On 25th September 2024, the Council’s Cabinet approved amendments to the Council’s Home to School Transport Policy eligibility criteria for free home to school transport. This means that from the 1st September 2025 Monmouthshire’s distance eligibility criteria will revert to the Welsh Government statutory distances of 2 or more miles from your nearest suitable primary school and 3 miles or more from your nearest suitable secondary school.
The revised Home to School Transport Policy will align transport provision with Welsh Government statutory transport requirements and is necessary for the Council to maintain affordability within future financial constraints. The Council will continue to offer discretionary transport for learners attending their nearest suitable Welsh medium or faith schools subject to meeting the distance eligibility criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Council’s statutory duty for providing Home to School Transport?
In line with Welsh Government policy, the Council must:
- Assess the travel needs of learners in its area.
- Provide free home to school transport for learners of compulsory school age attending primary school who live 2 miles or further from their nearest suitable school.
- Provide free home to school transport for learners of compulsory school age attending secondary school who live 3 miles or further from their nearest suitable school.
- Assess and meet the needs of children “looked after” in its area.
- Promote access to Welsh medium education.
- Promote sustainable modes of travel.
What level of service is the Council providing from September 2025?
The Council will provide free home to school transport for those learners that meet the distance eligibility criteria, are attending their nearest suitable or catchment maintained primary or secondary school, and are aged between 4 and 16 receiving statutory education.
The Council will continue to provide free transport for those learners attending their nearest suitable Welsh Medium educational setting and for those attending their nearest suitable faith educational setting if the learner meets the faith criteria of their chosen school.
Primary Learners (Reception to Year 6)
From the 1st September 2025, primary aged learners will be provided with free home to school transport if the distance between the nearest suitable or catchment-maintained school and the learners home is 2 miles or more.
Secondary Learners (Years 7 to 11)
From the 1st September 2025, secondary learners receiving compulsory education will be provided with free home to school transport if the distance between the nearest suitable or catchment-maintained school and the learners home is 3 miles or more.
When was the policy changed and what was the consultation process?
In 2024, Monmouthshire County Council’s Cabinet agreed to initiate a public consultation in respect of a proposed new Home to School Transport Policy for the school year 2025/2026.
Following this, a public consultation exercise was conducted with all key stakeholders such as pupils, parents, carers, transport providers and Elected Members.
Consultees were able to respond to the consultation through various channels including an online survey/questionnaire, a dedicated consultation email address, a telephone option, and providing feedback at the in-person local engagement sessions held in the Council’s hubs.
A subsequent detailed report outlining the consultation feedback and methodology was made available to Cabinet for consideration. The Cabinet report and consultation breakdown can be found Here
Cabinet agreed at their meeting on the 11th September 2024, to amend the Councils distance eligibility criteria to be in line with Welsh Government’s statutory legal distance eligibility requirements.
How are walking routes to school assessed?
The criteria used to determine the distance eligibility to receive free school transport is based on the walking distance measured by the shortest, available walking route. A walking route will be considered available if it is safe (as far as is reasonably practicable) for a learner without a disability or learning difficulty to walk the route alone or with an accompanying adult if the learners age or understanding requires this.
In determining the comparative safety of a walking route, the Councils Road Safety Officer or other suitably qualified person will conduct an assessment based on the Learner Travel Measure and GB Road Safety Guidance. The assessment of a route will take place at the time of the day and on the days of the week that learners would be expected to use the route
As with all walking routes assessed under the statutory guidance, the topography and weather conditions experienced along a route do not present safety concerns and are not considered.
Route risk assessments have been provided to those affected by the policy change.
How does the Council measure the distance from home to school?
The Council will determine your nearest suitable school via the shortest available walking route. This will be measured using a Digital Information Mapping System from the point your property meets the adopted highway to the nearest available entrance to the school. A walking route will be considered available if it is safe (as far as is reasonably practicable) for a learner without a disability or learning difficulty to walk the route alone or with an accompanying adult if the learners age or understanding requires this.
Can I purchase a seat on the school bus following this change?
A full review of transport provision has taken place based on the number of eligible pupils from September 2025. As a result of this review there is unlikely to be any significant spare capacity to offer seats for sale from September 2025, although these will be made available in line with the Council’s current Concessionary Transport policy and can be found Here
My Child (or I) have a disability/medical condition and cannot walk the route to school; would I be entitled to Discretionary Transport?
To qualify for assistance on medical grounds, the learner must be attending their nearest suitable or catchment school.
If a learner’s medical needs affect their ability to travel to and from school accompanied as necessary by an adult, parents must provide supporting evidence from their child’s consultant. The evidence should detail the difficulties that the learner will experience walking or travelling by public transport.
If transport is granted on medical grounds, the learner’s case will be reviewed on an annual basis and up to date evidence on their medical condition will be required at each review. If up to date medical evidence is not provided transport will be withdrawn.
If a parent has a medical condition that prevents them from taking their primary aged children to and from school, discretionary transport may be provided. Parents must provide evidence of their medical condition from their consultant and their child must be attending their nearest suitable or catchment school.
Discretionary transport granted because of a parent’s medical condition will be reviewed on an annual basis and up to date evidence of their medical condition will need to be provided for their review. If up to date medical evidence is not provided, then the discretionary transport will be withdrawn.
Discretionary transport will not be provided to secondary aged learners because of a parent’s medical condition as it is expected that the learner will be able to travel to and from school without parental assistance.
Can I appeal the decision to withdraw transport as we do not meet the distance eligibility criteria?
The decision to withdraw your transport on distance grounds cannot be appealed. The distance criteria is set out in the Home to School Transport Policy following consultation and subsequent cabinet approval.