How to qualify
Post 16’s who qualify for free transport
Post 16’s who qualify for assistance with transport costs
How much will I pay if assistance is granted?
Why is there a charge for post 16 transport but not pre 16?
Work placements and modern apprenticeships
Q. Do I qualify for free post-16 travel?
Before you can be considered for free transport you must meet the criteria that are listed in Do I qualify for assistance with post-16 education costs? Click here to view. If you meet all of those criteria then you will qualify for free transport if one of the following applies to you also:
• either you or your family are receiving Income Support, Pension Credit, Income Based Job Seekers Allowance or an NHS Exemption Certificate under Child Tax Credit (NO other benefits will qualify)
• you have a verified medical condition which affects your ability to walk and you live less than 3 miles from your 'neareat appropriate centre'. A statement will be sought from the Consultant Community Paediatrician where applications are made under medical grounds.
• live with a brother or sister who qualifies for help with transport and is paying the charge (only one charge is paid per family)
• you are a looked after child (LAC) under the care of your Local Authority and you are attending your 'nearest appropriate centre'. Proof of LA status is required.
Students who are blind or have a visual impairment are entitled to free travel on public buses; students with a disability as defined by the Transport Act are entitled to half single or return fare. For further details please contact 01223 718779.
Q. What do I need to qualify for assistance?
Students may qualify for assistance with their post-16 Education Transport costs. This will depend on where and what they are studying. For the academic year 2008 / 2009 we can help with transport costs if you have ALL of the following:
• resident within the area where Cambridgeshire is the Local Authority (and)
• enrolled on a full time course - a minimum of 15 taught hours per week - at your nearest appropriate post-16 centre; either in a school or college of further education (and)
• over the compulsory school age but under 19 (or 21 for students with special educational needs) on 31 August 2008 or on a course of further education started before you reached the age of 19 (or 21 for students with special educational needs)
• you are resident at an address which is three miles or over from the nearest appropriate post-16 centre by the shortest available travel route (or)
Parents of students who meet the above criteria are required to pay a contribution towards their child’s post-16 education transport costs; unless they meet the criteria for free transport. If you are unsure whether or not you are entitled to assistance with post-16 education transport please call 01223 717998.
Length ticket valid |
Type of ticket For 2008 / 2009
|
Journey type |
Cost of ticket |
Year
|
Standard |
Return
Single
|
£360.00
£180.00 |
|
Stagecoach Goldrider *
|
Return Only
|
£495.00 |
Term
|
Standard |
Return
Single
|
£120.00
£60.00
|
|
Stagecoach Goldrider *
|
Return Only
|
£165.00 |
Half term |
Standard |
Return
Single
|
£60.00
£30.00 |
|
Stagecoach Goldrider *
|
Return Only |
£82.50 |
* Stagecoach Goldrider tickets are not available for single journeys.
* Students who live in a village where Stagecoach is the only service operator can only be issued with a Goldrider ticket and must therefore pay the Goldrider charge.
Stagecoach Megarider Ticket: For students living in a Megarider area, it is now possible to purchase a Megarider direct from Stagecoach (not Cambridgeshire County Council). The current costs are
|
Megarider ticket
|
Cost
|
Important please note
|
|
Yearly
|
£420.00
|
These two tickets can only be purchased from the travel office in Drummer Street, Cambridge and will require a photo. Prices subject to change.
|
|
Three Monthly
|
£114.00
|
These two tickets can only be purchased from the travel office in Drummer Street, Cambridge and will require a photo. Prices subject to change.
|
|
Monthly
|
£ 40.00
|
These two tickets can only be purchased on the bus and do not require a photo.
|
|
Weekly
|
£ 10.00
|
These two tickets can only be purchased on the bus and do not require a photo.
|
To determine which charges apply to you please click here to view Post-16 Education Transport in Cambridgeshire – A guide for students 2008 / 2009.
The Council has a statutory obligation to provide free transport for entitled pupils aged 5 to 16 years, as this is compulsory education. Post-16 education is not compulsory.
Therefore the Council is not under a statutory obligation to provide free transport for entitled post-16 students. Furthermore with limited budgets, the Council is unable to offer free transport to all entitled post-16 students.
Instead, the Council offers subsidised transport to entitled post-16 students. The same charge applies to all students regardless of how far they have to travel.
Q. Is there assistance with travel to work placements or modern apprenticeships?
No. The Council only provides post-16 transport to sixth form centres and colleges of further education. Therefore the Council does not provide assistance
• to work placements even if they form part of the student’s course, students are responsible for meeting any additional costs of their course and this includes transport to work placements
• with transport costs for young people on modern apprenticeship as they receive a salary while learning