available maintained establishment at which the course is offered. If the Council agrees to provide travel assistance it will be provided in a safe and cost effective manner, where appropriate taking account of the young person’s specific needs and with regard to the best use of the Council’s resources from the range of options.

a. Travel pass - This is a free pass for the use on public transport.

b. Reimbursement of mileage costs – Parents or carers may be able to support their son / daughter in travelling to school, either in the capacity of escort or driver of their own car. The young person may also have access to their own car. In such circumstances the Council may remunerate the costs of travel by paying a mileage allowance.

c. Personal Transport Budget – Parents / carersof a young person eligible for assistance may be offered a personal transport budget as an alternative, this will be paid on a monthly basis to the parent or young person who then assumes full responsibility for the travel arrangements for the child to get to the institution on time and achieve good attendance.

d. Escorted public transport - It may be possible for a young person to travel on public transport if they have some assistance. Where parents or carers are unable to accompany their son / daughter, the Council may provide aGuide.

e. Transport vehicles - In exceptional circumstances the LA may provide a vehicle to transport a young person to and from school. Vehicles and drivers are provided by a suitably qualified, registered, commercial provider working to contractual standards set by the Council.

Whenever possible, young people will travel together in mini-buses. These will be specially adapted to meet the needs of those young people travelling on them. Each route will be planned on the basis of school start and finish times and the shortest possible route for all young people travelling on a particular vehicle.

Young people will be picked up and dropped off at a convenient location, within a reasonable distance from their home, in many cases from recognised bus stops. A home pick up and drop off will only be made where it is deemed essential due to the young person’s significant needs. Where this is provided a contribution towards the cost is required as explained below.

f. Provision of Pupil Guides - A guide may be provided to accompany a young person to school/college whether using public transport or on Council provided transport. Guides will only be provided where they are necessary for the safe operation of vehicles and/or the care of young people.

g.Independent Travel Training- we may be able to provide your child with mobility/independence training. Independent Travel Training teaches independent skills enabling learners who need additional help or support to make journeys independently and safely. Being able to access public transport helps learners to make their own choices about how they live and what they want to achieve.

5. CHARGES FOR SPECIALISED TRANSPORT VEHICLES

Where the travel support provided consists of a taxi or specialist vehicle, the young person and/or his or her parents or carers will be required to contribute towards the cost of this. The amount that will be required is £600 per annumor £300 if the young person is from a low income family. The Council will consider a young person to be from a low income family if he or she falls into any of the categories below:

  • Families in receipt of Income Support.
  • Families in receipt of Income Based Jobseekers Allowance (IB JSA).
  • Families who receive Child Tax Credit and have an annual income below the relevant threshold.
  • Families who receive Employment and Support Allowance (Income related).
  • Families who receive The Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit.
  • Families who receive support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
  • Families in receipt of the maximum level of Working Tax Credit.
  • Families in receipt of benefits that supersede those listed above.

Young persons who receive Income Support or income based Job Seekers Allowance in their own right will also be considered to be from a low income family.

The payment is a contribution towards the cost of providing the transport and the Councilwill fund the balance. This contribution is required due to the high cost of such transport and the Council’s limited resources. It enables the Council to provide transport and travel assistance to a greater number of young people with special educational needs or disability or learning difficulties than would otherwise be the case.

The amount of contribution will be reviewed annually and will take account of any change in the relevant Council budget. Any changes will be notified to the affected young persons and their parents or carers. This transport policy statement will be amended and re-published where any costs are changed.

6.APPLYING FOR TRAVEL SUPPORT

For those young people with a statement of special educational needs or education health and care planattending a special school or college in the Birmingham area applications for travel assistance should be submitted by the learning establishment the young person attends direct to the Travel Assist Service.

For those young people attending an establishment outside of the Birmingham area applications should be submitted by the young person’s Connexions Advisor direct to the Travel Assist Service.

Applications should:

(1)state the basis upon which it is believed the young person is entitled to travel assistance and how the eligibility criteria is met;

(2)give the name of the learning establishment the young person is attending and whether or not the young person has a place there yet;

(3)give any particular reason for the choice of that learning establishment;

(4)state what form of travel assistance (bus pass, taxi etc.) is sought;

(5)provide details of any social security benefits which are or may be relevant to the application

(6)provide full details of any exceptional circumstances which are relied upon;

(7)include any evidence in support of the application which the parents /carers or young person may wish the Council to take into account;

7.TRAVEL ASSISTANCE REVIEWS

The need for travel assistance will be reviewed on a continuing basis and at least once per year. Wherever possible the review will be undertaken following the young person’s statutory annual review of their Statement of Special Educational Needs/Education Health and Care Planor Learner Support Plan. Any changes will be implemented from the beginning of the next school term, or sooner by mutual agreement.

A review may also be undertaken if there is a significant change in circumstances, such as a change in school or home address, or a change in parental circumstances, or a change in the young person’s needs. Young people who receive travel support or their parents or carers must tell the Council immediately of any change in circumstances which may affect their entitlement to travel support.

8.APPEALS PROCESS

If an application for travel supportis not approved by the Council, or the young person or parent / carer disagrees with the type of supportoffered, there is a right of appeal. Appeals should be made within 15 working days of the decision being received by the young person, parent or carer.

The appeal should be made in writing on the appropriate formwhich can be obtained fromtheTravel Assist Service by

Email:,

or by telephone: 0121 303 4955

Website:

The appeal will need to set out the exact nature and grounds of the appeal.

