Council contributes to study into rural transport for teenage learners

Herefordshire Council has contributed to a major study of rural transport for teenage learners which recommends major investment in post-16 travel.

The report, entitled "Rural Transport - Long Distance Learners?" has been developed by Norfolk County Council and Lincolnshire County Council with contributions from other rural county councils including Herefordshire. The report, which has been submitted to the Department for Children, Schools and Families, focuses on the challenges faced by young people trying to access post-16 education in rural areas.

Education for young people aged 14-19 is in the process of reform with government plans to raise the education participation age to 18 by 2015. One of the major challenges faced by councils like Herefordshire in encouraging young people into post-16 education is the provision of good transport links.

Although much work has already gone on in the county to make it easier to travel to and from colleges, sixth form centres and vocational course, there is still a need for considerable funding from the government to improve these links, particularly if students are likely to have to travel between centres to receiving the learning of their choice.

A recently published study funded by the Learning and Skills Council and undertaken by a partnership of county councils has identified the key issues facing local authorities when delivering and developing transport support policies.

During the study, consultative work was undertaken with rural authorities, including Herefordshire, colleges and sixth form student support managers, staff working on 14-19 development, students from rural areas, bus operators and disability specialists. The exercise indicated that many students are spending too long travelling and that fragmented funding and the rising number of students was making rural transport difficult to maintain.

Councillor Jenny Hyde, cabinet member for children and young people, said "This piece of work has highlighted the issues surrounding access to learning in rural areas like Herefordshire, and provides a way forward for local and central government to improve access to learning for young people.

"It is important that young people living in rural areas are offered the same learning opportunities as students from urban areas.

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"The government has provided us with tough targets to increase the percentage of young people continuing their education after secondary school, but we need to be able to resource this. I hope they will take note of the study's findings and recommendations for further investment."

The report makes ten key recommendations, including the provision of free or concessionary transport for all young people in learning up the age of 19. It also recommends that agreements be made about responsibilities for planning and funding home to school transport in rural areas, particularly journeys necessary to access different courses under the proposed 14-19 diploma arrangements.