Walking routes - school transport
If your child goes to the catchment or nearest school and the journey is shorter than the usual walking distance, we may help with travel costs. This only applies if the walking route is not available and there is no other suitable route under the walking distance.
Check the walking route and school
Before applying, use our school routes checker.
- confirm the school is the catchment or nearest suitable school
We only consider travel help for unavailable routes to the catchment or nearest school.
Apply for travel help
If you believe the route is not available, you can apply for travel assistance. You must explain which parts of the route are not available and why, based on our criteria below.
We will review your information and may arrange a route assessment. We assume your child is accompanied by an adult. If you cannot accompany your child, it is your responsibility to make other arrangements.
We will assess the route during normal school travel times to reflect real traffic conditions. Requests made late in the summer term may be assessed in the autumn term.
How we assess walking routes
We only assess routes to the catchment or nearest suitable school. We assume:
- your child is accompanied by a responsible adult
- road users behave reasonably
- your child wears suitable clothing and footwear
We do not reassess a route unless there are major changes. We assess road safety only, not personal security.
Footways and roadside strips
If there is a footway or roadside strip in good condition, the route is considered available. If not, we may still consider it available if there are verges to step onto and good visibility for approaching traffic.
We also consider:
- road width
- traffic speed and volume
- type of vehicles
We assume pupils will cross roads to use safer paths and follow the Highway Code.
Routes without footways or verges
We assess whether there is enough space and time to step aside safely. We look at:
- road width
- traffic volume and speed
- types of vehicles
- visibility, such as bends or hedges
Crossing points
We consider crossings safe if they have:
- pedestrian crossings or refuges
- traffic signals with pedestrian phases
- school crossing patrols
If there are no crossings, we assess visibility and traffic gaps to cross safely.
Other route features
- We may include roads, footpaths, bridleways, byways, and canal towpaths if they are safe and clear.
- Street lighting is considered but not required for a route to be available.
- We assess junctions and slip roads using the same crossing criteria.
- We check the condition of walking surfaces and reassess after repairs.
- We review accident data from the past 3 years if available.
Summary of what makes a route available
A route is usually available if it has:
- a continuous footway or roadside strip
- safe places to step aside with good visibility
- safe crossing points or enough visibility and traffic gaps to cross
Definitions
- Available route: Any public road, path, or track that can be used without trespassing.
- Footway: A clear and usable walking path free from overgrowth.
- Highway: Includes all public roads and rights of way.
- Step-off: A safe place to step off the road, like a verge.
- Public bridleway: Can be used on foot, bike, or horseback.
- Public byway: Open to all traffic but mainly used for walking and riding.
- Public footpath: For walking only.
- Public rights of way: Includes footpaths, bridleways, and byways.
- Public roads: Includes all classified and unclassified roads.
