Bus Travel FAQs

Can you pick up from my home address?

No, we are unable to provide a door-to-door service. The stops shown on this website have been selected based on the safety of the students using this service and the likely impact on traffic flow.  Many of our stops are at official, marked bus stops used by normal bus services.  However, it may be possible to arrange extra stops on the route, where it is safe to do so, if the bus is already passing the stop as part of its normal route. To enquire about this, please contact the Transport Team Leader who will assess whether we can meet your request.

Can I change the trips booked once I know what clubs my child is doing?

Yes. However, because this service is provided on a first-come first-served basis, it is advisable in the first instance to book all the trips you think you will require so that you have the seat reserved.  Once you know which clubs your child will be doing you can then request to remove those trips.  Please bear in mind though, if your route is at or near full capacity and you do decide to remove any trips, these trips may be taken up by other students and you may not be able to use them, should the situation arise.  The only way to guarantee that you will always have a seat available for your child is to keep it reserved, which will mean that you will continue to pay for it.

Is there an age limit to use the bus service?

Students up to and including Year 2 are considered too young to travel on the bus on their own, unless accompanied by an older sibling in Year 5 or above.

Can I use the service on an ad-hoc basis?

No, the service is provided on a first-come first-served basis. A lot of our routes are at or near full capacity, which means that we are unable to accommodate ad-hoc bookings.

Is it possible to use the service on the rare occasion that I am unable to get my child into school?

In these rare circumstances, we will always try to be as flexible as possible, but it will depend on whether there are seats available on the route you require.

Will it always be the same driver on each route?

On the minibus routes, we always use the same driver. However, on the routes that are covered by coaches the coach company will always try to use regular drivers, but this is not always guaranteed. Occasionally a driver may be on holiday or off ill, so another spare driver will cover the route.

Are the times shown on the timetables the time the bus will arrive at each stop?

No, the times shown are when the bus will leave the stop. We always recommend being at the stop 5 minutes before this departure time to guarantee that you do not miss the bus.

How do I notify the driver if my child is not using the bus for any reason?

When you book a space for your child on one of our routes, you will receive a confirmation email giving you all the information you may require for that route. If your required route is covered by a minibus, you will be furnished with the name and contact number of the minibus driver who will have access to a Bluetooth headset.  If your route is covered by a coach, there is no requirement for you to notify the driver as they have been instructed to stop at all stops regardless and to leave at the posted time. Please note, this procedure is subject to review prior to September 2024.

What do I do if the bus doesn’t turn up on time?

We always strive to ensure that all our routes run according to the timetable. However, there may be occasions when this is not possible due to roadworks or increased levels of traffic. If your route is covered by a minibus, please feel free to contact the driver directly and if your route is covered by a coach, please check its current position using the live time tracker or the coach company’s Facebook page.  These details will be found in the confirmation email you will receive post booking. Please note, this procedure is subject to review prior to September 2024.

How do I pay for my child’s travel?

The bus charges are done in arrears and you will receive an invoice towards the end of each term for that terms bus usage. The charges are calculated on the number of trips you have booked per week on your Bus Booking Form. Please note, this procedure is subject to review prior to September 2024.

Is food and drink allowed on board?

Our preferred option is that food and drink is not consumed on board, however we do accept that there may be occasions, particularly on longer journeys where this may be necessary. On those occasions, we ask that small snacks are consumed that do not cause mess and that all litter is taken off the vehicle at the end of each journey.  This will ensure that others using the service afterwards are not confronted by an untidy vehicle.

Can students take friends home on the bus?

Students are more than welcome to take friends home on the bus subject to capacity. To enquire about this, please email the Transport Team Leader and Student Reception, giving as much notice as possible so that the relevant driver can be made aware if it is a minibus route or arrangements can be made to issue a spare bus pass to the friend if they are going to be using one of the coaches. If a bus pass is required, it must be signed for at Student Reception and returned as soon as possible.

Is there a service to cover the after-school clubs?

No, because of the number of routes we have and the large geographical area that the service covers, we are unable to provide an after-school club service. It is the responsibility of the parents to arrange collection of their children engaging in these activities.