Bedford Borough Council has a code of conduct for children and young people when travelling to and from mainstream schools. 

Adherence to the code of good conduct will ensure that travelling on transport is a safe and pleasant experience for everyone and reduces risks for all pupils, drivers and members of the public. 

Failure to abide by the code of good conduct may result in a temporary ban from transport or in extreme cases, home to school transport may be withdrawn. In such instances parents/carers would then be responsible for ensuring that their children get to school.

Code of good conduct 

1. Be at the allocated bus stop 5 minutes before the bus is due.
2. Wait until the bus stops before trying to board or alight.
3. Have your bus pass ready to show the driver, if you don’t have your pass you may be refused access or asked to pay the fare, where possible.
4. Be polite and courteous to the driver and treat other passengers with respect.
5. Whilst travelling: remain seated, wear a seatbelt where supplied, do not stand on stairways or the platform and do not obstruct others.
6. Put your belongings in a safe place – do not block the gangway.
7. Do not distract the driver.
8. Do not tamper with emergency exits or windows.
9. Do not throw things around or out of the bus.
10. Smoking (including vaping), eating or drinking are not permitted.
11. Bullying, vandalism, bad language and unruly behaviour will not be tolerated and could lead to exclusion from transport.
12. Leave the bus clean and tidy, ensure you take your belongings with you.
13. Comply with all instructions given by the driver and/or passenger assistant.
14. Bedford Borough Council reserves the right to issue warnings and/or bans to students whose behaviour is deemed to put themselves or others at risk or causes offence.

Provision of transport

Where a child is eligible to free home to school transport, the Council must arrange suitable transport that enables a child to access their education, at the start and end of the usual school day.

We will always arrange transport by the most efficient, cost-effective way and we will try to use transport networks that are already available.

Transport might be:

• Public transport passes – for children able to use public transport to get to school. Travel Training can be provided free of charge.
  A seat on a shared vehicle – with other children travelling to school.
• Parental Mileage – The Council would pay parents/carers two return journeys at 45p per mile to take their children to and from school, where it is more cost effective than providing contracted transport.
• A personalised transport budget – a set payment for parents to make their own arrangements.
• Free Travel Training – where appropriate, for children to obtain greater independence and enhance their life skills, both in school and as they progress into adulthood.
• ‘Individual transport’ i.e. one to one transport is not how transport is arranged. Where there is an available vehicle running to a school and there is space, children are added to that. If there are no available vehicles, a new one may be provided and new children will be allocated a seat on that vehicle when they come along in the future.

Passenger assistants

Bedford Borough Council does not generally provide passenger assistants on vehicles that are used to provide appropriate free home to school transport.

In exceptional circumstances we may consider providing a passenger assistant. This will be based on a risk assessment which will take into account the child’s age, any special educational needs or disabilities a child may have, other students on the vehicle, the length of the journey and the size of the vehicle.

For clarity, younger children are not routinely provided with passenger assistants. Only where there are other relevant factors and a risk assessment indicates the requirement for a passenger assistant, will one be provided.

Travel disruption updates

Details of disruption due to severe weather conditions and flooding can be found on our travel disruption updates page.

For further information on operational transport issues on mainstream transport routes such as complaints about lateness or the Privilege Scheme please contact the Transport Operations Group using the details below:

Email: mainstream.transport@bedford.gov.uk

For further information on operational transport issues on SEND transport routes please contact the Transport Operations Group using the details below:

Email: client.transport@bedford.gov.uk

School closures

Details of school closures in the event of bad weather conditions can be found on the school closures webpage.