Home to School Travel Policy and post implementation review
Information about the Home to School Travel Policy and post implementation review.
We know that school travel arrangements play an important part of daily life for parents, carers and young people, and that the changes introduced to our Home to School Travel Policy in 2024 have affected some families more than others. As part of those changes, we committed to review how the policy was working in practice through a post implementation review. The post implementation review has carefully considered feedback from families, schools and stakeholders, alongside appeals, complaints, operational data and our experience of delivering the service.
The report will be considered by our Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 16 September. It will then be discussed by our executive on 18 September. A public consultation is then due to be held later this month before feedback and the review’s recommendations are set to be considered at a full council meeting in November.
Until any decisions are made the current policy remains in place and families should continue to make school preference decisions based on the existing arrangements while this process is completed. If any recommendations are approved, they would not take effect before September 2027 with children then starting school in September 2028.
Delivering home to school travel in North Yorkshire
We provide home to school transport for around 11,000 eligible pupils across England’s largest county. North Yorkshire is one of the most rural areas in the country and the third most sparse, with many children travelling long distances to school. The service costs more than £52 million each year and is one of our largest areas of spending. We have a duty to provide transport for eligible children in a way that is safe, efficient and sustainable.
How the policy changed in 2024
Changes to our Home to School Travel Policy were approved by full council in July 2024 and came into effect in September 2024. The updated policy moved transport eligibility from being based on a child's catchment school to their nearest suitable school.
The changes were introduced to reflect Department for Education guidance and bring North Yorkshire's approach more closely in line with other comparable local authorities. They were also designed to help protect the long-term sustainability of the service in the face of rising demand and increasing transport costs. Without these changes, the cost of providing home to school transport would have continued to grow, placing additional pressure on the council's budget and reducing the funding available for other important local services that residents rely on.
It also provided a more consistent approach for families. Under the previous policy, some children got free transport to their catchment school even if it was not their nearest suitable school. This meant some families had a wider choice of schools with transport support than others, depending on where they lived. The updated policy applies consistency and fairness, while recognising that most schools in North Yorkshire provide a high-quality education and that shorter journeys can benefit children's wellbeing, learning and participation in school life.
Families have been supported through a phased transition to the updated policy. Where children were already receiving free travel under the previous policy this has remained in place, with the revised eligibility criteria applying to those starting or changing schools following implementation. Eligibility for low-income families was also extended beyond statutory requirements from six to 12 miles and tailored support continued for children and young people with additional needs through individual assessments.
Parents and carers can still choose a school which is not their nearest. If they do, they would then be responsible for getting their children to school if they are not eligible for free travel. This choice would not be funded under our Home to School Travel Policy.
Why was the Home to School Travel Policy reviewed and what did the review look at?
When the Home to School Travel Policy changed in 2024, we committed to review how it was working in practice. The post implementation review has considered a wide range of issues raised since the changes took effect, including a full year of transport data, appeals and complaints as well as feedback from families, schools and other stakeholders. The review looked at:
whether the policy is meeting its aims
whether expected savings are being achieved
whether any unexpected issues have arisen
feedback from families and schools
appeals, complaints and ombudsman findings
transport eligibility data and travel patterns
whether any changes should now be made to improve the policy and its operation
What did the review find?
The review found that the policy is operating in line with national guidance and remains on track to achieve its intended outcomes including savings. However, it also identified areas where improvements could be made and proposes recommendations based on evidence gathered since the updated policy was implemented. These include:
removing a small number of routes where there are practical challenges
improving mapping and route data
strengthening the appeals process
providing greater clarity around how routes and distances are assessed
improving information and guidance for families
The review does not recommend returning to catchment-based transport eligibility. Eligibility would continue to be based on a child's nearest suitable school with available places.
Has the updated policy affected many families?
We assess home to school transport eligibility for around 11,000 pupils each year. The below is based on the first two years of admissions data of the policy revised in 2024.
741 Reception and Year 7 pupils were not eligible for transport under the 2024 policy who would have been eligible under the previous policy.
