Derbyshire parents are urged to fill in home to school travel survey

The council organises and pays for home to school transport for 6,500 entitled students. This is provided free of charge for primary pupils who live two miles from their normal area school, for secondary pupils who live three miles away and for children and young people with special educational needs or disability.

The Government has asked all councils to find out how parents are intending to get their children to school in September, when all pupils are expected back.

Parents are also being asked to consider if school journeys can be done on foot, bike or scooter, if this is safe and practical to do. The survey also asks for parents’ views on what measures would help them to do this.

Councillor Alex Dale, the county council’s cabinet member for young people, said: “We need to know how parents are intending to get their children to school in September so we can do all we can to provide the right level of transport.

“We’d encourage all parents to think about walking, cycling or scooting to school, and to let us know what we could do to help with that. Our resources are limited, but we will carefully look at what parents tell us.

“We’re also asking schools for their views. We will then be looking to see if there is anything we can do to accommodate any changes they would like, working with our bus operators.”

The survey, which closes on July 31, is on the council’s website at derbyshire.gov.uk/schooltravelsurvey.