PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Transport: Schools (9 July 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made on the effect on trends in the level of (a) school and (b) college attendance of the suspension of free and discounted travel for under 18’s in London.

Asked by:
Janet Daby (Labour)

The £1.6 billion Extraordinary Funding and Financing Agreement to enable Transport for London (TfL) to continue operating services contained a series of conditions to facilitate safe travel on public transport in London, including the temporary suspension of free travel for under 18s.

The Department is working closely with TfL and the Department for Education on how the temporary suspension can be operationalised. Any child eligible for free home to school travel under the Education Act 1996 will still receive this. The Department is also completing an Equality Impact Assessment, which will consider whether there are further categories of children that should receive free transport.

Answered by:
Rachel Maclean (Conservative)
16 July 2020