Spare capacity seats - guidance notes

What is a Spare Capacity Seat?

Hampshire County Council provides contracted school buses or taxis for the majority of children who are eligible for School Transport.

Children who are not eligible may apply to use spare seats on these contracted vehicles if available. Children can only board and alight on existing stops as per the route schedule, as this is a concession. No additional stops can be added to the route.

Children are allocated annually to the route for each academic year, and tickets (if applicable) are sent out termly or annually depend on the payment method are only sent out termly, following the termly payment being received. Children must reapply for a spare capacity seat on an annual basis regardless of being allocated a seat in previous academic years.

Please be aware that a spare capacity seat may have to be withdrawn at short notice if the seat is needed for an eligible child or is no longer available for operational reasons.

The annual charge does not cover the full cost of transport incurred by Hampshire County Council who purchase these transport services. The cost of a spare capacity seat is uplifted in line with March Consumer Price Index (CPI) on an annual basis for each new academic year.

Please note that spare capacity seats are not allocated until after the beginning of the school year and your child must not travel until a ticket or authorisation is received.

The availability of these a spare capacity seat will only be known when all entitled children have been allocated to the route so in the meantime it is your responsibility to arrange transport for your child.

How much does a Spare Capacity Seat cost?

The costs based on the 2024/25 academic year are as follows:

Distance to Travel	Annual Cost	Termly Cost
Up to 5 miles	£600	£200
5.01 to 7.5 miles	£831	£277
7.51 to 10 miles	£1,164	£388
Over 10 miles	£1,330	£443

The cost will be uplifted annually based on the March CPI rate for the start of the next academic year.

Distance to travel will be measured from the allocated outbound pickup point/ bus stop on the route schedule.

An invoice will be raised for each term of travel– all payments must be made against the invoice number. The quickest way to make your payment for transport is online, via the Hampshire County Council’s e-invoice payment facility. Alternative payment options are outlined on the reverse of your invoice. Payment for each term of travel must be made prior to the start of the travel. Spring term payments are due in December and Summer term payments are due in March.

Please note that if travel starts at any time during the first half of any term or ends at any time during the second half of any term, the full termly cost will be due. If travel starts at any time during the second half of any term or ends at any time during the first half of any term, half the termly cost will be due. Where a bus pass has been issued and travel ceases part way through a term, refunds will only be given once the bus pass has been returned to the School Transport Service. All refunds will be made on this basis.

The fee will be waived for families in receipt of Free School Meals on the grounds of low income. Where an applicant indicates they are in receipt of Free School Meals due to low income, this will be confirmed with the school. There is no fee waiver available to Non-Hampshire County Council Residents as the cost of seats are subsidised by Hampshire County Council.

Applying for a Spare Capacity Seat

A spare capacity seat application is made online through the Education Online Portal. You will need to register for an account and make an application by clicking on the Transport icon.

Transport will not be considered until a spare capacity seat application has been received by the School Transport Service.

Applications can only be submitted once your child has a confirmed place at the school. A new application must be made for each subsequent school year.

The availability of spare capacity seats will only be known when all eligible children have been allocated to the vehicle. This will not be until after the beginning of the school year, as priority is given to eligible children. In the meantime, it is your responsibility to arrange alternative transport for your child.

Please advise the School Transport Service if an application for transport is made and your child does not take up the place at the school.

Transport provision

Parents are responsible for the behaviour of their children whilst travelling and must accept that unacceptable behaviour will lead to further action being taken or the withdrawal of transport.

If your child needs a car seat or booster cushion, it is your responsibility to provide one.

You must contact the School Transport Service if you change address at any time. If travel is required from your new address you will need to complete a new application.

Medical information

Parents have a duty to notify the County Council if their child suffers from any medical condition which may affect their journey to and from school.

What happens if a child stops travelling?

If a spare capacity seat is withdrawn or given up, send your bus pass to the address below, and an appropriate refund will be made from the date of arrival of the bus pass in the office.

Lost or stolen passes

For a replacement bus pass, a payment of £20 is required. Once a replacement pass has been issued the child can resume travel.

Children who are exempt from paying for a spare capacity seat are required to pay for replacement passes.

Payments can be made by debit/credit card.

Enquiries

For enquiries relating to the transport or payments use our contact form.