School & College Transport For Students Aged 16-19

Cheshire East Transport provides assisted transport to and from school or college for children who qualify under the current 16-19 Transport Policy. Below is a summary of the Policy, which is intended to act as a guide to parents/carers and is not a definitive statement. All students aged 16-19 who are in full time education are entitled to be considered within the policy – for full details, please see the Post 16 Transport Policy (PDF, 205KB).

For students who qualify in accordance with the policy, a contribution charge towards the cost of transport will be requested. The annual charge for 2011/2012 is £436. The charge can be waived for families in receipt of some benefits, please refer to the 16-19 FAQ page.

The type of transport offered under this Policy is at Cheshire East Transport’s discretion and may take the form of public transport, private contract services or rail services. Cycle grants are available upon request as an alternative to a travel pass (currently £75 per year). Cash grants and mileage allowances are not normally available and can only be considered where there is no suitable transport provision.

Student / Parental Choice

The Policy is generally based on the distance to the local school or closest college. Parents/students should be aware that whilst they have the right to express a preference to apply to another school or college, any travelling arrangements or expenses will be their responsibility. If you are not certain which is the local school for your area then please view our Catchment Maps or contact the Admissions Team. To find out which college is closest to your address, email us at schooltransportenquiries@cheshireeast.gov.uk or call us on 0300 123 5012.

Summary of Policy 

Cheshire East Transport will provide assisted travel to school/college for full-time students (generally over 15 hours per week) and for a maximum of three years.  Students must be:

• a Cheshire East resident
• aged over 16 and under 19 at the start of their course
• attending the local or closest school/college offering their course of study
• live more than three miles from that school/college

Students may qualify where the route to the local school/college is less than the statutory distance but has been assessed by Cheshire East Transport as hazardous. Please note that it is the responsibility of a parent/carer to arrange for their child to be accompanied to and from school/college and hazardous routes are assessed on this basis.

Students will be eligible for assisted travel to the catchment faith school or college, provided that it is over three miles from the home address. The school or college will be asked to confirm that the student has met their criteria for admittance on faith grounds.