The appeals process has two stages:

Stage 1 – A Children’s Services Manager will consider the appeal within 5 working days of the receipt of the appeal form, confirmation will be given that the appeal is under review. Further evidence may be requested to support the appeal and consultation with caseworkers and professional bodies may be required.

A decision and notification will be made within 10 working days from receipt of the appeals form.

If the young person, parent or carer remains dissatisfied with the outcome, they should notify the Council in writing within 15 working days of receiving the appeal decision.

Stage 2 – If the young person, parentor carer is dissatisfied with the outcome of the appeal at Stage 1 the appeal moves to Stage 2. The appeal will be reviewed by the Education Awards (Review) Sub-Committee (which is made up of Members of the Council)

A stage two review will consider all the information provided by the parents or carers including family income details. A decision will be made within 30 working days of receiving the Stage 2 request.

During the appeal stages, travel assistance will not be provided nor willa change to the travel support offered be made.

Finally, the Education Act 1996 enables complaints about these matters to be made to the Secretary of State for Education.

Appendix 1 (updated May 2018)

Travel Support available from schools and further education institutions

The following is a list of sources of travel support available through schools and further education institutions. Enquiries and applications in respect of these should be made through the young person’s school or institution.

16-19 Bursary Fund

Help is available for the most vulnerable 16 - 19 year olds to continue in full-time education or training after 16. Young people can apply to their school or college or training provider for the new 16 -19 Bursary Fund.

The scheme is made up of two parts – a guaranteed payment to a small group of the most vulnerable and a discretionary fund for schools and colleges to distribute. Guaranteed bursaries of £1,200 a year will be paid to the most vulnerable groups.

This includes young people in care, care leavers; young people claiming Income Support or Universal Credit, disabled young people in receipt of Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance.

The second element of the scheme enables schools and colleges to award discretionary bursaries to any students who face genuine financial barriers to participation, such as the costs of transport, meals, books and equipment etc.

Schools and colleges set their own eligibility criteria, decide on how much is paid and set their own conditions for students to meet in order to receive a bursary, for example, linked to behaviour or attendance.

Further information about the 16 -19 Bursary Scheme can be found at:

Care to Learn

Care to Learn provides financial support to young parents who want to continue their education or training and need support with the cost of their childcare, and associated travel. Care to Learn pays up to £160 per child per week to the childcare provider.

Further details can be obtained on Tel no 0800 121 8989 or visit

Dance and Drama Awards

DADA are scholarships that offer greatly reduced tuition fees, and income-assessed support with living and learning costs, at some of the leading independent dance and drama schools in England.

The awards give learners the chance to compete for a high quality training place. They are offered to learners by the school on the basis of talent demonstrated at audition and not financial circumstances, and provide high quality training for people who want to directly enter the profession.

Further details can be obtained on Tel no 0800 121 8989 or visit

Residential Support Scheme

The Residential Support Scheme provides help with the accommodation costs of learners aged 16 and over, who need to live away from home to study because their course is not available locally. It covers Education Fund Agency and Skills Funding Agency Learner Support Responsive funded courses which must require more than 16 hours attendance per week and be of at least 10 weeks duration. The course must be of a first level 2 or level 3 qualification.

Further information can be obtained from the national helpline on Tel No 0800 121 8989 or visit:

Appendix 2 – Travel concessions which may be available (updated May 2018)

Public Transport Assistance

Birmingham has a comprehensive public transport network which includes buses, trains and metro. Network West Midlands is the new name that connects all public transport in the West Midlands metropolitan area. This includes Birmingham, Dudley, Coventry, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton. It clearly identifies the complete network of bus, train and metro services.

Further information can be found at:

Network West Midlands, the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority, is responsible for promoting and developing public transport across the West Midlands metropolitan area. They co-ordinate local transport information for Birmingham and publish bus timetables. This includes the Network West Midlands Map and Guide to Public Transport in Birmingham.

The Birmingham map shows all bus operators, routes, rail and metro services and the frequency of bus services. The bus map is available online at:

A journey planner is also available on line at:

or via the free NetNav and Net WM App’s.

The majority of school journeys that are made by bus use public operated transport, although there are a number of special bus services procured directly by schools or run commercially and some dedicated bus services run by private operators. The Network West Midlands Sustainable Travel Team informs individual schools and Council School Travel Advisers within the West Midlands when school specific buses are being withdrawn or of any changes in timings of which they are aware.

Network West Midland’s Sustainable Travel Team work with schools in Birmingham to assist with the public transport elements of school travel plans and promote sustainable travel. The support offered includes the following:

  • Year 6 transition workshops
  • Special Needs School Travel Training Workshops and hire of Resources
  • an interactive web site with downloadable teacher notes, lesson plans and worksheets suitable for key stages 1 - 3.
  • Bespoke public transport packs
  • Journey planning advice
  • Dedicated Education officers
  • Travel awareness sessions & route planning for pupils and staff
  • Advice on public transport aspects of travel plans.
  • Liaison on behalf of school with transport operators to ensure services are running at appropriate times.
  • Bus behaviour issues
  • Attend events to promote public transport and sustainable travel.

Network West Midlands works in partnership with the Safer Travel Police Team, West Midlands Local Authorities and Transport Operators. Within local authorities Network West Midlands liaise with School Travel Advisers, TravelWise Officers and Post-16 Transport Partnership Groups.