Assistance with travel to school and college from home

We are here to help your child get from home to school and back. We assess every child based on their needs and the distance you live from school. Please read the policy documents on the right of this page. We use these to determine whether your child is eligible for assistance.

There are two policy documents:

• The first is for pupils of compulsory school age (from 5 up to 16) (PDF, 275 Kb)
• the second is for pupils who are over 16 

Please read the document that is correct for your child. Please bear in mind that you may be applying for the next school year so the age of your child in September will determine the document you will read.

For those children and young people who qualify for travel assistance a suitable travel arrangement will be made. The Council promotes independence where appropriate and most children and young people will be allocated a free pass to travel on a school bus or other forms of public transport.

Children and young people with additional needs who may be able to access public transport with a little help will be given travel training to aid their independence.

If your child has Special Educational Needs or a disability they may be allocated more specialist travel services. These include minibuses, taxis or a walking escort.

The policies, which include the assessment criteria and the review and appeals process, may be downloaded from the documents section on this page.

For more information please call the Travel Assistance Team on 01274 439450 or email schooltransport@bradford.gov.uk.

Applying for travel assistance

Applications for September 2024 will need to be received by Friday 14 June 2024. Applications we receive after this date may not be processed in time for the new academic year. Please choose the application form that is relevant for your child.

Apply for a child aged between 5 and 16 with special education needs or a disability

If you are applying for a child aged between 5 and 16 with special educational needs or a disability, you can download an application form for 5 to 16 year olds (Word).

Apply for a young person aged between 16 and 25

If you are applying for travel assistance for a young person aged between 16 and 25, you can download an application form for 16 to 25 year olds (Word).

Apply for a bus or rail pass for a child or young person

If you are applying for a bus or rail pass for a child or young person up to and including Year 11, you will need to complete your application through West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Metro). Visit WY Metro Schools website for more information.

Changes to the dedicated bus services to Ilkley Grammar School from Menston and Burley-in-Wharfedale

The dedicated bus services G23, G24, G25 and G26 to Ilkley Grammar School will no longer run after July 2024.

Instead of receiving a bus pass, eligible pupils will receive a rail pass which will allows them to use the train service between Burley in Wharfedale and Ilkley.

All applications will still be made through Metro and the rules for eligibility remain the same.

Parents can opt to buy Under 19 Bus Tickets from Metro if they would prefer to use the X84 service. In addition, parents can buy season rail tickets directly from Northern Rail if they wish to.

New applications for Transport for pupils with SEND

If you are new to transport and want to apply, please use the appropriate application form on this webpage. Once completed please return it to schooltransport@bradford.gov.uk. Applications for September 2024 will need to be received by Friday 14 June 2024. Applications we receive after this date may not be processed in time for the new academic year.

Get help with the application forms

If you need further help regarding these application forms, please contact the Travel Assistance Service on 01274 439450 or speak to the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) at your school.

Contact us

Travel Assistance Service

Phone: 01274 439450
Email:schooltransport@bradford.gov.uk