Statutory Home-to-School and Post-16 Transport provision

I request the disclosure of the following information held by the Council relating to statutory Home-to-School and Post-16 Transport provision.

Please provide the following data for the last three complete academic years (e.g., 2022/2023, 2023/2024, and 2024/2025, or the last three years for which data is available):

Part 1: Students Assessed for Transport Eligibility

For all children and young people who were assessed for eligibility for Local Authority-funded home-to-school, college or education transport on the grounds of Special Educational Needs, Disability, or Mobility Problems (under the relevant sections of the Education Act 1996):

1. The total number of such assessments/applications received.

2. The total number of these students who were subsequently deemed eligible for transport assistance.

Part 2: Motability Scheme and Transport Provision

For the students deemed eligible for transport assistance (as per Question 2 above), please provide the following breakdown of the Council's records:

3. The total number of eligible students whose transport was ultimately provided by the Local Authority via dedicated contracted vehicle (e.g., shared taxi, private hire car, or contracted minibus).

4. Of the students receiving dedicated contracted transport (as defined in Question 1 above), the number whose family or appointee declared the use of a Motability Scheme vehicle as part of the transport application/assessment process.

5. If possible, provide the cost of the student's dedicated contracted transport whose family or appointee declared the use of a Motability Scheme vehicle

Part 3: Policy Information

6. Do you require families or appointees to declare whether or not they have a Motability Scheme vehicle when applying/assessing for transport-to-school or education

7. Please provide a copy of the section of your most recent Home-to-School/College Transport Policy or associated guidance that specifically addresses the existence or use of a Motability Scheme vehicle by a family when determining their eligibility for transport-to-school or education and the type of support they can receive (mileage, contracted trans

Part 1 – students assessed for transport eligibility

R003 – Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Exceptional Transport Need.  These are where a caseworker has identified an exceptional transport.  In these cases distance to the school (i.e. over two or three miles) is not taken into account when assessing transport eligibility.

R005 – Children who live less than three or two miles from the school but have a medical condition that prevents them from walking to school.  Children eligible on these grounds may not be subject to an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and they must be attending their DTA school or a nearer school to qualify for transport.

R035 – SEND Post 16 students.

R047 – SEND Post 16 students with an exceptional transport need.

R069 - SEND pupils attending the nearest suitable school and over 2 or 3 miles from the school.

R053 – Children in care to Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) with SENDs.

SEND Transport - 2022/2023

Approvals.

R003 – 16

R005 – 20

R035 – 1

R047 – 0

R069 – 325

R053 - 11

Total: 373

SEND Transport – 2023/2024

Approvals.

R003 – 15

R005 – 7

R035 – 9

R047 – 0

R069 – 442

R053 - 10

Total: 483

SEND Transport - 2024/2025

Approvals.

R003 – 17

R005 – 50

R035 – 129

R047 – 13

R069 – 784

R053 - 20

Total: 1003

As of August 2025, 2,351 children and young people with SENDs were eligible and in receipt of school transport.

LCC has only recently begun to refuse SEND applications using a code different to the one used for mainstream applications.  Therefore, LCC are not able to provide this information as we cannot differentiate between mainstream and SEND refusals.

Part 2: Motability scheme and transport provision

The Operations team will procure the most suitable, cost-effective transport.  The parent would only be asked if they can provide their own transport and enter into a private travel arrangement if this proves to be the most economical transport option.  We do not ask parents to declare if they have a Motability vehicle. LCC currently have 330 students in receipt of a private travel budget.

Part 3: Policy information

As above, LCC do not ask parent/carer to declare whether they have a Motability vehicle.   This is not mentioned in the policy document which can be accessed at https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/directory-record/61709/school-and-college-transport-policy

Please also see https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/659d7ebb0dd0a200138b612a/Travel_to_school_for_children_of_compulsory_school_age.pdf - a document published by the Department for Education (DFE) which sets out the statutory requirements of the local authority with reference to travel to school.  This includes a section about benefits or allowances and talks about the higher rate mobility component and access to the Motability scheme.