At a Decision Day earlier today, Councillor Roz Chadd, Cabinet Lead Member for Children’s Services, and Councillor Juliet Henderson, respectively agreed to open two consultations seeking feedback on the proposals. These will run on the County Council website from Thursday 22 October 2026 until Thursday 10 December 2026.
The proposed changes are intended to make both policies clearer, more transparent and easier for families to understand. The updates focus on improving policy wording, updating references to current legislation, guidance and benefits, and providing clearer information about how transport arrangements operate.
There are no proposed changes to the existing eligibility criteria for transport support or how the School and Post-16 Transport services are delivered.
Councillor Chadd commented: “Our transport services are important to many children, young people and families across Hampshire. While the proposed policy changes are very minimal, we are still keen to hear from as many people as possible – particularly those who use the services directly. I encourage everyone to familiarise themselves with the proposals and share their views before the consultations close on 10 December.”
The School Transport Policy sets out the arrangements for children of compulsory school age who are entitled to transport assistance under national legislation. The proposed changes include providing greater clarity on how eligibility and transport contributions are assessed, providing clearer information about appeals, Personal Transport Budgets, and updating terminology and references to benefits and ticketing systems.
The Post-16 Transport Policy sets out the support available to eligible young people with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND), travelling to further education or training. Unlike School Transport, Post-16 Transport is not required by law and is offered on a discretionary, chargeable basis. Proposed updates include clarifying eligibility arrangements for students aged 18 and for those continuing courses that began before their 19th birthday, updating references to current benefits, providing clearer information about parental contributions and appeals, and explaining how the Post-16 Transport Policy links to the wider School Transport Policy.
The County Council is keen to hear from as many people as possible during the consultation period, particularly families and young people who use transport services, as well as schools, colleges, early years providers, transport operators and Passenger Assistants.
Feedback received through the consultations will be reviewed and analysed before recommendations are put forward at a future Decision Day in 2027. If agreed, both policies would be updated by the end of March next year.
Visit the County Council’s website for more information about the proposed changes to the School Transport and Post-16 Transport Policies. The two consultations will be published on the County Council’s website on Thursday 22 October.