This represents 3.44% of all Reception and Year 7 pupils over that period.
Of the 741 pupils affected:
600 (81%) were Year 7 pupils
141 (19%) were Reception pupils
The number affected has remained relatively stable, with:
365 pupils affected in 2025/26
376 pupils affected in 2026/27
The number of families directly affected by the change remains a relatively small proportion of all school admissions, although we recognise the impact for those individual families involved.
Over the past three academic years we have received a total of 716 stage one appeals and 174 stage two appeals.
A small number of cases have been referred to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman since the updated policy was implemented in September 2024 where families have challenged their appeal decision.
Of the 20 ombudsman complaints received:
six were closed without a full investigation
one found no fault by the council
seven found fault in how the policy changes were publicised but found no personal injustice
five found fault and injustice linked to how the policy changes were publicised and the appeals were reheard resulting in two being upheld
one case remains outstanding
Feedback from families, appeals and ombudsman decisions have been used as part of the review.
Will there be any recommended changes following the review and how will they be decided?
The review has made 24 recommendations including improvements to policy wording, mapping processes, appeals, communications and operational arrangements. Not all of the proposed changes need the same level of approval.
Some recommendations would change the Home to School Travel Policy itself and need approval from full council following a public consultation.
Some recommendations are about improving how the policy works in practice, such as appeals, guidance, communications and route management. These will need approval from our executive.
Some recommendations simply confirm that existing arrangements should stay the same and do not need any further approval.
The recommendations in the review will now go through our formal decision-making processes and no changes have been agreed at this stage.
Until any decisions are made, the current policy remains in place, and families should continue to make school preference decisions based on the existing arrangements while this process is completed. If any recommendations are approved, they would not take effect before September 2027 with children then starting school in September 2028.
What will happen in the meantime for families who are affected?
To support families during the transition period, we will continue to use the appeals process and existing discretionary powers to address exceptional cases. This means that where particular routes or circumstances are causing difficulties, support can be considered straight away while the formal decision-making process is completed, rather than waiting until any future policy changes come into effect.
Will there be a consultation?
If agreed by our executive a six-week public consultation will ask for views on changes that need approval from full council. These include recommendations around measuring home to school distances, mapping data and some parts of the policy wording. The consultation is important because it gives parents, carers, schools and other stakeholders the opportunity to have their say before decisions are made. The link to take part will be published on our current consultations page.
Will the policy continue to be monitored?
Yes, we will continue to monitor the policy, keep listening to feedback from families and schools, review appeals and complaints, and use evidence to inform future improvements where needed.
Recommendations – things that are proposed to change
Measuring home to school distances (R1)
In a small number of cases, the nearest school identified by the mapping system data may involve a much longer road journey than another suitable school with available places.
One of the recommendations would allow discretion where the road journey to the nearest suitable school is more than two miles shorter than the road journey to the nearest school identified by the mapping system. This would be considered as part of a stage one appeal, and if the appeal is successful the route would then be removed from the mapping system.
There is also a recommendation that will allow discretion where it would not be reasonable for a vehicle to use the road route to travel to the nearest suitable school.
Mapping data (R2, R3, R4)
The review recommends continuing to use Ordnance Survey mapping data to calculate home to school distances, but with more flexibility where routes are found to be unavailable, impractical or unreasonable to use. Families would be able to raise concerns through the appeals process and, where a route is found to be unsuitable, will be removed from the mapping system permanently to help prevent the same issue affecting others. The recommendations would make the system more responsive while continuing to apply eligibility consistently.
Suitability of driven routes (R7, R8, R9)
The review recommends removing five routes and associated footpaths from the mapping system. These are:
Fleet Moss Road
Keld to Kirkby Stephen
Buttertubs Pass
The Stang
Kidstone Pass
Although Ordnance Survey mapping data identifies these routes as being available, they can be affected by difficult terrain, high altitude, severe weather or impractical driving conditions, making them less reliable for school transport purposes.
