The Positive Impact of the UK Gov’s Free School Transport Initiative
At its core, the UK Government's Free School Transport initiative aims to ensure that every child's school journey is safe, reliable, and conducive to their overall well-being. By introducing more accessible travel options nationwide, for children of compulsory school age who qualify, the government has worked to ensure every child makes it to school safely. Today, children who go to their nearest school, and have any of the below, are entitled to access this scheme:
the school is more than 2 miles away and the child is under 8
the school is more than 3 miles away and the child is 8 or over
there’s no safe walking route between their home and school
they cannot walk there because of their special educational needs or disabilities or a mobility problem.
(Some families will still qualify for the scheme, without meeting the above. If you're not sure, it's best to get in touch with your local council!)
But what are the benefits of this scheme? Why does it exist? And how well has it succeeded so far?
In this article, we tackle:
What are the key goals of the UK Government's free school transport initiative?
How does the UK Government's free transport to school initiative work?
Who's taking your children to school?
How does the initiative help children with SEND?
The future of free school transport in the UK
Find out more about Zippe
What are the key goals of the UK Government's free school transport initiative?
One of the primary objectives of this initiative is to ensure that every child, regardless of their situation, has the means to get to and from school, safely and reliably. The reasons for accessing this initiative range from cut bus routes, to unsafe walking commutes - and the initiative itself takes on the financial burden so parents don't have to.
This is particularly important for lower-income households, allowing parents to focus limited resources on other essential needs.
This initiative also extends to children with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities), ensuring that disability or mobility restrictions won't hinder a child's access to education. By addressing both economic and safety concerns, the UK Government's free school transport initiative takes a multifaceted approach to enhance the lives of students and their families.
In 2023, an overwhelming amount of this budget (over two thirds) went towards sending SEND children to school. And, in 2024, local authorities have reported a demand increase of over 40% for the service, putting huge pressure on councils to deliver sufficient transport for children.
How does the UK Government's free transport to school initiative work?
Local authorities play a pivotal role in this initiative. They are responsible for assessing whether a child meets the eligibility criteria based on national standards and making necessary travel arrangements. This extends to selecting the providers of free transport, which can involve a rigorous vetting process. This process ensures students access the safest possible means of transport, by probing the reliability, training, and trustworthiness of a trusted supplier.
These suppliers have to undergo a tender process that addresses their operational standards and compliance commitments, including a weighted assessment of a supplier’s:
Company policy
Service capability
Proposed price
These suppliers need to be readily available to:
Provide alternative means of transport that can accommodate complex needs.
Do so at a cost-effective rate.
Guarantee driver availability between Monday and Friday.
Deliver suitably equipped transport (eg: Disability equipped minibuses).
This extends to punctuality of service, a supplier’s ability to safeguard student data, and how to respond in the event of an emergency.
It's worth noting here: parents do not have a choice in who takes their child to school, under this scheme. With that in mind, understandably - who's taking kids to school? And why are they the government's key pick?
Who's taking your kids to school? Zippe Transport
One such chosen provider is Zippe Transport, which provides safe and reliable transport for children, to and from school.
The business is the UK Government's transport company of choice, for:
North East Somerset
North Somerset
Somerset
City of Bristol
Bath
South Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Liverpool
Cardiff
Wiltshire
Swindon
The business was founded in 2017, by ex-driver Daniel McIntyre, who had grown weary of the profit over people model the taxi and private hire sector had become familiar with. Inspired by an ethics first approach, Daniel founded Zippe Transport with a core belief: transportation was more than just a service – it was a responsibility. In Daniel's words,
“At the core of our proposition is the idea of giving back.”
Seven years on, and Zippe has rightfully built a reputation for providing a safe, reliable, and responsible service - for drivers and riders alike. By prioritising fair pay and dignified working conditions for drivers, in tandem with industry-leading safety standards for riders, the business has earned the trust of its community and the UK Government.
While the business is set to expand its offering, it has focused its efforts on its Home2School service, providing on-time, stress-free school journeys under the Government scheme. Under this scheme, drivers at a minimum must:
Hold a valid driver’s licence
Have access to their own/rented vehicle
Hold a valid private hire or Hackney Licence
Be fully compliant on the Zippe Driver Portal
Have a UK-enhanced DBS Check
However, beyond this, Zippe provides training for drivers, safeguarding frameworks for children, and a "ZippeCode" that goes beyond the NOS standards for transporting children and young persons, and sets a new measure for safe journeys.
This is particularly important for children with SEND, for whom transport to school can be a particularly high stress situation. By equipping drivers with the knowledge needed to care for, respond, and transport children with SEND - parents can rest easy.
Considering the Government's free scheme? Or exploring the options available to you? Check out our article, "School Runs: What Happens if You Can't Make the Drive?"
How does the initiative help children with SEND?
As of 2024, over 1.6 million children in the UK have special educational needs and disabilities. That's 18.4%, an increase from 17.3% in 2023.
For many of those children, traditional modes of school transport just aren't viable. From insufficient disability equipment to sensory processing challenges - the school journey can be a phenomenally stressful one for parents and children alike.
The UK Government's Free Transport initiative extends to children with SEND and aims to provide stress-free journeys for those who ultimately need it. This can include:
People with learning disabilities
People with neurodivergent needs
People with a recognisable physical disability
People with a hidden disability
People who are deaf or have hearing loss
People who are blind or have depreciating sight
The initiative goes to lengths to recognise the unique challenges faced by these students and provides bespoke services, such as Zippe Transport's safeguarding option, to ensure that the journey to and from school is safe and comfortable.
The initiative also extends to families with children who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Under this, the Education Authority (EA) can provide specialized transport assistance. This is a crucial support system, ensuring that all children, regardless of their needs, have access to the education they deserve.
As of 2024, the number of families with an EHCP plan increased by 11.4% from January 2023, totalling 575,963 plans overall.
This has put huge pressure on local councils to deliver, where necessary, an alternative means of transport - underlying the importance of people before profit services that can meet this need.
It's worth noting here, that beyond the UK Government's Free Transport initiative, families can later access independent travel training funded by a local authority. This training equips children with the skills and confidence needed to navigate public transport independently, fostering a sense of autonomy and preparing them for future challenges.
The future of free school transport in the UK
This initiative, while positive in many aspects, has come under fire in recent years - largely due to the increasing inefficiencies of the scheme. This is driven in part by inflation, but also by the increased demand for alternative methods of school transport. Across the country, bus routes have been slashed, while more and more children are earning a diagnosis that entitles them to this support.
As a sizeable chunk of the UK Taxpayer budget, many recognise the need for the scheme while acknowledging things need to change. While some councils, in response, are shrinking their free school transport budget, the consequences are still high.
On the cuts, one parent stated,
“This is very distressing for us all - especially Tom who can't understand why he can't go to school. He thinks his driver and chaperone don’t want to take him which breaks my heart.
For riders like Tom, an ethical, compliant, and quality-focused service is essential, to ensure every child can access education in the UK.
Providers like Zippe are working hard to make this reality - but more needs to be done to reshape transport as we know it today.
Find out more about Zippe
Interested in finding out more about Zippe? Keen to understand their commitment to the UK Government’s scheme? Or exploring becoming a Zippe driver yourself?
Explore our website to understand our work, and how we’re improving the home-to-school service.
