Transport

Leeds City Council offer home to school travel support for children and young people who have SEND, disabilities or medical conditions.

If you already receive travel support
Contact the passenger transport team if you have travel support in place and need help with:

• your child's transport being late
• how to cancel travel on the day
• personal travel allowance payments
• mileage allowance payments

Types of travel support

The support available will depend on your child's needs and your family circumstances.

We may also offer travel support to parents or guardians of primary school aged children who have a recognised disability.

• Bus pass: Your child may be eligible for a bus pass to travel to school. We may also offer parents or carers a monthly bus pass to travel with them. A bus pass can help prepare children and young people for independence and adulthood.  
• Independent travel training: Have a dedicated travel buddy to join your child on public transport to and from school. 
• Mileage allowance: You may be able to get a mileage allowance for 2 daily return journeys to and from school. For every mile travelled, 50p will be reimbursed along the shortest driving route. A mileage allowance gives you the freedom to take your child to and from school using your own car.
• Personal travel allowance: A personal travel allowance lets you organise your child's transport where we cover the cost up front. For example, this could cover the cost of journeys with your preferred taxi company or a journey needing both a taxi and bus travel. You could also make arrangements with family members or other parents to take your child to school. We may sometimes contact you if your child is eligible for help with travel and ask you to consider a personal allowance. We only offer this if it is best for the child, the family and us.    
• A taxi and shared minibus: Your child may be able to use a taxi or minibus with or without a passenger assistant. This would depend on your child's needs.

Reception to Year 11

Check to see if your child meets the eligibility criteria in the Children’s Services Transport Policy.

If a child has an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) it does not mean that they can automatically receive transport help.

Young people aged over 16

We offer eligible young people in post 16 learning a free bus pass where possible. If they need further support, we offer daily travel support to help young people travel to college.

Check to see if your child meets the criteria in the Children’s Services Transport Policy.

We also offer independent travel training where young people are given a free bus pass and a dedicated travel buddy.

We have a simple digital application form for families to use when applying for transport assistance. 

If a parent or carer wants to apply for transport assistance, they should submit application form through the below links:

• Click here if your child will be attending a school or SILC
• Click here if your child will be attending a college

You will not receive notification of their digital application being received by our team; however, we monitor applications daily and application are usually assessed within three weeks.

If you have any questions regarding transport arrangements contact passenger transport services at csd.passengers@leeds.gov.uk or 0113 3760100.

The Independent travel training team help people aged five to 24 who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) to travel more independently.

Independent travel training is free for children and young people who are:

• eligible for transport assistance
• children who are looked after

A dedicated travel buddy will join you on public transport to and from school or college.

As your confidence grows we will help you to become more independent and prepare you for adulthood.

You will receive a tailored travel plan so that you can track your progress.

Click here to download the independent travel training information flyer. 

Click here to download the Getting Ready for ITT: Preparation Pack for young people with SEND.

How to apply

If you think your child is eligible after reading the transport policy, you should complete an online application form.

Children and young people of school age between reception and Year 11 (and those attending a SILC post-16) can apply for support using the school travel application form.

Young people aged over 16 who are attending a college can apply for support using the home to college travel application form.

If you cannot use our forms, help is available. Email send.transportapplications@leeds.gov.uk or call 0113 535 1990 and an officer will help you complete the online form on your behalf over the phone, and will advise you of the next steps. 

We aim to contact you within 15 working days of receiving your completed application form.

Contact Details: 

• Tel: 0113 535 1990
• Email: ITTLeeds@leeds.gov.uk  

Our post 16 transport policy statement provides information about the transport support available for students aged 16-18 and young people aged 19 to 25 with learning difficulties or disabilities to attend places of learning.

You can read the Post 16 Transport Policy here.

Application process overview

From the date that a family submits an in-year application for travel support the SEND Assessment Team have 15 working days to process this request. If the young person is approved for travel support the team at Passenger Transport Services have a further 15 working days to resource this award. All in all this is a 30 working day process from the date a family submits an application.

For applications submitted for the following academic year, i.e. a young person leaving primary education and joining secondary education it can generally exceed 15 working days to complete an assessment for travel support. Generally the SEND Assessment Team aim to assess all applications by July of that academic year and Passenger Transport Services will be in touch by August of the academic year to confirm your child’s transport arrangements.