With the removal of these routes the effect on people living close to them will be monitored carefully. This is to make sure the system identifies a suitable alternative route, with discretion used where needed. If a pupil lives on one of the removed routes, or can only reach their home via one of them, they would still need to travel along that route to reach another route that is not excluded. This applies to both how distances are measured and how travel routes are planned.
Removing these routes from the mapping system would help make sure transport eligibility is based on routes that can be used reliably throughout the school year.
The review also recommends a review of excluded routes at the end of the implementation period in 2031. Transitional discretion would be provided for children travelling on excluded routes.
School entrance points (R5)
When assessing eligibility for free travel to North Yorkshire schools, distances are measured to the nearest entrance. To make sure all entrance points are included, school gate information is being updated within the mapping system and will take effect from September 2026. For schools outside North Yorkshire, we do not hold the same level of entrance gate information. This information has been requested from all neighbouring local authorities and when this is available it will be used. If it is not available, the school’s official property location recorded in national address data will be used. Policy wording will be updated to make sure we are being clearer about how distances are measured.
Unsafe walking routes (R6)
Children are eligible for free travel if they attend their nearest suitable school with available places and live further away than the statutory walking distance, which is:
two miles for children under eight years old
three miles for children aged eight and over
Where a child lives beyond these distances, they are eligible for free travel and are not expected to walk to school.
If a child walks to school because they attend their nearest suitable school and live within the statutory walking distance, parents and carers can ask us to assess whether the walking route is safe. A route may be considered unsafe if a child could not reasonably be expected to walk it, even when accompanied by a responsible adult.
Route assessments are carried out during term time and follow national guidance produced by Road Safety GB. They consider factors such as traffic levels, crossing points, visibility, road safety records and whether a child could be expected to walk the route with a responsible adult.
The review does not recommend any changes to how unsafe walking routes are assessed but it does suggest making the policy clearer so that the information is easier to understand.
Paid travel permits (R16, R17)
Paid travel permits allow families who are not eligible for free travel to pay for spare seats on existing school transport where these are available. Paid permits cannot be guaranteed for the full year, for example if a seat is needed for a child who becomes eligible for free travel. The review recommends giving parents and carers more notice if a permit needs to be withdrawn within an academic year, increasing the notice period from seven days to 30 days.
Appeals (R18, R19)
The review recommends strengthening the first stage of the appeals process by involving senior officers, providing clearer guidance and improving training to help discretion be applied more consistently in exceptional cases allowing issues to be resolved earlier. The recommendation aims to make the process clearer, more consistent and easier for families to navigate.
Communications and clarity of the policy (R20, R21, R22)
The review recommends clearer policy wording, better information about how eligibility is assessed, improved explanations of mapping and routes and updated guidance. The recommendation aims to make the policy easier for families to understand.
Environmental impact (R23, R24)
The review found that eligible pupils are travelling shorter distances on average, which could help reduce transport emissions. However, as some families may choose to drive their children to school, overall environmental impact is still being monitored. The review recommends continuing supporting active travel schemes and to carry out further climate impact assessments.
Recommendations - things that are proposed to say the same
Eligibility based on nearest school (R10)
Transport eligibility will continue to be based on the nearest suitable school with available places. The review does not recommend a return to catchment school.
Shared drop off areas (R11)
Some schools share the same bus stop or drop-off point. Families told us this can feel confusing when a child is eligible for one school but not another, even though they use the same bus route.
However, transport eligibility is based on a child's nearest suitable school with available places, not where a bus stops. The review recommends keeping the current approach, so the rules are applied consistently and fairly.
Grammar schools (R12)
Parents can choose to apply for a selective grammar school, but free school transport is based on a child's nearest suitable school with available places, not the type of school they attend.
The review looked at whether selective grammar schools should be treated differently but found that this would create inconsistency. The review recommends keeping the current policy, so the same rules apply to all schools and all families.
Sibling arrangements (R13)
The review recommends keeping the current approach, with transport eligibility continuing to be assessed for each child individually. This means that having an older sibling at a school will not automatically create transport eligibility.
