Petition · past parliament · Department for Education

Extend free school transport policy to 17 and 18 year olds

Closed 236 signatures

What the petition asks

School transport is free for students aged 16 and under where they live a certain distance from school, but for 17 and 18 year olds many local authorities require parents to pay for this, which can cost hundreds of pounds a year.
This cost is crippling to many families who are above the cut off for help and grants. We live in a rural area and other than parents taking children to school themselves there is no other way to get to and from school.

When it is compulsory for 16-18 year olds to stay in full-time education (if they are not on an apprenticeship, traineeship, or volunteering) it is wrong that parents have to pay for school transport. This should be free.

Timeline

9 Jul 2021 Petition opened for signatures
9 Jan 2022 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 236
Status Closed
Department Department for Education
Opened 9 Jul 2021
Closed 9 Jan 2022

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.