Primary and Secondary School Transport

Please read the information below carefully to determine whether you think your child may be eligible for School transport for the 2012/13 Academic Year.

Please note once eligibility has been established, this will continue until the end of Primary or Secondary education unless you have a change in circumstances. This means that this application will cover the duration of your Primary or Secondary education.

Whose responsibility is it to get my child to School?

All Parent/Guardian’s are encouraged to consider the practicalities of transport for their child to a School that is not within walking distance, unless it is the designated or nearest School, because it is the Parent/Guardian’s responsibility to get their child to school throughout the whole time the child is there.

Will my child get free School Transport?

You can express a preference for a place at any School, but your child may not be entitled to free transport. This is because certain criteria need to be met in order to qualify for free transport, see below for more details.

How do I check if my child is eligible for free School Transport?

If you apply for a place at the School designated to serve your home address and you live more than 3 miles away by the shortest available walking route your child will be entitled to free School transport. You can check which School is designated to serve your home address using the School Designated Area Maps.

What if I am on a Low Income?

For the 2012/13 Academic Year, which starts in September 2012, the Low Income Clause policy applies to Students in Years 7 to 11 inclusive.

Pupils must be eligible for free School meals, or from families in receipt of maximum Working Tax Credit. Families must provide evidence that they are entitled to the relevant benefits and that the entitlement is current at the start of the Academic Year. Once a low income entitlement is established then it lasts for the whole of the Academic Year even if benefits cease.

Children from low income families are provided with free transport to secondary school if they live more than 2 miles from school. The school attended must be one of the three Schools nearest to the home and be no more than 6 miles from home.

In Torbay, it is possible that the three nearest secondary schools could include selective Schools, single sex schools and the Denominational School (St Cuthbert Mayne School) and that not all children will be eligible to attend these Schools. Therefore, the Transport Team will provide free transport to the children from low income families to St Cuthbert Mayne School or the Designated Selective School for their home address and then any other School within 6 miles of the home address or within 15 miles from the home address for St Cuthbert Mayne School. To qualify for free transport, the home must be more than 2 miles from the School attended.

Qualifying Benefits for Free School Transport

Income Support
Income based Job Seekers Allowance (IBJSA)
Employment Support Allowance (Income Related)
Guarantee Element of State Pension Credit
Support under part VI of the immigration & Asylum Act 1999
Child tax credit BUT Not entitled to Working Tax Credit & Annual income does not exceed £16,190.

In Receipt of Their Maximum Level of Working Tax Credit (WTC)

When a person is first awarded tax credits, or following a change in their household circumstances, HM Revenue and Customs issue a “tax credits award notice detailing the breakdown and amount of the award. Part two of the award notice gives details of “How we work out your tax credits” including details of the full WTC elements. This is the maximum amount a customer can receive in WTC in any year. It then lists “any reduction due to your income” and shows the net amount payable. It is therefore apparent from the award notice whether a person is receiving maximum WTC or a reduced sum due to income.

Please note that if the eligibility is based on full WTC or a qualifying benefit for FSM, a copy of this evidence will be required before transport will be awarded. Updated evidence will then be requested before the start of each new Academic Year.

What if my child is attending a Denominational or a Selective School?

If you apply for a place at a Denominational School or your Designated Selective School, you live more than 3 miles away by the shortest available walking distance and you are in receipt of a qualifying benefit your child will be entitled to free School transport. If you are not in receipt of any qualifying benefits the normal charges will apply.

How are distances measured?

Distances are measured along the shortest available walking routes using digitised mapping (GIS), or physical measurement by a surveyors wheel. For Low Income Entitlement only, distances of up to 2 miles are measured by the shortest available walking route and distances of 2 miles and over are measured by the shortest available driving route.

Can I choose the mode of transport?

Once eligibility has been established it is for the Transport Team to determine the mode of assistance which is safe, secure and cost effective. A child’s needs are taken into consideration when determining the mode of transport. Arrangements could include public bus pass, ferry pass, taxi transport or parental petrol acknowledgment.

Please note for bus passes:

Pupils travelling to a School within Torbay will be issued with a Stagecoach Bronzerider bus pass.
Pupils travelling to a School outside Torbay will be issued with an appropriate travel pass.

How can I pay for my child’s transport?

Invoices will be sent out to your home address periodically depending on how you choose to pay. Invoicing will be set up for the whole time your child is in Primary or Secondary education.

Payments can be made by the following options:

Annually – one invoice will be sent to you and payment is required before the transport assistance is supplied.
Termly – one invoice with a payment plan will be sent to you. Each term’s payment is required before the transport assistance is supplied at the start of each new term.
Monthly – one invoice with a payment plan will be sent to you. Instalments can be paid by Direct Debit OR monthly instalments at a Post Office and are due on the 15^th of each month.

Payment methods include:

Direct Debit
Cheque
Credit/Debit Card
Cash at a Post Office branch

Please note:

For Direct Debit instalments please complete the enclosed mandate and return with this form.
For Cheque payments make payable to Torbay Council, write Student’s name on reverse & return with this form.
Monthly Instalments are NOT the same as Direct Debit; payments are made via Post Office, Internet or over the telephone using a Credit/Debit Card.

What about photographs?

If you are choosing to submit a photograph with this form, please follow these instructions:

The photograph must be of standard passport size (35mm x 45mm)
The Student’s name needs to be clearly written on the back

Photographs can also be taken at the Torbay Council Connections offices in Torquay, Paignton or Brixham with no appointment necessary OR emailed to cstransportpics@torbay.gov.uk with Students stood in front of a plain background.

What if my circumstances change?

If you change address or your child changes which School they attend please contact us as soon as possible to ensure you are still entitled. Also if you no longer require transport please contact us as soon as possible as we may be chasing payment or you may be entitled to a part refund. Please note that refunds cannot be made until the pass is returned.

What if I am not entitled?

An appeal can be made on the Council’s decision on entitlement to assistance. Please visit the School Transport Appeals page for further information and guidance.

How do I apply for Primary or Secondary transport?

Guidance and application forms have been sent out with the Secondary School Allocation Letters on the 1st March 2012. You can also apply online by completing the application form.

Related Websites

Related Tasks

Contact Children's Services Transport Team

Tel: 01803 208240
Email: cstransport@torbay.gov.uk
Fax: 01803 207699

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