Nearest school outside North Yorkshire (R14)
Eligibility for free travel is based on a child's nearest suitable school with available places, which can sometimes be in a neighbouring council area. Some families have asked for transport eligibility to be based on the nearest school within North Yorkshire instead. The review found this could create inconsistencies and give some families more choice than others. The review recommends keeping the current arrangement, which continues to consider schools outside North Yorkshire where they are the nearest suitable school with available places.
Support for low-income families (R15)
The review recommends keeping the additional support already provided to low-income families, including continuing enhanced transport assistance and retaining the extended eligibility criteria of up to 12 miles, beyond the statutory requirement of six miles.
Removal of previous discretionary arrangements
The following also remain unchanged:
no transport to 50/50 second addresses
no transport to designated faith primary schools solely on faith grounds
SEND transition transport continues to be considered individually
Information about how our mapping system works
How are distances measured?
We use a Geographic Information System (GIS) to calculate home to school distances. Distances are measured to the nearest 1,000th of a mile using mapping data provided by Ordnance Survey, the UK's national mapping service. Ordnance Survey data is widely used across both the public and private sectors.
What points are used to measure the distances?
For schools in North Yorkshire, distances are measured from a fixed point linked to a home address to the nearest pupil entrance point recorded in our GIS system.
For schools outside North Yorkshire, we do not hold the same level of entrance gate information. This information has been requested from all neighbouring local authorities and when this is available it will be used. If it is not available, the school’s official property location recorded in national address data will be used.
We will request updated gate data from both North Yorkshire schools and bordering local authorities every five years and update our GIS mapping system accordingly. Where any local authority proactively sends updated gate information to us, this will be updated in the system in the following September.
How are walking routes identified?
The GIS system uses Ordnance Survey mapping data to identify potential walking routes between a home and a school. These routes may include roads, footpaths, bridleways, rights of way and other recognised routes.
Are private roads and paths included?
The mapping data does not distinguish between routes that are publicly owned, privately owned or unavailable for use. Some private roads and footpaths are available as "permissive routes" and can legitimately be used as part of a home to school route.
If we are made aware that a route cannot reasonably be used, this information is considered when transport eligibility is being assessed. The post implementation review also recommends greater flexibility to remove unreasonable routes from the system where appropriate.
Why might children living close together receive different eligibility decisions?
Distances are measured from specific property reference points to specific school access points, using the nearest available route identified by the GIS system. As a result, children living on the same street can sometimes have different eligibility outcomes.
What if I think a route or distance is incorrect?
If you believe the route used is inaccurate, unavailable or unreasonable, you can raise this through the appeals process. We will consider the evidence provided and, where appropriate, may review the route or mapping data used to decide eligibility.
Has the mapping system been reviewed?
Yes. The mapping system has been operating accurately based on the data within it. The post implementation review has looked carefully at concerns raised by families, appeals and ombudsman cases about mapping data, routes and eligibility decisions. The review recommends a number of improvements to mapping processes, route assessments, appeals and information for parents and carers to help make the system clearer, more transparent and more responsive where exceptional circumstances come up.
What about safety?
If a child lives within the statutory walking distance of their nearest suitable school with available places, but a parent or carer believes the walking route is unsafe, they can ask us to carry out a route safety assessment.
We assess routes using national guidance produced by Road Safety GB. These must be done during term time. Assessments consider factors such as:
traffic volume and speed
road crossings
visibility and sight lines
footways and pedestrian facilities
local road conditions and hazards
If a route is found not to be safe for a child to walk and there are no other safe and suitable walked routes, even when accompanied by a responsible adult, transport assistance may be provided.
Does the council assess safety on routes that are longer than the statutory walking distance?
No. Where the nearest suitable school is more than either:
two miles away for a child under eight
three miles away for a child aged eight to 16
the child is already eligible for free travel and is not expected to walk to school. The post implementation review recommends making this clearer within the policy.
What if I think a route shown on the map cannot realistically be used?
If a route is unavailable, inaccessible or unreasonable to use, families can raise this through the appeals process. The review recommends greater flexibility for us to remove unreasonable routes from the mapping system where appropriate.
