If your child doesn't qualify for free school transport but there's space left on one of your school's dedicated contracts, you can apply for a 'privilege seat'. This will allow your child to travel on the dedicated contract free of charge.
How to apply
Complete our Free School Transport form.
You should apply before 20 September. You need to apply each year. We'll allocate any available seats as soon as possible after the 20 September.
The provision of a privilege seat will stop at the end of the school year, or earlier if an entitled child requires the seat.
High demand
If we get more applications than the number of seats available, we will prioritise as follows:
- Other children living within the catchment area but furthest from the school.
- If we can only offer one seat and there are two or more children living at the same address, we will offer the one available place. Parents should accept or decline on behalf of one child. If declined, we'll offer the seat to the child in the next address furthest from the school.
- Children in the catchment area who live less than two miles from their catchment primary, or less than three miles from the catchment secondary school.
- Children travelling to and from a catchment area address that is not their home address. For example, a child minder or grandparent's house.
- Children living outside the catchment area, with a successful placing request.
Reallocation of seats
We may need to reallocate a privilege seat to a child entitled to free school transport. We'll reverse the above criteria to decide which child will lose their privilege seat.
Please note:
- we can take away a privilege seat at any time if it's needed for an entitled child
- no extra pick up points or diversions from the route will be provided for privilege seat holders
- if a dedicated school bus breaks down, our contractors only have to provide a replacement bus which seats the entitled children - in this case, some privilege seats may no longer be available
Complaints procedure
Mainstream Transport
Complaints should be brought to the attention of the school in the first instance. The school will email Strathclyde Passenger Transport about the complaint.
Additional Support Needs (ASN) Transport
Concerns relating to individual medical requirements and conduct of pupils should be brought to the attention of the school in the first instance.
For complaints, parent/carers should email the Corporate Transport Hub or phone on 01294 541613 option 3. Complaints could be related to the operational service provided by ASN transport providers, for example conduct of the driver/escort, timekeeping, changes of drivers, escorts and vehicles.