Have your say on Central Beds Council's plan to only provide free transport to children's nearest school

The proposed change to the council’s Home to School Transport Policy would mean from September 2026 it would only provide mainstream school transport to the nearest suitable school.

Currently, pupils can be taken to either their nearest school – or one based on the school catchment areas.

But the change wouldn’t apply to children with an Education, Health and Care Plan, pupils placed at a school by the council, or to transport for pupils aged 16 and over.

And it would only come in to effect for new applications – with the council continuing to honour all existing arrangements.

The council says the new policy would bring it in line with Department for Education guidance – and claims it would make things fairer if “every eligible pupil receives the same offer for transport”.

Currently, some are eligible for transport to both their nearest school and their local authority catchment area school(s), while others may only be eligible to transport to one school.

According to the council: “Changing school transport provision to the nearest suitable school only should shorten journeys and reduce the number of pupils eligible for transport, potentially leading to fewer school buses on the roads. Shorter journeys and/or less buses contribute to improving air quality and a lower carbon footprint. Reducing emissions is a key priority for Central Bedfordshire Council supporting a more sustainable future for generations to come.”

Cllr Steve Owen, Executive Member for Children’s Services, said: “The council currently provides over and above our statutory responsibility on mainstream home to school transport. This means that in some cases we are transporting children past perfectly good schools that are nearer to them, to a catchment area school.

“We have been open about rising costs of providing school transport and other services such as social care. We must do the right thing by our taxpayers and make sure we are making the best use of their money, and the current policy does not do this.

“I want to encourage everyone to have their say on this proposal – it's important we hear from parents/carers and schools but also residents who fund our services through Council Tax.”

The consultation will run online until June 30. The council will also be holding engagement events for people to find out more about how the changes could impact them.