What your council does: Home to school transport

About home to school transport

The School and College Transport Team at Bury Council ensures safe and reliable travel for children and young people accessing education across the borough.

Led by Nicola Hudson, the team co-ordinates daily transport routes, manages driver and escort recruitment, and supports young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), to travel safely and confidently to school or college.

Their work underpins access to education, wellbeing, and independence for hundreds of families in Bury.

Key services provided:

• Planning and organising over 130 daily transport routes for mainstream and SEND pupils
• Providing travel assistance for 678 children and young people this year, a 44% increase since 2020
• Recruiting and managing pupil escorts for young people who cannot travel alone
• Processing more than 800 mainstream travel pass applications annually based on distance or financial need
• Handling last-minute issues like vehicle breakdowns and staff absences to maintain service continuity
• Co-ordinating additional support for children with complex behavioural needs
• Operating an on-call service from 7.30am to assist families during travel disruptions
• Delivering independent travel training in partnership with Pure Innovations Limited; 12 young people have completed training since September 2024, with four more currently in progress
• Overseeing school crossing supervisors and ensuring safe crossing points through regular training and risk assessments

Eligibility and criteria

The service supports all eligible children and young people attending mainstream or special schools, as well as those in post-16 education who meet set criteria relating to special educational needs (SEND), low income, or distance from their education provider. Travel assistance options are tailored to individual needs and include transport, travel passes, personal budgets, or mileage reimbursements.

Service impact

The team has adapted to a significant rise in demand, supporting nearly 200 more children than a few years ago, and maintaining continuity through a complex and growing transport network.

Independent travel training successes have helped young people gain confidence, independence, and active community participation. Safety remains a priority with 39 crossing patrol members, some serving for over 20 years.

Future plans and developments

Further enhancements are planned to improve service responsiveness, reduce disruptions, and promote independence through travel training. The team continues to focus on recruitment and retention of skilled escorts and drivers, alongside exploring innovative transport solutions to meet changing needs.