School and college travel

Vacant seat update - 27 August 2021

Worcestershire County Council are currently reviewing it’s Vacant Seats scheme in light of recently published guidance on the impact of Passenger Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) on Home to School Transport, and changes to Local Authority exemptions. We are experiencing a higher than normal increase in applications for Home to School transport which means we are unable to confirm all offers of Vacant seats until mid -late September, parents of non-eligible children wishing to take advantage of any discretionary places are advised to make their own suitable travel arrangements for the start of the new academic term in September 2021.

Updates will be published on this webpage and parents are asked not to contact the travel teams until then as it will not be able to answer queries. For more information see Vacant Seat Payment scheme.

Other updates -  5 July 2021

In light of the continued and rising increase in community transmission and COVID infection rates, Worcestershire County Council with advice from Public Health have decide to make the wearing of face coverings mandatory on Home to School Transport from Tuesday 6 October 2020.

Children under the age of 11 will be exempt and the council will follow the same guidance that is in place for Public Transport.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer travel guidance for passengers from GOV.UK (opens in a new window)

Worcestershire County Council is working with schools to ensure they will have a supply of face coverings for those pupils who do not currently have one and these will be available from school.  

Guidance: Face coverings: when to wear one, exemptions, and how to make your own from GOV.UK (opens in a new window)

2021/2022 Payment Letters

Payment letters for the 2021/2022 academic year are now being sent out.  Please only make a payment if you have received a letter requesting payment.

Additional local bus services September 2020

Further information for local bus services is now available as a result of increased service provision to manage capacity from September 2020: Additional local bus services September 2020

Direct Debits 2021/2022

We are now able to offer the option of paying by direct debit again. Please complete the mandate and data capture form sent with your payment letter and return to the office to reach us no later than 31 August 2021. We will not be able to set up any mandates received after this date until January 2022 and an Autumn term payment will need to be made.

Please also note that the schedule for the direct debits has changed slightly for this academic year. The first payment will be taken on 28 October 2021 and the ninth and final payment will be taken on 28 June 2022.