Westmorland and Furness Council are seeking residents' and stakeholders' views on proposed policy changes relating to home to school transport eligibility and support.
The consultation comes as the council faces difficult financial challenges due to rising costs and growing demand for services, all Council budgets are under increasing pressure with the home to school transport costing the council almost £20million annually.
Westmorland and Furness Council are now consulting on some key areas of provision that are currently provided on a discretionary basis and are above statutory requirements as set out in the Department for Education's "Travel to school for children of compulsory school age".
Any agreed changes to policy would apply to new admissions and/or transport applications received on or after 19 September 2026 and would affect new entrants to schools (Reception and Year 7) with effect from September 2027.
Proposed changes to transport support, including the introduction of charging young people eligible for support with SEND transport would apply to those commencing their Post 16 education in Year 12 from 1 September 2027.
Among the proposed changes is the removal of homes school bus services for some communities into Penrith including the removal of provision for some students travelling into QEGS from Shap and Clifton with only transport provided to UCC.
Students along the bottom of the Fellside around Gamelsbly would have transport entitlement to Samuel Kings School in Alston as “nearest” school and would no longer have transport entilement to Ullswater Community
College or Queen Elizabeth Grammar School.
and students around Glenridding will loose transport to secondary schools in Penrith and transport entitlement to Lakes School in Windermere as “nearest” school and would no longer have transport entilement to Ullswater Community College or Queen Elizabeth Grammar School via Kirkstone.
You can find all the councils proposals and consultation survey here:Home to School Transport: policy changes consultation | Westmorland and Furness Council
Including:
Post 16 Transport Policy Statement – consultation draft for the 2027/28 academic year
Proposed Home to School Transport Policy Changes
Have your say
The council are asking people to read the documents and respond to their questionnaire that is now open until Tuesday 21st April 2026 (midnight).Home to School Transport: policy changes consultation | Westmorland and Furness Council
The council is also planning to run some face-to-face drop-in sessions across the district at:
Ulverston Library - 4 March from 9am to 11am
Barrow Library - 4 March from 12pm to 2pm
Penrith Library - 4 March from 3:30pm to 5pm
Alston Local Links - 25 March from 11am to 1pm
Kendal Town Hall - Friday 27 March from 11am to 1pm
Appleby Library - 30 March from 10am to 12pm
Kirkby Lonsdale Methodist Church - 30 March from 2pm to 4pm
Dalton Library - 31 March from 11am to 1pm
Walney Library - 8 April from 1pm to 3pm
Kirkby Stephen Local Links - 13 April from 9am to 11am
Sedbergh People's Hall - 16 April from 9am to 11am
You can book onto one of the councils on-line sessions and meet with one of the council team via MS Teams for a 15-minute chat.
Please email: school.transport@westmorlandandfurness.co.uk with your preferred date and time slot (every 15 minutes from 00; 15; 30; 45). The council will confirm availability and send you a calendar link to the meeting.
A report summarising the feedback received and how this has informed the final policy will be published during the summer of 2026.
Councillor Janet Battye, Cabinet Member for Children's Services and Education, said:
"Our council, like many others, is operating in a challenging financial climate, as recently noted with our budget reductions from government funding. We must strike the right balance to meet the needs of our statutory services while reviewing discretionary elements.
Any pupil currently receiving home‑to‑school transport under the existing eligibility criteria will continue to do so.
This consultation is an opportunity for parents, carers, pupils, schools, and partners to have their say. It is important that we hear your views, and we encourage as many people as possible to respond."
Mil Vasic, Director of Children's Services, said:
"We want to reassure parents and carers that no‑one will lose what they currently receive in terms of home‑to‑school transport. The proposals would apply only to new Reception, Year 7 intakes and pupils eligible for SEND Post 16 transport from 2027. However, with rising transport costs, we have a duty to consider how we can deliver the service more sustainably in the future. These proposals aim to support a fair and economical approach to providing free travel to a child's nearest school. This review does not affect where your child goes to school—that remains your preference—but it does consider their eligibility for funded transport."
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