Find out more about the proposals for Home to School Transport that will be going to consultation.
Warwickshire Council Council’s Cabinet have today agreed to undertake a seven-week public consultation on proposed changes to its Home to School Transport Policy, now proposed to be renamed the Children’s and Young People’s Travel Assistance Policy.
The consultation will seek the views of parents, carers, schools, and other stakeholders on a range of proposals to align the Council’s policy with new national guidance issued by the Department for Education published in January 2023.
The Council currently supports around 10,000 children and young people across nearly 500 transport routes, working with over 200 different transport providers. However, the cost of providing home to school transport has risen significantly in recent years from £17.9 million in 2018/19 to £47.11 million in 2024/25. The proposed changes are part of a broader effort to ensure the service remains sustainable while also aligning with updated statutory guidance issued by the Department for Education. The aim is to make the policy clearer, consistent and more efficient, so that support is targeted to where it’s needed most to meet the needs of Warwickshire’s children and young people.
Proposed changes include:
Updating the policy to align with latest statutory guidance – to reflect recent changes from the Department for Education to ensure compliance and best practice.
Reform non-statutory duties – to ensure that non-statutory transport support is clarified and made more consistent across the county.
Introduce a county-wide approach for consistency – by streamlining the application and assessment process, ensuring our assessment methods align with other processes and services within Warwickshire County Council.
Update walking route assessments – to follow national safety standards and be consistent with our approach to walking routes.
Improve support for low-income families – eligibility to reflect updated government guidance on Working Tax Credit, Universal Credit, and Free School Meals.
Cllr Jennifer Warren, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning at Warwickshire County Council, said: “I encourage families, schools and stakeholders to take part in the consultation so that their views can be heard.”
The consultation will run from early November to the end of December 2025, gathering feedback from parents, carers, schools and other stakeholders, with findings and recommendations brought back to Cabinet in summer 2026 before any final decisions are made.
A copy of this Cabinet report can be found here: Home to School Transport Policy Consultation