School transport
We provide information on the options available to you and your child for travelling between school or college and home. This includes information on free bus travel, timetables and our plans and policies for school transport.
Our sustainable modes of travel strategy is available in full but here we have picked out some of the more frequently asked questions from parents on this page. You can also see our policy on transport to secondary schools and primary schools on this website.
Who qualifies for school transport assistance?
Our home to school transport policy is to provide help with transport for full-time infant, junior and secondary school pupils to the end of statutory school age who do not live within walking distance of their normal area school.
This distance, as defined in the Education Act 1996, is two miles for children under eight and three miles for children over eight and is measured by the shortest available route.
Parents who send their children to a school which is not their normal area school will not normally receive help with transport unless the preferred school is beyond the relevant two/three mile limit, but closer to the child's home than the normal area school.
Advice and information concerning eligibility for free travel can be obtained from your local Area Education Office.
You might also be eligible for free school transport if you or your family receive benefits.
You can find our full home to school transport policy at the bottom of this page in the related documents section.
How do I apply for school transport assistance?
You can apply for home to school transport assistance online (opens in a new window).
Alternatively, you can apply by completing a paper application form - you can download a PDF version of the form from the related documents section on this page.
Forms are also available from Call Derbyshire on 08 456 058 058 or from schools or your local area education office.
How can I find information about school bus services?
Bus timetable information is available from each school. You can find their contact details on our school names and addresses page. Or you can contact the Public Transport team here on 01629 536740 / 536720 / 536749 / 536739 or email schooltransport@derbyshire.gov.uk
You could also use our Journey Planner to find out more about public transport, including rail services.
Guides to using school bus services are available to download from our School Buses page in the Public Transport section of this website.
What help is available if my child is returning to school or college for post-16 studies?
Post-16 students don't receive free transport but can still make use of a range of transport services available to schools and colleges.
Students up to the age of 19 in full time education receive reduced price travel on public transport with a b_line card.
This card also entitles the students to discounts at many shops and attractions around the county. To find out more and apply for a b_line card visit the b_line website (opens in a new window).
We also produce a Post-16 Transport Policy Statement and this gives information on:
- School and college transport arrangements
- the b_line card
- arrangements for students with special education needs and/or disabilities.
My child has special needs. What information is available about school transport for them?
We organise transport for students age two to 25 with special educational needs attending schools and colleges. Our policy is in accordance with legislation.
About 1,600 students qualify for transport in the county and most of them travel by contracted mini bus or taxi. A small number travel with their parents, who can claim back the cost of fuel.
Transport is also provided for students attending support centres or work-based learning. We work with the Behaviour Support Service on this.
You can find out school transport travel guide on the school buses page or you can call 01629 580000 ext 6727 for more information about transport for students with special needs.
What is b_line? What information is there about concessionary travel?
The b_line card is available to all young people in Derbyshire aged 14 to 19 and in full time education. It entitles them to discounted travel on almost all tickets at peak, and off peak, times.
You can also use it for discounted travel to places just outside the county.
You can find out more on the b_line website (opens in a new window).
School bus service changes
In addition to providing free school transport for those who qualify, we also currently fund dedicated school buses for other students. These are students who, depending on their age, live under two or three miles from school or who go to a school that is not considered to be their normal area school.
But we need to make savings and cannot continue to fund these school buses. From April 2012 these non-statutory school buses will be withdrawn, unless suitable alternatives can be found.
To see if your child's school bus is affected read the list of schools affected in the related documents.
Related documents
The following documents are in Portable Document Format (PDF). You can download the PDF software for free from the Adobe website (opens in a new window)
The following documents are in Word format. You can download the Word software for free from the Word viewer page (opens in a new window) of the Microsoft website.
- Application for school transport and transport assistance (417KB)
- List of schools affected (100KB)
- Home to school tranport for secondary transfer pupils - September 2011 (28KB)
- Transport policy for children and young people (457KB)