Travel to and from school
We have been working with schools and public transport providers to develop a range of measures to help children return to schools safely. This includes options on travelling to and from school.
-
We have created walkways and paths to encourage using healthy active travel options including cycling and walking to school where possible.
-
We are encouraging the general public to consider altering their journey patterns, particularly if travelling on school routes or in the vicinity of our schools
-
We are supporting many schools with local traffic management schemes to help improve traffic control and create more space for social distancing
-
We are launching a new and competitively priced flexi-ticket which will allow pupils to travel across a range of bus services from different bus operators. The flexi-tickets will be available on-bus and, for the first time in Leicester, on mobile phones.
-
We are working with bus operators to increase the capacity of bus services serving schools, particularly our larger secondary schools.
Healthy travel
To help reduce congestion on the streets in and around schools, parents and children are encouraged to walk, cycle or scoot whenever possible.
Frequently asked questions
The questions below provide additional information.
We have created maps and information packs to help encourage cycling and walking to school. These highlight typical walking times to primary schools and walking and cycling times to secondary schools. Please visit your school website for more information.
We encourage parents and pupils to walk or cycle to school. Walking and cycling provide the healthiest and most sustainable travel options which will help reduce congestion and increase safety in and around your school.
Parents and children can also plan walking or cycling trips using the Choose How You Move journey planner at www.choosehowyoumove.co.uk
We encourage parents and pupils to walk or cycle to school. Walking and cycling provide the healthiest and most sustainable travel options which will help reduce congestion and increase safety in and around your school.
Parents and children can also plan walking or cycling trips using the Choose How You Move journey planner at www.choosehowyoumove.co.uk
Schools normally have spare bike parking spaces but we will monitor the level of demand with schools and provide additional parking spaces where required.
Schemes are being implemented at some schools to help reduce congestion around the school gates and create more space for social distancing. Some examples include:
- widened footways and markers to improve queuing and social distancing;
- reduced parking; new one-way systems;
- new “park & stride” options to keep cars away from the schools gates
Parents and pupils are encouraged to walk and cycle whenever possible.
Parents who have no other option are encouraged to park safely and considerately in the local area and walk the rest of the journey. A walk of 5 to 10 minutes is considered reasonable. This will significantly reduce congestion and improve safety in and around your school.
Any parent intending to drive to school should check their school website for details of any changes to parking or road layouts in the streets around the school.
Parents who have no other option are encouraged to park safely and considerately in the local area and walk the rest of the journey. A walk of 5 to 10 minutes is considered reasonable. This will significantly reduce congestion and improve safety in and around your school.
Any parent intending to drive to school should check their school website for details of any changes to parking or road layouts in the streets around the school.
Yes. The city council will continue to meet SEND transport needs using dedicated buses, mini-buses and taxis.
Yes. To provide pupils with more bus travel options, we have worked with bus operators to provide a new, competitively priced flexi-ticket.
The flexi-tickets are available on-bus and, for the first time in Leicester, on mobile apps. Pupils with a flexi-ticket can travel on bus services provided by several different bus companies operating in Leicester and the surrounding urban area.
Full detail of the bus operators, ticket options and prices can be found at Choose how you move - bus fare and tickets
Parents and children can also plan their bus journeys using the Choose How You Move journey
Alternatively, use the mobile apps and journey planning options available from local bus operators and other providers.
Bus maps have also been prepared for some of our major secondary schools. These show the bus stops and services running close to their school and will help pupils make the most of their flexi-ticket options.
These are available at Choose how you move - bus fare and tickets and, where appropriate, are also included on the school’s website.
Yes. From 1 September to 16 October 2020, extra buses will be available.
The extra buses will be used where needed to provide extra capacity on busy bus services serving our schools and will create more space on-board for social distancing.
Please note: the extra buses will not be equipped with ticket machines and can therefore only accept tickets purchased in advance. The new mobile flexi-tickets are an ideal option but the bus driver will accept any valid day, weekly, monthly or annual ticket as long as it was purchased in advance.
Note: The government intends to review the situation in October 2020. The City Council cannot, therefore, guarantee that the additional buses will continue beyond the October half-term break.
Parents and pupils (over the age of 11) must wear face-masks on public transport unless they have a valid reason for exemption
This applies to both commercial bus services and any chartered school coaches.
Face mask rules for SEND transport users will be explained to parents and pupils by council staff when the transport service is arranged.
This applies to both commercial bus services and any chartered school coaches.
Face mask rules for SEND transport users will be explained to parents and pupils by council staff when the transport service is arranged.
The situation has not changed from previous years. Any child who misses the bus has the option of catching the next available service.
Children who have a flexi-ticket may, of course, have more options available to them and be able to travel with a different bus operator from another nearby bus stop.
Children who have a flexi-ticket may, of course, have more options available to them and be able to travel with a different bus operator from another nearby bus stop.
The situation has not changed from previous years. If the bus is full, the pupil has the option of catching the next available service.
Children who have a flexi-ticket may, of course, have more options available to them and be able to travel with a different bus operator from another nearby bus stop.
Additional buses are being provided to increase capacity on busy routes but we cannot guarantee spaces on every bus at every stop.
Children who have a flexi-ticket may, of course, have more options available to them and be able to travel with a different bus operator from another nearby bus stop.
Additional buses are being provided to increase capacity on busy routes but we cannot guarantee spaces on every bus at every stop.
Through our media campaign, local businesses, employees and the general public are being asked to vary their travel times where possible to reduce pressure on the transport network during peak periods.
The latest Government guidance can be found at:
Transport to school and other places of education: autumn term 2020
Transport to school and other places of education: autumn term 2020