All local authorities in England are under extreme financial pressure. This includes statutory home-to-school transport for an estimated 470,000 pupils aged under 16. This is only just under 6% of all pupils in the country though. These students rely on funded transport services to reach their school. About 50,000 students aged 16 and older reap the rewards of these provisions.
Under existing law, local authorities are duty bound to provide free transport for some children. This help is particularly critical for students who attend schools more than a dozen miles away. It benefits children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or mobility concerns, improving their access to class. In addition, it makes sure transit is available to people who may not be able to walk safely.
Almost half of all recent statistics show that SEND makes up 40% of under-16s who are provided with funded transport. Of these, 9% drive alone in single-occupancy vehicles. In the 2023-24 financial year, we calculate that local authorities will spend £1.5 billion on transport for under-16s with SEND alone. This figure is about 2.5 times greater than spending in the 2015/16 fiscal year.
Rob Williams, a senior policy advisor at the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), highlighted the significance of funded transport in education. He promised that it “makes a significant contribution” to getting kids to school every day and giving them the self-reliance that’s essential. He cautioned about continued budgetary pressures.
“However, a growing number of councils are reducing transport provision due to increasing budgetary pressures, and when children simply cannot get to school this threatens to deepen existing attainment gaps and place even more pressure on already stretched parents.” – Rob Williams
As the LGA told us last June, their concerns were deep and wide. They pointed out that many councils are financially unable to maintain their statutory duties on home to school transport. This perfect storm has pushed many local jurisdictions to the brink of bankruptcy. In response, they are doubling down with cuts to the very things children need more of.
The education committee’s recommendation is a powerful one. They claim that the government should keep subsidizing school transportation, and they’re right about the critical role it plays in ensuring equitable access to education. Local authorities would be in for a bruising battle. They do not have the luxury of running deficits—something the federal government has done at least since the 2008 financial crisis.