General questions

Who do I contact about my child’s transport provider and pick up time?

For queries about your child’s transport provider or pick up times please contact Passenger Transport Services on 0113 3760100 or by emailing csd.passengers@leeds.gov.uk 

Who do I speak to if my child is uncomfortable or struggling with the vehicle provided?

If your child is uncomfortable or struggling with the vehicle provided, please contact Passenger Transport Services initially on 0113 3760100 or by emailing csd.passengers@leeds.gov.uk and using the marking for the attention of transport safety.

If you have an issue with the type of travel support awarded, such as shared transport then please contact the SEND Assessment Team on 0113 5351990 or email sendtransport@leeds.gov.uk 

Who do I speak to if the transport provider is not getting my child to school on time?

If the transport provider is not getting your child to school on time please contact Passenger Transport Services on 0113 3760100 or via email at csd.passengers@leeds.gov.uk 

Who do I speak to if I have an issues with my mileage or travel allowance payments?

If you have an issue with your mileage allowance, please email ptbs@leeds.gov.uk 

If you have an issue with your personal travel allowance, please email personaltravelallowances@leeds.gov.uk 

What do I do if my child is moving to a new learning setting or school?

If your child is moving to a new learning setting or school, you would need to reapply for travel support. You can request an application for travel support by contacting the SEND Assessment Team on 0113 5351990 or visit the below links to reapply:

• Application form for a child who attends school.
• Application form for a young person who attends college.

When is travel support available?

Travel support is available to all eligible Children & Young People aged 5 to 25. The eligibility criteria for travel support is outlined on the Children’s Transport Policy, which can be found here.

Do I need to reapply for transport each year if my child is remaining at the same setting?

If you are awarded travel support the award email will detail when your child would remain eligible for support until. This is generally awarded to the end of each phase of education, such as Primary and Secondary education. You will be invited to reapply at the end of each phase of education.

How do I contact the driver and passenger transport assistant?

If you need to contact the driver or passenger transport assistant please contact Passenger Transport Services on 0113 3760100 or via email at csd.passengers@leeds.gov.uk 

How do we know our child has arrived safely at school?

We are unable to notify every parent / carer to inform them that their child has arrived safely at school, however we will contact parent / carers if there have been any issues on the journey and their child has not made it to school.

How are routes and who my child travels with is agreed?

Routes are planned based on information shared at the point of application, we ensure routes are compatible logistically and based on the needs of the children.

Will I receive an exact pick up and drop off time?

We’re unable to offer specific collection or drop-off times or to amend routes to suit individual family circumstances.

External factors may impact on pick up and drop up times, we will ensure that your child arrives and depart school for school start and finish times.

Who do I call if my child is not attending school, and doesn’t require transport?

If your child is not attending school and doesn’t require transport please contact Passenger Transport Services on 0113 3760100 or via email at csd.passengers@leeds.gov.uk 

In circumstances where your child doesn’t use their inbound journey, their return journey is automatically cancelled, unless Passenger Transport Services are informed to keep this journey in place. This ensures that PTS only use resources to transport passengers we know require transport, and reduces unnecessary spend.

Who do I call if my child only requires transport for one of the journeys?

If your child only requires one of their journeys please contact Passenger Transport Services on 0113 3760100 or via email at csd.passengers@leeds.gov.uk 

What can we expect when my child is picked up by transport? i.e. does the PA pick the child up at the door, come into the house or does the parent take the child to the bus

We ask that parent carers bring their child to the vehicle when transport arrives. The driver and passenger assistant maybe unable to leave the vehicle due to external factors and the needs of children on the transport.

If we are running late will the transport wait for us?

If you are running late, the transport will wait for a maximum of 5 minutes.

The wait time ensures that the transport doesn’t have a knock on effect to pick up of other children and arrival to school / home.

Can you provide travel support to my child if they are on a reduced timetable or require transitional arrangements to a new learning setting?

We are only able to provide travel support at the regular start and finish time for most pupils at any school / learning setting. Where pupils have a start or finish time that is different from this travel support cannot be provided. This would include young people who are transitioning into new learning setting.

