Bus Services: Schools

(asked on 7th May 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he plans to provide schools with more buses to enforce social distancing when schools re-open after the covid-19 outbreak.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 19th May 2020

Parents and children and young people should be encouraged to walk or cycle where possible, and avoid public transport at peak times.

Home to school transport provided or organised by schools, academy trusts or local authorities varies widely. Schools, trusts and local authorities should work together and with relevant transport providers to put in place arrangements which fit the local circumstances, including the measures being put in place to reduce contact. Further guidance is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings

This guidance sets out that local authorities or transport providers could consider the following:

  • guidance or training for school transport colleagues
  • substituting smaller vehicles with larger ones, or running 2 vehicles rather than one, where possible, to reduce the number of passengers per vehicle and increase the amount of space between passengers
  • cordoning off seats and eliminating face-to-face seating, where vehicle capacity allows, to help passengers spread out
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