Free school transport is available for some school children attending primary or secondary school if they live within the school catchment area and if they meet certain criteria. For more information and guidance visit Free school transport – Dumfries and Galloway Council.

Who is entitled to school transport?

• Pupils who live 2 miles away from their catchment school if they are under 8 years old.
• Pupils who live 3 miles away from their catchment school if they are 8 years and over.
• Roman Catholic children attending the denominational school for their address and live the above statutory distances from that school.

However, it is the Parents responsibility to ensure that their child reaches the designated pickup point or the school safely. With respect to the safety of any route to a designated pick-up, the Transport Policy states that “All routes are assessed on the assumption that the child is accompanied by a responsible person”.

How I find out if my child will receive school transport?

When school transport is required for a pupil, the school will contact Education Services. If your child is eligible, details of the transport arrangements will be communicated to you in time for the new academic year. You can check whether your child is entitled to school transport using “Near Me” on the Dumfries and Galloway Council website.

Any alterations to transport arrangements that occur during the school year will be communicated prior to any changes being made. If school bus passes are required these are issued at school.

Free Travel for 5 – 22 year olds

From 31 January 2022 all children and young people aged 5-22 will be entitled to free bus travel in Scotland.

You can apply for free travel online from today at www.getyyournec.scot. This cannot be done through your school.

If you already have a National Entitlement Card or Young Scot National Entitlement Card, you must apply for a new or replacement card to travel by bus for free, however, all children who are currently in P7 will have forms sent home from school for the school to apply for the Young Scot Card on their behalf as part of the transition to secondary.

These cards will all have the free travel applied automatically as long as the form is returned to school and signed by the parent/carer.

If you do not wish for your child to have the free travel applied to their card you will have to apply for a card without travel either online at www.getyournec.scot

For more information on this and other entitlements through KIDZ card or Young Scot Card please visit the Young Scot National Entitlement Card page on the council website, or speak to your school for any help.

Active Travel

Active travel is about making journeys in physically active ways like walking, wheeling and cycling. We encourage parents and pupils to walk, wheel, cycle and scoot all or some of the journey to and from school, where it is safe to do so. Active travel is beneficial for young people’s health and wellbeing, the wider environment and the economy. Please visit the council website’s Active Travel page for more information on Active Travel and the council’s Active Travel Strategy.

SWestrans the local regional Transport Partnership are leading on a number of programmes with national partners including:

• iBike schools programme
  Promoting healthy travel choices in education.
• Cycle Scot’s Cycling Friendly Programme.