Updated info from government re. transport

Transport

Local authorities continue to be under a statutory duty to provide free home to school transport for eligible children who are able to attend school.

Colleges and schools also have the capacity to support transport costs where necessary for 16 to 19 year olds.

You are encouraged to consider all other forms of transport, such as cycling and walking if you can, before using public transport, particularly at peak times. When planning your journey to school, particularly if using public transport, you should follow the safer travel guidance for passengers.

You should do all you can to help make sure you and others can travel safely. You should not leave home if you or anyone in your household or support bubble has symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Try to avoid travelling on public transport, particularly at peak times. Wherever possible stay 2 metres from people outside your household or support bubble. Where 2 metre distancing is not possible, try to keep a social distance of ‘1 metre plus’. This means staying 1 metre apart where possible plus taking actions which reduce the risk of transmission.

Actions which can reduce the risk of transmission are:

washing or sanitising hands regularly
using a face covering
not touching your face
facing away from other people (for example using seats that are side-to-side or back-to-back), where seating arrangements allow
covering your mouth and nose with a tissue, or the inside of your elbow, when coughing or sneezing
touching as few surfaces as possible
minimising the time spent close to other people, where possible

School transport is provided by local authorities, academy trusts or schools for the specific purpose of transporting children to and from their home and school.

Children are not required to wear face coverings on school transport, but they can wear one if they wish. School transport is provided specifically for the purpose of ensuring that children can attend school and it is limited to children travelling to school, and their travel assistants where necessary. Children do not travel on school transport at the same time as members of the public. The transport is arranged by local authorities for a planned number of children, which means demand for services can be managed in a way which is not possible on public transport. This will allow children to maintain suitable distancing wherever possible. School transport often carries the same children on a regular basis, which may reduce the risk of transmission.

When deciding whether children should wear a face covering on dedicated home to school transport, it is also important to remember:

children and staff won’t be expected to wear face coverings in school
it is important that those using face coverings are able to do so properly – guidance on how to wear and make a cloth face coveringis available
children under 3 years old should not wear face coverings
children under 11 are not expected to wear face coverings on public transport

Please be mindful that the wearing of a face covering may inhibit communication with people who rely on lip reading, facial expressions and clear sound.