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| Daily hassle of travel to school | Daily hassle of travel to school |
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| A short walk may be everyone's ideal, but the reality can be very different | A short walk may be everyone's ideal, but the reality can be very different |
| The start of the new academic year brings, for many families, the resumption of the daily struggle to get children to and from school. | The start of the new academic year brings, for many families, the resumption of the daily struggle to get children to and from school. |
| In theory children normally would be entitled to free transport to school in the UK if they live more than two miles away, under the age of eight (11 in Northern Ireland), or three miles for older children. | In theory children normally would be entitled to free transport to school in the UK if they live more than two miles away, under the age of eight (11 in Northern Ireland), or three miles for older children. |
| There is a catch - the distance is to the nearest suitable school. | There is a catch - the distance is to the nearest suitable school. |
| In England the law was changed in 2006 in recognition of the fact that - as a select committee had pointed out - this ran directly counter to ideas about school choice. | In England the law was changed in 2006 in recognition of the fact that - as a select committee had pointed out - this ran directly counter to ideas about school choice. |
| In effect, MPs said, it might deter poorer families from travelling further to school if they had to pay for the transport. | In effect, MPs said, it might deter poorer families from travelling further to school if they had to pay for the transport. |
| So now, for pupils entitled to free school meals or whose parents get the maximum working tax credit, free travel applies to secondary school pupils attending one of their three nearest schools between two and six miles from their home - or nearest faith school up to 15 miles away. | So now, for pupils entitled to free school meals or whose parents get the maximum working tax credit, free travel applies to secondary school pupils attending one of their three nearest schools between two and six miles from their home - or nearest faith school up to 15 miles away. |
| The Welsh Assembly Government has proposed that from next year travel will be free for primary age pupils if they live more than two miles from the nearest suitable school. | The Welsh Assembly Government has proposed that from next year travel will be free for primary age pupils if they live more than two miles from the nearest suitable school. |
| The planned legislation will also allow local authorities to change school start and finish times to make transport arrangements "more effective, efficient or environmentally sustainable". | The planned legislation will also allow local authorities to change school start and finish times to make transport arrangements "more effective, efficient or environmentally sustainable". |
| Apology | Apology |
| In Scotland the relevant law is not actually about school transport as such but school attendance - local authorities have to consider the reasonableness of requiring a child to get to school. | In Scotland the relevant law is not actually about school transport as such but school attendance - local authorities have to consider the reasonableness of requiring a child to get to school. |
| "Scottish ministers appreciate that authorities have to make difficult decisions, and there will instances where individual pupils residing just within measured boundaries would not normally be entitled to free transport, whereas those residing just outwith the boundaries would qualify," guidance says. | "Scottish ministers appreciate that authorities have to make difficult decisions, and there will instances where individual pupils residing just within measured boundaries would not normally be entitled to free transport, whereas those residing just outwith the boundaries would qualify," guidance says. |
| Ministers expect authorities to take into account such things as traffic volume, road crossings and footpaths, built-up and wooded areas and the adequacy of street lighting. | Ministers expect authorities to take into account such things as traffic volume, road crossings and footpaths, built-up and wooded areas and the adequacy of street lighting. |
| As with some many school issues the devil can be in the detail - although in the case of Rhondda Cynon Taf council there was general confusion at the start of term this week. | As with some many school issues the devil can be in the detail - although in the case of Rhondda Cynon Taf council there was general confusion at the start of term this week. |
| The council apologised after many parents did not receive their children's school transport details in time - so did not know where or when their children had to catch school buses. | The council apologised after many parents did not receive their children's school transport details in time - so did not know where or when their children had to catch school buses. |
| 'Not today' | 'Not today' |
| The problem is particularly acute for youngsters transferring to secondary school - a big enough hurdle in itself - and having to grapple with the complexities of local transport arrangements for the first time. | The problem is particularly acute for youngsters transferring to secondary school - a big enough hurdle in itself - and having to grapple with the complexities of local transport arrangements for the first time. |
