Transport assistance is only
available to students who live in Suffolk and whose parents or
guardians pay their council tax to a district or borough council in
Suffolk.
If Suffolk County Council has any spare seats on contracted
vehicles that are not used by children who qualify for free
transport, these may be available to be purchased under the
Discretionary Travel Scheme. The scheme operated in Suffolk can
provide assistance to children, who do not otherwise qualify for
free travel, by using spare seats on journeys the county council
has arranged specifically for children entitled to free travel.
However, this scheme does not extend to the offer of seats on
public transport journeys or to other vehicles that have not been
hired as a whole to carry out school transport journeys solely for
the county council.
Parents whose children do not otherwise qualify for free
home-to-school transport who would like them to travel on the
transport should register an expression of interest which will then
be forwarded to Passenger Transport to assess if there is
spare capacity.
Where the offer of a seat can be made, this expression of interest
will be confirmed, following completion of an application form,
soon after the end of that term. Travel is conditional on the
parents/carers accepting the terms and conditions of the offer and
making a termly contribution toward the cost of the
transport.
For Suffolk resident families the payment is waived in certain
circumstances – receipt of income support, income based job seekers
allowance, tax credit (in some cases) or an NHS exemption
certificate, being the principal tests.
In addition, applications for exemption from the charges by those
in receipt of certain other benefits will be considered. Only a
maximum of two children in any family are charged; third and
subsequent children are exempt from the charge. In all cases full
terms and conditions of the discretionary travel scheme and the
payment and exemption arrangements are set out when the offer of a
seat on transport being arranged by the county council is
confirmed.
Contact
For more information on Suffolk County Council home-to-school
transport policies and the services provided telephone: 08456
066 067.