There may be a small number of exceptional circumstances in which local authorities consider it appropriate to arrange transport at an alternative time of day, for example if a child has a medical condition which means they are not well enough to attend school for the whole day.

How do I let you know if we have moved house / changed our address?

If you move house / change address you would need to reapply for travel support and provide proof of residency at your new address (such as a tenancy agreement or a bill/bank statement with your new address).

You can request an application for travel support by contacting the SEND Assessment Team on 0113 5351990
or visit the below links to reapply:

• Application form for a child who attends school.
• Application form for a young person who attends college.

Can you provide travel support from more than one address?

We can only provide transport to and from one address this will be your child’s main home address as provided on your home to school travel application.

Do we get a dedicated driver and passenger assistant? Will this be the same each year?

While we aim for consistency with drivers and passenger assistants, we are unable to guarantee that your child will be provided with the same driver and passenger assistant each day.

How do I share my child’s college timetable with passenger transport?

College timetables will be shared with the Passenger Transport team directly from college, we do not accept individual timetables from parents and carers.

If the college does not provide confirmation of the young person’s timetable, transport cannot be arranged. Please note, that upon receipt of the confirmed timetable, PTS may take up to 15 working days to arrange transport.

What will happen to my child’s transport in extreme weather conditions?

We will try our best to deliver transport during extreme weather conditions, ensuring the health and safety of all.

Transport will check education settings opening status during extreme weather conditions and adjust the routes accordingly. Please check your school’s website / social media pages to check if they are open.

If your child’s education setting is open, there may be exceptional circumstances when transport cannot reach you. We will let you know if this is the case.

For extreme heat please refer to NHS how to cope in hot weather guidance

Compliments and complaints

Use the compliments and complaints form to:

• give a compliment - tell us about something we have done well
• make a formal complaint - if you have spoken to the service your problem relates to and are unhappy with their response then we can investigate further.

Metro – train and bust timetables

Visit the Metro website to find out about:

• Ticket Prices
• Bus routes
• Train routes

The metro website has information about travelling to and from school using buses (public transport). You will find information about bus passes and school bus timetables.

Contact Details: 

• Tel: 0113 245 7676
• Email: metroline@westyorks-ca.gov.uk
• Website: http://www.wymetro.com/ 

Disabled persons travel pass

A disabled persons travel pass provides you with: 

• Free off-peak travel on local bus services* in West Yorkshire from 0930 to midnight, Monday to Friday and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
• Free travel on local bus services throughout England between 0930 and 2300, Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and on public holidays.
• Half-fare, off-peak train travel within West Yorkshire. Off peak train travel is Monday to Friday after 0930 until 1600, then from 1830, and all day on weekends and public holidays. If you are travelling by train during the weekday evening peak - 1601 to 1829 - you will need to buy an Anytime Day Single or Anytime Day Return ticket.

Click here to find out more and apply for a disabled persons travel pass. 

Leeds City Council – travelling by taxis or private hire vehicles

Leeds City Council are responsible for making sure that taxi and private hire trade in Leeds is operated in a safe and professional manner and that the correct standards of safety and comfort are satisfied by all licensed drivers, vehicles and operators.

As well as drivers, all of our licensed vehicles have undergone and passed stringent tests for roadworthiness to ensure they meet MOT standards and comply with the current licensing conditions before a licence is issued.

To stay safe, follow these taxi aware rules:

• only use a licensed taxi or pre-booked private hire vehicle
• never get into a vehicle other than the one you have booked or a Hackney carriage you have hailed in the street or at a taxi rank
• confirm the driver is licensed and that they have a badge
• sharing a vehicle is a great idea and always sit in the back seats
• if you have any doubts, don’t get in and order another vehicle

Connect in the North have developed a travelling by taxi's guide. Click here to download the guide. 

Contact Details: 

• Tel: 0113 378 1570
• Email: taxiprivatehire.licensing@leeds.gov.uk 
  Website: https://www.leeds.gov.uk/licensing/taxi-and-private-hire-licensing/are-you-taxi-aware 

Following recent consultation on proposed changes to travel support for post 16 students, the council’s Executive Board has approved a new model of assistance for eligible post 16 and post 19 learners with SEND that will, wherever appropriate, prioritise an offer of independent travel training (ITT), enabling young people to develop the skills to be able to travel independently in preparation for adulthood.

