Derby City Council launch Home to School transport consultation

Published: 30 September 2022

Derby City Council launched a 12-week consultation today encouraging people to share their views on a proposal to change the way we currently provide discretionary home to school or college travel assistance for eligible sixth form learners by instead of arranging taxis and minibuses, or paying fuel reimbursements, the Council proposes to replace them with personal travel budget payments, together with new and enriched Independent Travel Training service to help and support more young people to become independent travellers.

The consultation document explains the reasons for the proposal and that we remain totally committed to providing discretionary travel assistance for eligible sixth form learners, at the same time recognising an opportunity for this to be offered in a different way which will help support young people achieve their full potential whilst managing increasing demand and costs.

Like most Councils, Derby City Council is currently experiencing significant financial challenges and whilst we remain totally committed to providing discretionary travel assistance for eligible sixth form learners, at the same time we recognise there is an opportunity for this to be offered in a different way to help support young people achieve their full potential whilst managing increasing demand and costs.

Over recent years there has been a 27% increase in the number of pupils eligible for travel assistance. The Council’s overall home to school travel assistance expenditure for 2021-22 financial year was £5.5m and is forecast to increase by another £2.5m to £8.0m by the end of March 2023 because of rapidly rising demand in eligible travel assistance applications, together with increasing costs from transport operators.

The overall numbers of children and young people aged 0-25 eligible for home to school travel assistance is also forecast to increase by at least 16% over the next two years. This means that home to school travel assistance costs could also continue to increase by a further £1.0m by the end of March 2024.

Councillor Evonne Williams, cabinet member for children, young people and skills, said:

Education is crucial to the development of young people in Derby, and we understand that getting between home and school can be difficult for some people. As the need for home to school transport assistance increases, we have realised that there may be better ways we could be helping those who need transportation assistance.

This consultation will help us discuss our new proposal for personal travel budget payments and our independent travel training service with those who it would affect. We encourage people in Derby to get involved and let us know your thoughts and feelings about the consultation so we can grow and develop our services together.”

We’d really like to hear your views and comments on the consultation and the proposal which can be sent using the online questionnaire at www.letstalkderby.gov.uk or by joining one of the three drop-in events at the Council House on:

• Wednesday 19 October 2022 from 10am – 11:30am
• Wednesday 19 October 2022 from 12:30pm – 2pm
• Thursday 20 October 2022 from 6:30pm – 8pm

Paper copies of the consultation are also available in BSL format and in other languages.  To request a copy of the consultation in a preferred format, please call 01332 640825 or email letstalkderby@derby.gov.uk

Transport