Home to School Transport Policy 2010/11

Appendix AHome to School Transport Policy- 14 -UNSUITABLE ROUTES POLICYIn cases where the shortest walking route between home and school is within thestatutory mileage distance and a parent believes that the walking route to the schoolcould be considered as unsuitable, the County Council will upon a request from theparent, undertake an assessment of the whole route, or those parts of the routewhich the parent deems to be unsuitable. Routes will not be considered for theirsuitability if they do not meet the criteria listed below. When considering walkingroutes the County Council will take into account footways, verges, walkable roadsidestrips, footpaths and bridleways. However, the absence of these does not alwaysconstitute the route as being unsuitable (See section 5)The statutory mileage criteria are:2 miles or over for pupils under eight years of age.2 miles or over for pupils over eight years of age if entitled to free schoolmeals or parents receiving maximum amount of Working Tax Credit, until theend of their Y6 at primary school.3 miles or over for pupils over eight years of age.The County Council’s assessment of the route will consider the following factors:1. Alternative RoutesIf the shortest walking route is felt to be unsuitable, however an alternativeroute or routes are available which may be classed as ‘suitable’ and which fallwithin the distance criteria, then assistance with travel costs will not begranted.2. Accompanied by a suitable adult.Parents have the primary responsibility for ensuring their child’s safe arrival atschool. In all cases when assessing the suitability of routes the CountyCouncil will assume that the child is accompanied, where necessary, by aparent or other responsible person and is suitably clad.Therefore the existence of the following factors will not usually make a routeunsuitable, although they would be taken into account:a) lonely routesb) moral dangersc) canals, rivers, ditches, dykes, lakes and pondsd) railway crossingse) routes without street lighting.The responsibility for the child to be accompanied as necessary rests with theparent.