| A parent from Kent who contacted the BBC News website said her daughter's first days at high school had been made even more fraught by the local bus service. | A parent from Kent who contacted the BBC News website said her daughter's first days at high school had been made even more fraught by the local bus service. |
| She said: "My daughter and a group of girls went to get on the bus home to our village, outside Maidstone, only to be told by a driver that the bus wasn't going there that afternoon. | She said: "My daughter and a group of girls went to get on the bus home to our village, outside Maidstone, only to be told by a driver that the bus wasn't going there that afternoon. |
| "Luckily, one mother had turned up to bring her daughter back on the bus so she was able to take the girls to another stop where they could take a different bus which brought them to a main road a mile away from the village. | "Luckily, one mother had turned up to bring her daughter back on the bus so she was able to take the girls to another stop where they could take a different bus which brought them to a main road a mile away from the village. |
| "The same thing happened the next day. There were no notices explaining the cancellations. I can't help thinking that bus companies don't see children as customers because they have passes." | "The same thing happened the next day. There were no notices explaining the cancellations. I can't help thinking that bus companies don't see children as customers because they have passes." |
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| What is the journey to school like for your child? How does your child get to school? Can your child walk or cycle or is a car or public transport essential? Is there a school bus service? How reliable is it? Send us your experiences and comments using the form below. | What is the journey to school like for your child? How does your child get to school? Can your child walk or cycle or is a car or public transport essential? Is there a school bus service? How reliable is it? Send us your experiences and comments using the form below. |
| My Son has just started secondary school and we have chosen not to send him to the large local comprehensive, but to a smaller school which is a little further away (even the nearest school is over 3 miles away). Transport is provided by a private firm which now is charging £79 per month to get him to and from school. When I asked about concessions was told that there is no free transport alternative and that this private service is all that is available or I could drive him there myself. Even the children going to the local school have to pay. Cheryl Janney, Grimsby, England | |
| My sons school is a 10 minute walk from our house and I would love to be able to walk him to school but because I have to be at work by 9.15am I have to drive as do a handful of other parents. However the road to get to the school is an absolute nightmare because of bollards and people being able to park on both sides of the road. Sometimes, like this morning, it gets gridlocked because people don't pay attention to what is going on ahead of them or they think they own the road. There are a lot of parents who are too lazy to walk their children the short distance to school who are fortunate and don't have to go to work and it's these people who cause the biggest problem on the roads/school runs. Caz, Poole | |
| My children walk to school (with me), it's the most sensible way of travel, since the school is almost on our doorstep and in a traffic-free environment. By reading this article, I realise how lucky we are. There is a school bus service for children who live in the nearby areas. It's a dedicated service and there's dedicated staff to accompany the children to the school gates (for preschool and elementary school at least. For secondary school I think there's no-one to sheperd the children to school). I think it's very reliable and I've heard no parent complaining about it, and should my children have to use it, I wouldn't fret too much. It is very common to have these special school bus services in France. Whether there is a fee or not depends on the town, or district. | |
| On the other hand, I'm not sure I'd be ok to let my children go on public transport to school on their own (until a certain age, that is). I'd worry about them getting stranded, lost and/or being assaulted. Matinyoupi, Ile de France, France | |
| My brothers and I went to out of catchment schools. We had a 40 mins walk to both our primary and high schools and for college an hours journey involving 2 buses. We did it in all weathers and a lift in a car with my Dad was considered a treat and special occasion. Can't see why others can't walk the ten minute journey that most of the cars seem to be making. Jess, Leicester | |
| We have a short 10 minute walk to school. After our two road crossing hurdles, where we can wait for minutes for the traffic to slow, and more minutes for someone to finally let us cross, we have to negotiate tricky pavements. Pavements should be safe, but here we must go in single file (I would prefer to be holding my eight and six year olds' hands) since traffic regularly mounts the pavement. This is a quiet, residential road but at rush hour people cut through to avoid driving through town. The pavement mounting is so unpredictable and dangerous that I shall have to accompany my children all the way into the school gates right up until they move on to secondary school. | |
