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Hertfordshire County Council

If your child isn’t entitled to free home-to-school transport, you may be able to buy a spare seat on one of our existing education route buses or coaches, subject to availability.

These education routes already serve pupils with a statutory entitlement to free travel. Spare seats are limited, not guaranteed, and may only be available on a term-by-term basis. The scheme does not apply to public or commercial bus routes and does not cover every school.

Please do not assume a spare seat will be available. A seat offered during the 2024/25 academic year may not be available in 2025/26.

 

Routes

Routes
Service NoOperatorSchoolVillages / towns that are served 

E111

Dacorum Voluntary Tring School Wilstone, Gubblecote, Long Marston

E120

Barkerbus Freman College Standon, Puckeridge

E129

Golden Boy Coaches Edwinstree C of E Middle School, Freman College Great Munden, Nasty, Westmill, Aspenden

E131

Acme Transport Services Ralph Sadleir Middle School, Roger de Clare First School, St Thomas of Canterbury RC School Buntingford, Hare Street, Hay Street, Braughing

E138

AAA Transport Services Ltd Offley Endowed Primary School Lilley

E162

Richard Taylor Travel & Partners Knights Templar School (The) Hinxworth, Ashwell, Bygrave

E163

Richard Taylor Travel & Partners Knights Templar School (The) Weston

E166

Britannia Knights Templar School (The) Sandon, Rushden

E170

Richard Taylor Travel & Partners Hitchin Boys School, Hitchin Girls School, Priory School (The) Preston, Gosmore, Hitchin

E171

Richard Taylor Travel & Partners Hitchin Boys School, Hitchin Girls School Pirton, Hitchin

E172

Richard Taylor Travel & Partners Katherine Warington School, St George's School Whitwell, Kimpton

E173

AAA Transport Services Ltd Katherine Warington School Wheathampstead

E174

Richard Taylor Travel & Partners Katherine Warington School, St Georges School Wheathampstead

E175

Welham Travel Katherine Warington School Whitwell, Kimpton

E176

Britannia Roundwood Park School, Roundwood Primary School, Sir John Lawes School Whitwell, Kimpton, Blackmore End

E177

Britannia Katherine Warington School Wheathampstead

E179

Richard Taylor Travel & Partners Barnwell School, Marriotts School Datchworth, Knebworth, Stevenage

E181

Britannia King James Academy Sandon, Barkway, Barley, Reed, Therfield

E184

C G Myall & Son Edwinstree C of E Middle School, Freman College Gt Hormead, Brent Pelham, Anstey, Wyddial

E189

A1 Minibus Hitchin Boys School Pirton

E2

Welham Travel Ltd Bishop's Stortford High School, Herts and Essex High School & Science College (The) Albury, Bury Green

E22

Chariots for Hire Leventhorpe School Hadham Cross, Perry Green, South End, Green Tye

E22A

Chariots for Hire Leventhorpe School Hunsdon, Widford, Hadham Cross, Much Hadham, Allens Green

E203

Richard Taylor Travel & Partners Edwinstree C of E Middle School, Freman College Ardeley, Cottered, Throcking

E4

Chariots for Hire Birchwood High School, Bishop's Stortford High School, Herts and Essex High School & Science College (The), Hockerill Anglo-European College Much Hadham, Little Hadham

E40

Golden Boy Coaches Chancellors School Cuffley

E429

A1 Minibus Long Marston JMI Wilstone, Gubblecote, Long Marston

E446

Richard Taylor Travel & Partners St Albans Girls' School Kimpton, Blackmore End, Wheathampstead, Harpenden

E6

To be confirmed Avanti Grange Secondary School Hadhams, Ferneux Pelham 

E61 

Welham Travel Ltd Bayford (C of E) VC Primary School Brickendon, Bayford

E65

Golden Boy Coaches Richard Hale School, Sele School (The), Simon Balle School Little Berkhamsted, Bayford, Brickendon

E7

HertsLynx Bishop's Stortford High School, Herts and Essex High School & Science College (The) Furneux Pelham, Stocking Pelham, Albury

E85

Golden Boy Coaches Presdales School Hertford Heath

E86 

Golden Boy Coaches Presdales School Dane End, Sacombe, Tonwell

 

 

Who’s eligible

Firstly, seats are given to:

  • statutory school-aged pupils who are eligible for free transport
  • students aged 16-19 who are eligible for travel assistance due to their disabilities and / or learning difficulties.

If seats remain available once all eligible pupils have been allocated, spare seats will be offered in the following order:

  • statutory school-aged pupils
  • students aged 16-19.

If demand exceeds availability, we will prioritise spare seat applications using the following criteria:

  1. Children Looked After, or pupils with SEN or disabilities who aren’t entitled to free transport but may benefit from a spare seat due to a specific medical or social need.
    In these cases, you must include supporting evidence from a relevant professional with your application. A panel of senior officers will review the evidence to decide if it meets the criteria.

  2. Children from low-income families who are not eligible for free home-to-school transport. 
    For details on what qualifies as a low-income household, please refer to the home-to-school transport policy.
    Please note families meeting the low-income criteria are not entitled to a discount on the published spare seat charges.

  3. Siblings of pupils entitled to free transport.

  4. Distance from school, giving priority to those living furthest away.


We cannot guarantee seat availability each term, and there is no ongoing entitlement to purchase a spare seat. We determine availability by the number of pupils with a statutory right to transport, which may vary throughout the academic year.


How to apply

Email the admissions and transport team to apply for the spare seats scheme.

We'll need the child's name, date of birth and the school they will be travelling to.

Once we receive this information, we will send you an application form to complete and return.

 

To ensure your application is assessed under the spare seat criteria, please submit your form and any supporting evidence by 15 August. Late applications will only be considered after all on-time submissions have been processed. If no seats are available, your application will be added to a waiting list and prioritised accordingly.

Spare seat allocations cannot be considered until all eligible free home-to-school transport applications are processed. This means tickets will not be issued before the autumn term begins. We strongly recommend arranging alternative travel for the start of the school year in September.

Applications received during the academic year will be reviewed individually. If a seat is available, it will be offered - otherwise, the application will be added to the waiting list in line with the prioritisation criteria.

Costs for 2025/26 academic year

Miles (home to school)Charge per pupil

0 – 2.99

£930

3 – 4.99

£1,236

5 – 6.99

£1,422

7 and over

£1,632

You can pay for a spare seat annually, termly, or half-termly. Charges are fixed regardless of when the ticket is issued, and no discounts are available.

Once a spare seat is confirmed, you’ll receive a letter or email from us.

To pay by credit or debit card, call 0300 123 4050 and ask for the Passenger Transport spare seat payment team.


Tickets are issued termly and may be withdrawn if:

  • payment is not received for the upcoming half term.
  • a seat is needed for an eligible pupil (in which case, seats will be withdrawn in reverse priority order with 2 weeks’ notice).

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