If your child is not eligible for free transport you may be able to get transport through our concessionary seats scheme.
Concessionary seats are spare seats on school transport vehicles that are sold to pupils (aged 5 to 18 years old only) who are not entitled to free transport and where no public services exist.
A seat is ‘spare’ if no one is allocated to that seat. A seat is not spare if on some days a pupil entitled to free travel decides not to use it. Just because a seat is allocated it does not mean that it will be occupied on every journey. Students can be absent from school or can make other arrangements for travel to school.
Seats that are allocated to other pupils cannot be given to anyone else. We cannot risk an overload by ‘overbooking’ like some airlines. We have to assume that everyone who is allocated a seat will want to travel to school and the pupil with a free seat has a legal entitlement to use the seat at any time.
We’re not able to offer concessionary seats until after the October half term as late applications from entitled children have to be considered first.
Availability of concessionary seats
Concessionary seats are not always available. We do not design the transport network so that spare seats are created to meet demand. It is really just good fortune if a spare seat exists. Our job is to run the most cost-effective network to serve pupils entitled to free education transport.
Concessionary seats are withdrawn if we need the seat for someone who is entitled to free transport. Seats may also be withdrawn if we make changes to the transport network. Regular network reviews take place that can lead to spare places being removed.
When we sell concessionary seats, we make it clear to parents that they will be given one week’s notice when we need to withdraw the concession. Once a seat is withdrawn you will need to make your own arrangements for getting your child to school.
If a seat is withdrawn, a refund will be calculated. Refunds are also available on a pro-rata basis if the transport is no longer required and the travel pass is returned to us.
No refunds are issued for any individual days your child does not travel on the vehicle or for any non-operational days of the route.
Please note that routes will not be altered, re-timed or run on extra days to meet the needs of a concessionary passenger. You will be required to get your child to or from the nearest existing pick up or drop off point.
Applications
You can apply online for a concessionary seat.
Once your application is received, we will check to see if there is a route that links your home area to your child’s school. If we find a route in the area, we will check to see if there are spare seats on this route.
This might take a little while. We might have to conduct loading checks, check pupil lists with schools or consider pupils about to start school.
If we can offer you a concessionary seat, we will write to you enclosing a payment form. Your child will not be able to start using school transport until payment has been made and you have received their travel pass. The County Council operates a ‘No pass, no travel’ policy, so please do not try to use transport without a pass.
If there is a suitable route but no space, we will write to you and add your child’s name to a waiting list. We will contact you again if a spare seat becomes available.
If there isn’t a suitable route we will inform you. You can also check the Traveline South West website which will give you details of any local bus services you could use to make the journey.
Pay for a seat
For the academic year 2024/25, the seat cost is £750 for the year or £250 each for the autumn, spring and summer terms.
For the forthcoming academic year 2025/26, the seat cost will increase to £800 for the year or £270 each for the autumn and spring terms and £260 for the summer term.
For morning or afternoon journeys only, the charge will be £135 for autumn and spring and £130 for summer term.