Under the new model, where ITT is assessed to be inappropriate for a young person, then an award of a personal travel allowance (PTA) will be given instead. A PTA provides a contribution towards travel costs of between £1,000 and £3,000 per year, depending on the distance between the young person’s home and their school or college. This payment is to support families in making their own travel arrangements.

Sometimes a PTA might not be appropriate either, and the council will continue to consider providing council-organised transport, such as a mini-bus or taxi, on a discretionary basis in exceptional circumstances.

The updated Children and young people’s transport policy sets out full details about eligibility for post 16 and post 19 travel support and the new model of assistance for post 16 and post 19 students. The policy ensures that the council will continue to provide a discretionary transport offer, through the usual application process for post 16 and post 19 students, so we can appropriately and justly award transport assistance of any type.

Why we have made changes to post 16 and post 19 transport assistance travel support for students with SEND

Post 16 transport policy statement

All councils must produce a Post 16 transport policy statement to accompany their Post 16 transport policy. The statement provides families with information about the transport support available to all persons of sixth form age receiving education or training and continuing young people with special education needs or disabilities (SEND) aged 16 to 25. This statement is reviewed annually.

Like a lot of other authorities, we were in a position financially where we needed to review our travel support arrangements for post 16 and post 19 students with SEND to make savings whilst still supporting some of our most vulnerable young people and their families to access education.

Current provision

On average, Leeds City Council provides transport to around 3500 young people to their education setting each day. While the council is statutorily obliged to make free of charge home to school travel arrangements for eligible children of compulsory school age, there is no similar statutory obligation on the local authority to provide transport for post 16 learners.

However, the council has provided substantial discretionary assistance for post 16 and post 19 students with SEND. Recent analysis indicates that this assistance costs the local authority approximately £4m -£4.5m and may not always be promoting independence for young people.

We want to ensure that the travel support we provide is the most appropriate for young people and their families, promotes independence and offers choice. The new Children and young people’s transport policy will continue to provide a level of discretionary assistance, whilst providing a model of travel support that is financially sustainable at a time when the council is facing its largest financial challenge in recent history.

When these changes will be made and who would be affected

The above changes will be implemented for young people newly entering post 16 education in September 2025 and onwards.

All young people already in post 16 education at that point will continue on the current policy, except in a small number of cases where reassessment is required due to a change in circumstances, such as a change in their medical needs, a house move, a change of learning setting, or at certain key transition points in their learning where a new application for transport assistance is required.

How and when the changes to the policy will be communicated and to whom

We’ve shared information about the policy changes with parents and carers through the Parent Carer Forum, and we’ve emailed all parents and carers of children aged 13 and over in Leeds who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), or have applied for one.

We’ve also informed all schools, Specialist Inclusive Learning Centres (SILCs), and colleges in Leeds, as well as some nearby colleges, about the changes.

Because of the policy changes, transport discussions will start earlier, beginning in Year 9 during the EHCP review. This will help families understand what Post-16 travel assistance is available under the new policy and give families time to plan for any changes.

Questions and answers about changes to post 16 and post 19 travel support

Will the policy changes impact my child or young person’s current home to school or college travel arrangements?

Changes will only affect new applications for travel support for those entering post 16 or post 19 education at a school or college from September 2025. The changes will also affect those who have a change of circumstances within the academic year commencing September 2025, such as a change of address or change of learning setting.

For further information please see section 10 of the Children and young people’s transport policy.

My child is already in Post 16 or Post 19 education at a school or college and will be returning to the same setting in September 2025 - will they be affected by these changes?

There will be no change for Post 16 and Post 19 students who are already attending a school or college and have been awarded travel support on the existing policy.

The new Children and young people’s transport policy only applies to young people who are submitting a new application for travel support for the academic year starting in September 2025 and onwards. However, if students currently receiving travel support on the old policy have a change in circumstances, such as a change in home address or education setting from September 2025 onwards, then a new application will be required, and this will be assessed against the new Children and young people’s transport policy.

For further information please see section 10 of the new Children and young people’s transport policy.

My child will be attending a post 16 school or college for the first time in September 2025, can I still apply for travel support?

Yes, you can still apply for travel support and all new applications will be subject to the eligibility criteria outlined in section 8 of the Children and young people’s transport policy.

