Hartlepool families face losing school bus places as chiefs assess how pandemic will affect transport

Hartlepool Borough Council has confirmed it will still provide home-to-school transport for students who meet national criteria.

But families who benefited from remaining spare seats on buses, which can be paid for via concessionary permits, may miss out due to restrictions faced as a result of Covid-19.

Social-distancing rules, new transport regulations, and the fact more families may now require the statutory seats on transport due to the financial impact of coronavirus, are all factors which could impact on the spare seats available.

Tony Hanson, assistant director for environment and neighbourhood services, said they are working with schools who have any concerns over transport and parents will receive any updates.

He said: “There will still be buses in place to take children if they meet the statutory requirements, the local authority has a duty, we must provide that home to school transport for them.

“What we don’t yet know is whether those concessionary permits will be there in terms of the free spaces because of the other problems that we have.

“As a result of what has happened with Covid there has been a number of issues which have been placed on authorities.

“It’s one we’re monitoring and it’s one we’re working on, we’re not simply saying we can’t provide.

“At the moment the challenge we have is we’re saying it’s not likely to be there, but if the situation changes we will obviously notify parents and make them aware there are seats available.”

It came after Cllr Brenda Harrison asked for clarity on what school transport will look like for the foreseeable future at the council Children’s Services Committee meeting.

Mr Hanson noted the requirements for being provided statutory transport include those who are eligible for free school meals or live with a parent receiving maximum working tax credits.

It also includes those attending a school to meet their special educational, mobility or disability needs, or students who live over two miles from school for primary students or three miles for secondary pupils.

Finally those who attend a nearer suitable school and cannot reasonably be expected to walk there due to the nature of the route being unsafe qualify.

Mr Hanson reiterated while students who qualify under those measures will receive transport, the impact of Covid-19 meant the council acted early to warn parents over the potential lack of concessionary passes.

He said: “The council took the decision early to inform parents to give them an opportunity to look for other ways to get their children to school.

“What we didn’t want to do is wait until nearer the time and then say those seats may not be there.

“What we are doing is working closely with those schools who may struggle to get kids to school to look at alternative options.”

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