Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 31
31
The Department told us it was working with DfT on sustainable travel and that supporting...
Conclusion
The Department told us it was working with DfT on sustainable travel and that supporting active travel, such as walking and cycling, could improve accessibility for children but also offer benefits to the community 68 Committee of Public Accounts, Local bus services in England, Fiftieth report of session 2024–26, HC 892, 29 October 2025. 69 C&AG’s Report, para 2.19 70 Qq 16, 23 71 Qq 72-73 72 Q 74 73 Qq 4, 13-15, 20, 36, 73, 78, 74 Q 14 75 Q 13 18 as a whole.76 ADEPT told us that a better school transport system would include resetting expectations about what the service would look like. Rather than “home to school”, which implied a door-to-door service, it might be home to a bus stop or a bus stop to a place of education.77 The Association of Directors of Transport Coordinating Officers (ATCO) also called for more emphasis to be placed on “travel assistance” as (per the Education Act) and replacing the term “free transport” with “funded” or “subsidised travel” so that families understand that it is not free for local authorities to provide.78 76 Q 73 77 Q 23 78 Association of Transport Coordinating Officers (HTS0023) 19