College transport for 16-19 year olds
Last updated: 25/04/2012
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Transport for students in further education
Local Authorities are under no obligation to provide free home
to school or college transport if a student is over 16 at the
beginning of the academic year (1st September).
Cornwall Council, like many other local authorities across England,
operates a policy of subsidising travel to Further Education for
students aged between 16–19 (21 for students with special
educational needs) who attend the nearest establishment offering
the course(s) the student wishes to study and provided they live
over 3 miles from the said establishment.
Students taking an A/AS level course would not automatically
qualify for subsidised travel to an establishment which is not the
nearest if their designated/nearest school does not offer a
particular subject.
Please read these notes carefully. If, when you have read them
you think that you qualify and would like Cornwall Council to
arrange transport for you to attend a Cornish school sixth form or
college, please fill in the Post
16 Transport Application Form and return it as
soon as possible with payment.
Cornwall College Students –
all applications are to be made via Cornwall College. Please
go to the Cornwall College website or
telephone on 01726 226404/ 01726 226618 for details.
Truro College
Students – please contact Truro College in the first
instance as they run their own transport scheme. Please go to
the Truro College website or
telephone on 01872 267003 for details.
All Other Students – all
applications must be sent to the Commissioning Transport Officer,
Camel Building, County Hall, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3AY.
The deadline for submitting an application for the
Autumn Term (10th August 2011) has now passed. Forms and
payments returned after this date will be accepted, but
students will have to make their own way to and from the school,
sixth form or college of further education at their own expense
until their applications are processed.
If you have an enquiry regarding College Transport, please
complete the College
Transport Enquiry Form.
The following questions and answers provide further information
on Cornwall Council’s current policy.
Do I qualify?
To qualify for subsidised transport for the academic year
2011/2012 you must be:
- Under 19 years of age on 1st September 2011.
- A full time student attending a course for 450 guided learning
hours per year and enrolled for the 3 terms of the 2011/12 academic
year.
- Living more than 3 miles away from the nearest school sixth
form or college that offers the course that you want to do (for
A/AS Level study please refer to the policy).
- Willing to pay a contribution towards the cost of your
transport.
Special educational needs students must be:
- Under 21 years of age on 1st September 2011.
- A full time student attending a course for 450 guided
learning hours per year and enrolled at their nearest
school/special school/college for the 3 terms of the 2011/12
academic year.
Students not eligible for subsidised transport:
- Home address is within 3 miles of the school/college.
- The student chooses to attend a school/college which is not the
nearest institution offering the course (or similar) that they wish
to take.
- The transport expenses are incurred for travel between lodgings
and the school/college.
- The transport expenses are incurred for work placement
study.
- The student wishes to travel by means of transport other than
that determined by the council.
- The student is following a higher education course.
- The end qualification of the course is the same as that of a
similar course offered at a nearer educational establishment.
- The student has been guilty of the abuse or misuse of
subsidised transport.
How do I apply and what is the cost?
- You can download an application
form or request a form by contacting the Passenger
Transport Unit, County Hall, Truro, TR1 3AY; Telephone number 0300
1234 222.
- The contribution towards 16-19 transport is £297 for the
academic year. Payment can be by one payment or collected
before the start of each term; £110 a term (£77 for the summer
term). Please note that the average cost of providing
transport for mainstream students is £675 per student which equates
to the Local Authority subsidising each students transport in the
sum of £378. For students with Disabilities/Learning Difficulties
the average cost is £4166 per student which equates to the Local
Authority subsidising each students transport in the sum of
£3869.
- You can pay by cheque or postal order (made payable to Cornwall
Council) - Please don’t send cash.
- Alternatively, you can make a payment by credit/debit
card.
What transport is provided?
The Council will seek to provide suitable transport using the
most cost effective method utilising public transport (trains and
buses), contract buses, taxis and volunteer drivers. If any of
these are unavailable or prove unsuitable, a travel allowance may
be offered to students to make their own way to school/college.
The allowance is paid at 25 pence per mile. Transport is
provided to and from the school/college at scheduled times Monday
to Friday. Transport will not be scheduled to accommodate each
individual student’s course timetable.
What transport is available for students with special
educational needs?
Specialist transport such as by taxi and accessible minibus will
only be provided where supporting evidence identifies the need to
do so.
Evidence may take the form of letters of support from a doctor,
social worker, educational psychiatrist/psychologist or other
professional bodies. Once this has been approved by the
Commissioning Team, the Council’s Passenger Transport Unit will
usually decide the mode of transport to be provided and whether a
passenger assistant needs to be deployed.
What happens if I lose my pass?
If you lose your pass, a replacement can be obtained from the
Passenger Transport Unit.
A charge of £10 will be made for a replacement pass to be issued
with an increase of £5 for each additional lost pass requested.
Can I get any money back if I leave my course?
If you decide to leave your course, you may be entitled to a
refund within the first 28 days of the academic year.
Please write to the:
Passenger Transport Unit
County Hall
Truro
TR1 3AY
What if I am not eligible for subsidised transport?
Contract vehicle capacity does not always match the number of
passengers to be conveyed, there are sometimes spare places.
A spare seat on a vehicle under contract to the Council may be
allocated to a student ineligible for automatic placement on the
assisted travel schemes on payment of the required fare. These
students travel as Concessionary riders. The spare places are
allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. The scheme does
not start until 1st October each year when bus loadings are
settled.
You must arrange and fund your own transport to school sixth
form or college until a Concessionary Scheme seat is allocated.
Note: The scheme only applies to vehicles under
contract; it does not apply to public service buses or
trains.
What is the cost of a concessionary scheme place and how do I
apply?
- The contribution towards a Concessionary Scheme place is
£297. Please use the Concessionary
Scheme Application Form or request a form by contacting the
Passenger Transport Unit, County Hall, Truro, TR1 3AY; Telephone
number 0300 1234 222.
What if the Council cannot help in any way with transport?
The school sixth form or college that you are going to attend
may be able to help.
Can my bus pass be withdrawn?
Yes. Undisciplined behaviour whilst travelling on subsidised
transport or non co-operation with any employee of the contracting
company or an officer of the Council will result in the withdrawal
of your bus pass.
Also, your bus pass is not transferable; so giving your pass to
another student to enable them to travel will result in your pass
being withdrawn.
What can I do if I don’t agree with the decision on my
eligibility for transport?
If you do not agree with the decision which has been made about
your eligibility you have the right to appeal.
Appeal in writing to:
The Commissioning Manager
Children Schools and Families
Camel Building
County Hall
Truro
TR1 3AY
who will arrange for the appeal to be taken to the next meeting
at the Appeals Panel.
Useful links
2011-12 Post
16 Transport Policy