Written question WQ94138

The Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008 places duties on local authorities to assess the travel needs of all learners in their area up to the age of 19 and provide free transport for learners of statutory school age (5 to 16), to their nearest suitable school on the basis of age, distance (2 miles at primary and 3 miles at secondary), aptitude and safety. The local authority determines which is the nearest suitable school for each learner in their area in accordance with their school admission policy.

Parents have a right to express a preference for a school but if it is not the nearest designated school as determined by the local authority, they do not have to provide transport, but do have discretion to do so.

When deciding which schools are the nearest suitable schools for learners in their area, local authorities and Welsh Ministers have a duty under Section 10 of the Measure to ‘promote access to education and training through the medium of Welsh’. Section 6 of the Measure provides local authorities with the power to provide discretionary transport arrangements for learners who are not attending their nearest suitable school because of language preference.