| I want to walk to school. It gives us the opportunity to excercise and, more importantly, chat as a family unit. I can very well imagine, however, why some parents drive their children even short distances when there is such traffic danger. | |
| There have been many complaints from parents over the years as this road has become more and more dangerous, and yet nothing has been done. Helen Tranter, Congleton, Cheshire | |
| When I was as young as 11 years old, each weekday morning I walked the one mile distance to school and back on my own, rain or shine. When I was 14 I cycled. Mind you, that was back in the sixties. Why so different now?Frank Blasi, Bracknell, UK | |
| We are very lucky that we live in the village that our daughter goes to school, but even with a short walk it is tempting to use the car when the weather is rotten, especially with a small one in tow as well. We walk whenever possible. Karen Norris, N E Scotland | |
| My two children go to the schools closest to where we live so they can both walk and are there within minutes. We picked these schools for this reason and no we did not move specially and these are not the best in the league tables! I do not see the point in driving across the town unecessarliy. Julie Ann, Hemel Hempstead, Herts | |
| My partner walks our kids to school as we are lucky enough to live in an area where there are enough schools in walking distance. That might not always be the case as Manchester City Council wants to close schools down and then introduce a congestion charge to make us pay for the situation they have put us in. ... We are moving abroad and we're talking our £'s with us. Robert Leather, Worsley, Manchester | |
| In the 1960's I had to do the commute from Peckham to Deptford Broadway. The direct route was by 163 bus, which, at best, ran every 15-20 minutes. As I lived within the 3 mile radius of school I did not qualify for a free bus pass. If I opted for the quicker route and changed buses at New Cross Gate, the fare structure at the time ate into my pre-budgeted fare money; due to this I occasionally had to walk home once or twice a week and get told off for late arrival home. Neither parent drove so it was bus and Shank's pony. | |
| These days kids have it fairly easy - they don't pay for their transport to/from school and 9/10 they have the back up of a friend parent to take them home if need be. They are just as noisy and as boisterous as my generation was, the main difference being was that if we seriously transgressed the proverbial ton of bricks, coupled with corporal punishment would be waiting for us when we got home. Hazel, Erith, Kent | |
| Sore point. I live in a village. Our children's bus service stopped due to retirement and we asked the council to provide another. It turned out that the service was classified as a "scheduled" service as the village is less than 3 miles from the school. The children, we were told, could walk to school. The route they would have to use is a winding country road, no lighting and with narrow, overgrown and ditch filled borders. Apparently older children are expected to leap into the bushes to avoid vehicles. The regulations are based on cases from years ago, when roads were far less busy. | |
| Luckily another firm was found to take the kids but they have to catch a bus at 8 o'clock ( for a 10-minute journey) and hang around school till starting time. It could be worse, I suppose, but I am still fuming that the council thinks the route suitable. I wouldn't walk it. Let alone let 70 or 80 11 to 16-year-olds, unsupervised. Andrew Greaves, Gloucester, England | |
| My nephew attends a special needs school who collect him in a mini bus and then drop him home, this helps him mum out emmensely as she does not drive and the school is 15 mile away and not even close to public transport. Johanne, Denham, UK | |
| My daughter started high school yesterday, in the next town. She can get there on the bus (well, 2 buses) for a weekly pass of £7.50. As we are outside the catchment area transport is not provided - but even those who use the school bus are charged. Megan, Cheshire UK | |
| We walk, it's half mile there and half mile back. My daughter has been walking this far since three years old. A week after her 5th birthday she walked up Pen-Y-Fan. Dave, Pontypridd, Wales | |
| Our journey used to be a nightmare when I had three different places to drop the children off within a half hour time limit. Then I'd get an earache from the do-gooders who would say there is no excuse not to walk to school. Now, in Norway, they walk as it is close and safe and my eldest takes the tram. Louise Roche, Oslo, Norway | |
| When can all schools have a FREE yellow school bus that fetches the children to school, and takes them home again? More distant schools could ask children to change busses at some sort of safe terminus, with properly vetted chaperones. There's no reason that smaller or mini busses couldn't pick up children from the end of their road and deliver them directly to school, and back again. Instead of 15 cars, with one child in each, you'd have one minibus with a CRB checked driver, and a chaperone to make sure that the child got on and off at the correct stop, from a list issued to them by the schools. Freda Liverey, Lancs, England |