Local Authority (LA) Transport Policy Statement 2015/16 Transport Policy Statement for learners aged 16-18 in further education and training, and continuing learners aged 19 and over Name of Local Authority: Somerset County Council Department Responsible: Transporting Somerset 1. Summary of Policy Statement and Main Objectives Somerset County Council, through a range of partnership activities, seek to maximise opportunities to increase concessionary travel to young people participating in education and training aged 14 –19 years and continuing learners aged 19+ years across the County. Somerset County Council will give particular consideration within the above to the needs of Post-16 learners with disabilities and/or learning difficulties up to the age of 25. Somerset County Council, in consultation with stakeholders and other partnerships work together to, ensure that the individual needs of young people are paramount whilst balancing equality of access to education and training opportunities with value for money by: • Developing a collective strategy relating to post 14 school/college transport within the context of Government, EFA (Education Funding Agency) and Somerset County Council transport strategies. • Identifying gaps in transport provision and filling those gaps to improve accessibility to education and to maximise choice of learning venue. • Ensuring that transport issues impacting on learners of all ages are reflected in the Somerset Future Transport Plan and the Somerset Accessibility Planning Strategy, including developing protocols for sharing information and contributing to the development and delivery of related Action Plans. • Improving transport information for all young people and adult learners. • Discussing priorities with local education and training providers. • Focusing on improving transport for learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities by providing specialised individual transport where needed or through the Somerset Independent Travel Training Scheme in order to increase the independence for this group of learners. • Improving transport links in deeply rural areas by maintaining the provision of demand responsive transport schemes and by supporting other transport initiatives for young people to increase affordable access to learning for young people, improving their employment opportunities and reducing social exclusion. • Ensuring transport provision removes barriers to learning and training for those from vulnerable groups and/or those most likely not to be in education, employment or training. 2. Details of all concessionary fares, discounts, subsidies, passes or travel cards available for learners aged 16–18 and who provides them. Somerset County Council - the Local Authority (LA) offer a student ‘County Ticket’ to enable young people to attend the learning/training centre of their choice provided applicants meet the Somerset County Council eligibility criteria of:- • Being over the statutory school leaving age of 16 on 01 September 2015. • Attending a course of further education or training compliant with legislation relating to the raising of the participation age. A County Ticket will cost £675.00 per year. There is a direct debit option to enable students to spread the payment over the year. The ticket is available for use across the public transport network in Somerset. Petrol allowances are available at 18 pence per mile up to a limit of £135.00 per annum to allow young people living more than three miles from their nearest bus stop to gain access to and from the local bus network. Currently, where space is available on the contracted School Transport fleet; students may also apply for a Student Contract Ticket which costs £480.00 per year. Consultation is due to take place during the summer regarding increases for all student tickets therefore this ticket maybe withdrawn and replaced with the County Ticket at a cost of £675.00 per year. Post 16 students attending Diploma courses, Foundation Learning and apprenticeships can access both college/school-based provision and work placements by using the County Ticket. Transport to academies will be on the same basis as for local authority schools with sixth forms (i.e. free pre 16 for those that qualify and County Ticket/Student Contract Ticket (pending review) for post 16 students). Currently no form of means testing is applied to the County Ticket, Student Contract Ticket or petrol allowances given to students living more than 3 miles from a bus stop. Somerset County Council, in Partnership with Somerset College in Taunton, also provides subsidised fares on the Taunton Park & Ride bus service from sites at Silk Mills and Taunton Gateway which serve Somerset College. 2 (a) Additional arrangements made by Colleges and Schools to support Transport provision and costs. Bridgwater College For the 2015/16 academic year students who live over 2 miles from their main centre of study will pay £370 for the County Ticket, (students who live within 2 miles will pay the full cost of £675). The Weston and North Somerset passes will be £339 and College operated services from Wiveliscombe, Castle Cary, Shepton Mallet, Yeovil and Tiverton – Cannington will be £324. Students do not need to make an application for this subsidy as it will be applied automatically. In addition to this, students whose parents are on a low income or income based benefits may be eligible to apply for further help towards the cost of a bus pass via the Government’s 16 – 19 Bursary Fund. For further details please contact Bridgwater College by e-mail [email protected] or call 01278 441233. Bridgwater College make additional arrangements for transport by providing an annual contribution of £140,706 to the Local Authority to assist in the funding of bus services serving the College. Bridgwater College also operate twice weekly inter site travel for students who have their main programmes at either site but have added A levels or Animal Management as enrichment. This inter site travel is at no cost to the students however and is paid for solely by the College. Richard Huish College For the 2015/16 academic year Richard Huish College will be offering a £300 contribution to students entitled to financial support through the 16-19 Bursary fund. This is available to all students living in a household with a combined income of less than £32,000 per annum . Students not entitled to support through the College Transport Bursary will receive a contribution of £100 paid to the student in December. Somerset College For the 2013/14 academic year Somerset College will provide the following: County Ticket Bursary Students who are 16-18 and enrolled on a Study Programme will receive a bursary of approximately £360 towards the cost of their County Ticket. All applications will be considered after the closing date and Bursaries will be awarded based on distance travelled to the College. If the household income is less that £25K per annum an additional £100 may be available. Travel Bursary Somerset College will also provide £100 towards transport costs for students who have not purchased a County Ticket who live over 3 miles away from the College. Cycle Bursary Students who live within 3 miles of the College are eligible to apply for a cycle Bursary where the College will fund up to £75 towards a bicycle, or up to 50% if the bike is less than £150. Somerset College have also negotiated a 25% discount with WebberBus on return tickets. Strode College For the 2015/16 academic year Strode College will provide all students with a Travel Bursary of £175 towards the cost of a County Ticket. In addition to this, all students with a family income below £26,000 will receive an additional Travel Bursary of £300 towards the cost of a County Ticket. These students will then also have the opportunity to apply for a further discretionary Bursary payment towards associated costs of attending College. Strode College also makes additional arrangements for transport by providing an annual contribution to SCC to provide bus services to the college. Yeovil College For the 2015/16 academic year full time students whose parents are on income-based benefits or where the household income is less than £30,000 may apply for assistance from the 16-19 Bursary Fund. Where all the criteria are met the College will contribute 50% towards the cost of the County Ticket by way of direct reimbursement into the payees’ bank account after the County Ticket has been successfully received and processed by Transporting Somerset . 3. What times during the day can learners use their travel pass or obtain concessionary fares? The County Ticket entitles the holder to travel throughout Somerset and on cross border routes to and from Wiltshire, Dorset and Devon North Somerset and Bath & North East Somerset. Unless stated otherwise, students may use these flexible tickets to travel at any time of the day, evenings, on weekends and during vacations. Full details of operators providing unrestricted and restricted County Ticket services can be found on the application form. 4. Will support continue to be made available to learners who reach 19 whilst continuing on a course of Further Education? Yes. 5. How will learners be assessed to see if they are eligible for support? Please refer to section 2 above for the general eligibility criteria. There is currently no means testing for assistance with travel costs and the student contribution to the cost of their ticket is the same for all. However, those suffering financial