The Department for Transport has no immediate plans to extend further the coverage of statutory concessions to school and college students. Local authorities retain the discretion to offer concessionary travel enhancements to young people in their area based on their assessment of local needs and circumstances, and many choose to do so.
Extending statutory concessions to young people could have significant cost and operational implications, especially as travel to school is during the morning peak and could have the unintended consequence of actually reducing the numbers walking or cycling to school.
From September 2008 the Education and Inspections Act 2006 extends entitlement to free school transport for pupils entitled to free school meals or whose parents are in receipt of maximum working tax credit. At secondary age, pupils attending one of their three nearest schools that is between two and six miles from their home, and those attending their nearest school preferred on grounds of religion or belief between two and 15 miles, will be entitled to free school transport.