What types of travel support are available to my child at Post 16 or Post 19?

Leeds City Council will continue to provide a discretionary transport offer for post 16 and post 19 students, which can be applied for through the usual process. This includes awards such as Independent Travel Training, a Zero Fare Travel Pass, or a banded Personal Travel Allowance (PTA) contribution. Full details can be found in section 9 of the Children and young people’s transport policy.

The cost of arranging home to school or college travel will exceed my granted Personal Travel Allowance (PTA), can Leeds City Council provide any further support along with this PTA?

We understand that the PTA may not allow you the flexibility to fully fund your child’s travel assistance for a full academic year. This PTA is intended for use as a contribution towards costs of travel assistance for your child’s Post 16 or Post 19 education.

Our Post 16 transport policy statement provides information about the travel support available for students including Concessionary fares, discounts, subsidies, passes and travel cards available to young people aged 16 to 25; Independent Travel Training (ITT) to enable the young person to work towards travelling independently on public transport; and the 16-19 Bursary Fund which can be used towards the cost of post 16 transport.

How will the distance for a PTA be calculated, is it a straight-line distance or a travel route?

Eligible young people with SEND in post-16 and post-19 education may receive a yearly flat-rate PTA, where appropriate. The amount will depend on the one-way distance from the young person's home to their learning setting.

Distances will be measured using road routes that are accessible by a suitable motor vehicle.

How will the council decide if there are any exceptional circumstance why a young person should get travel support to attend post 16 school or college, even when they don’t meet the normal rules?

The council’s Children’s transport team will review every application received for post 16 and post 19 travel support. It will then be reviewed against the eligibility criteria set out in section 8 of the new Children and young people’s transport policy.

The Children’s transport team will review the information provided on the application about the young person’s needs to understand if there are any exceptional circumstances why they might be able to get travel support, even when they don’t automatically meet the eligibility criteria. For example, they will consider things like a young person’s individual health needs, if there is a safe walking route or public transport available to their education setting. In exceptional cases, the council may agree to provide a Personal Travel Allowance (PTA), a taxi, or a minibus, when a young person’s needs cannot be met by the criteria set out in the policy.

There is no separate route to apply for exceptional circumstances, as all applications for post 16 and post 19 travel support will automatically be assessed to check if exceptional circumstances apply.

You can find out more about applying for travel support and further information about the what the council consider as exceptional circumstances in section 11 of the new Children and young people’s transport policy.

Can I appeal the transport award that has been made for my child?

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of an application assessment and the award offered to your child, you have the right to appeal this decision in line with government guidance issued in January 2024.

For information on appeals, refer to section 12 of the Children and young people’s transport policy and DfE guidance Home-to-school travel, and Transport to education and training for people aged 16 and over.

Additionally, for further information or guidance on the appeals process, email the team: send.transportapplications@leeds.gov.uk.

How would the family receive the Personal Transport Allowance (PTA) payments?

Payment of the PTA would be spread across an entire academic year, with equal instalments paid directly into parent's or carer's bank account in advance of each new school/college term throughout the year.

Would a Personal Transport Allowance (PTA) affect my entitlement to any benefits?

No, a PTA would not affect what benefits you are entitled to.

When can I apply for post 16 and post 19 travel support?

An application for post 16 and post 19 travel support can be made at any time. The window for applications for the academic year starting in September 2025 will open in February 2025, and these will be assessed against the new Children and young people’s transport policy. We urge that applications are made as soon as possible after February 2025, or as soon as a post 16 or post 19 education setting has been secured.

When will I know what type of post 16 and post 19 travel support I am entitled to?

We will aim to assess all applications for travel support within 15 working days, or prior to the start of the academic year September 2025. For a range of factors this is not always possible, however we will try to ensure you have an assessment outcome prior to the start of the academic year.

Background documents

Executive Board 19 June 2024 - Agenda and recording.

Executive Board 16 October 2024 - Agenda and recording.

Publication of new Children and young people’s transport policy 2024.

Contact

Email post16transport.review@leeds.gov.uk if you have any issues relating to the consultation.

Glossary

Executive Board

The Executive Board is the principal decision-making body of the council. The Leader of Council chairs a meeting of the Executive Board once a month at the Civic Hall.