CHANGES TO HOME TO SCHOOL TRANSPORT FOR SEPTEMBER
Wokingham Borough Council has announced changes to its home to school transport from September
2021, in a bid to reduce its carbon footprint and ensure it is providing the best service to all residents.
Typically, over 900 children living in the borough are transported to school on a daily basis on council
commissioned transport. The council has reviewed and re-tendered all home to school transport
contracts to ensure they continue to meet needs and represent best value.
The council is also working to improve student journeys to school with its rights of way improvement
plan, which will see footways across the borough improved and its greenways plan, which is connecting
the borough through a network of greenways that will offer alternative, more sustainable ways of
getting around the borough. The council is also currently working on a Local Cycling and Walking
Infrastructure Plan which will identify the work required to produce a safe walking and cycling network
across the borough, ensuring local routes connect so that more people can walk and cycle to school.
What changes will be made?
For secondary school pupils, there will be a change to most school coach routes to better accommodate
those students eligible for travel assistance and to ensure the most efficient use of vehicles. An overall
reduction in the number of coaches will be seen. Students from different schools will now share
transport, meaning that transport is still available and accessible but the number of vehicles on the road
during peak traffic times will be reduced, improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions.
For primary school pupils, many of the routes will change from September, as the routes have been
optimised for efficiency and to make the best use of available resources. For some pupils, this may mean
they are travelling with different children, a different operator or different staff. As with secondary
schools, this will reduce the number of vehicles on the road and the added benefits this brings.
A pilot will also be taking place whereby a small number of primary school children will be picked up by
a minibus from local collection points, such as bus stops, rather than taxis offering a door-to-door
service.
For children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, the council have reviewed
all transport needs and provisions. There are currently over 250 children and young people with special
educational needs and disabilities with agreed transport for September. Many children and young
people will have new staff taking them to and from settings or they may be travelling with different
children or young people or in different vehicles. All transport has been arranged taking into account
individual needs.
Cllr Graham Howe, executive member for children’s services, said: “We are committed to providing an
accessible and appropriate home to school transport service that is sustainable.
“The review helped us evaluate the service we provide and make some adjustments to reduce the
environmental impact of the service. We are reducing the number of vehicles we are using, which is a
key part of our journey to being carbon net zero by 2030, as well as being cost effective for our
residents. The council continually looks at the services it provides to ensure they provide the best value
for money, as we owe that to our residents.
“Through My Journey Wokingham, we already work with schools to encourage parents and children to
walk, scoot and cycle to school, which is also part of our work to reduce our carbon footprint.”
The council has contacted all parents of pupils who receive home to school transport with further
information on how the changes will impact their child/children.
ENDS –
Further information:
- More from Graham Howe at graham.howe@wokingham.gov.uk