Dear Parent/Carer,

We wrote to you recently to inform you that the council’s administration was planning on reinstating the original distance eligibility for families to claim free school transport for their children.

Yesterday, Thursday 8 October at the Executive Committee, elected members formally agreed to the criteria reverting back to 1.2 miles for primary pupils and 2.2 miles for secondary pupils.

Their decision has been taken following a cost of the school day project carried out across the city and to try to reduce some financial pressures on some families that could impact on a child’s access to learning.

This means that families of all children in P1 –P7 in primary schools and S1 – S6 pupils in secondary schools who live these distances and more  from their catchment schools will now be eligible for free transport to and from their school.

Council officers have been working with our colleagues in SPT to tender and secure travel and bus arrangements and it is anticipated that these will all be in place for pupils by Monday 2 November.

Council officers have also begun identifying the new P1 and S1 pupils who will now quality for free home school transport and will work with schools to contact these new families and help them register.

We will continue to keep pupils and their families updated with information on timescales and details of the new transport arrangements over the coming weeks.