Following government advice, measures adopted on public transport such as social distancing, will not be applied to statutory transport provision.
This is because pupils will not be mixing with the general public. Furthermore, government advice confirms that children may be mixed for activities such as specialist teaching and transport.
Like other local authorities in London, we do not have the budget, capacity or vehicles to allow for transport by bubble. Children will still travel in groups based on where they live, with an emphasis on consistency for students, drivers and staff.
We will continue to work closely with Public Health England to ensure all journeys are done in the safest way possible, and we will be responding to government guidance as it evolves.
If parents would prefer to take control of arrangements for travel to and from school, you may opt for a personal travel budget (PTB). A PTB is a payment made directly to parents to arrange their own transport.
This is only available to families who are eligible for travel assistance, with a PTB being adopted for the long term. Eligible families may also claim for help with the cost of a travel card or a contribution to the cost of petrol, if using their own vehicle.
The council also offers independent travel training (ITT) to children over ten-years-old, see video example of ITT here.
For further information on your eligibility and possible transport option available, call our Special Education Needs and Disabilities Travel Assistance Team on 020 7364 4397 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).