Key Points
- Families and campaigners are urging Leeds City Council to reverse its decision to end free school transport for many post-16 SEND students.
- The council says the change is intended to save about £800,000 and that discretionary support remains available in some cases.
- Parents argue the policy creates uncertainty for teenagers due to start school or college in September and may place barriers in the way of continuing education.
- Campaign group Save Our School Transport raised the issue at Leeds Civic Hall and asked councillors to refer the policy back for review.
- Cllr Helen Hayden said Leeds wants SEND students to have the same opportunities as their peers and pointed to independent travel training, travel buddies and other support.
Leeds (The Leeds Times) July 16, 2026 – Leeds families have called on the council to think again over cuts to free school transport for some young people with special educational needs and disabilities, arguing the decision could make it harder for them to get to school or college from September.
What has Leeds Council decided?
Leeds City Council has decided to withdraw free bus travel for many post-16 SEND students as part of a savings drive worth about £800,000. The policy affects young people over 16 and has become a focus of concern among families who say it may disrupt access to education. The council has said support can still be considered on a discretionary basis, including personal travel allowances and free bus passes in some cases.
Why are families concerned?
Parents and campaigners say the change leaves families unsure how teenagers will travel once the new academic year begins in September. Save Our School Transport said the policy is creating barriers and limiting what young people can do, according to Emma Daniels, who spoke on behalf of the group at Leeds Civic Hall. The campaign has also argued that the impact will be wider than just transport costs, because some families may need to rearrange work or daily routines to fill the gap.
What was said at Leeds Civic Hall?
As reported by the BBC, Emma Daniels told councillors: “We stood here a year ago and raised grave concerns over the revised post-16 transport policy.” She added: “We warned that the policy was not working for young people with SEND. Right now this policy is creating barriers. It is limiting what young people can do.” Campaigners made the comments during a formal deputation and asked for the policy to be referred back to the council’s executive board for review.
How has the council responded?
Cllr Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for children and families, said the authority wants SEND students to have the same opportunities as their peers. She said independent travel training is “a key part” of that approach and said “travel buddies” had also been introduced to support young people using public transport. The council has also said it is still offering discretionary help, including travel passes and personal transport allowances, and that applications and appeals are assessed individually.
What do the rules allow?
The BBC reported that while young people must stay in education or training until 18, local authorities are not legally required to fund transport for post-16 learners with SEND. That legal distinction is central to the dispute, because campaigners say the law places an obligation on young people to remain in education but does not guarantee the transport needed to get there. The Department for Education has also said local authorities must set out transport policy, while retaining flexibility in how support is arranged.
What happens next?
The immediate issue is whether the council will keep to the current policy or agree to review it in response to the deputation and continuing pressure from families. The decision will matter most in the lead-up to September, when affected students need a clear plan for travelling to school, college or training placements. It remains a live local dispute because the council says support exists, while campaigners say the policy is already causing practical barriers.
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Background of the development
Leeds City Council first set out the transport changes as part of wider efforts to reduce spending, with the policy framed around independence and budget pressure. Earlier coverage showed that the issue has been building for months, with parents, campaigners and the council already debating how post-16 transport should work for SEND learners. The council has maintained that its support is discretionary rather than automatic, while the campaign group has continued to press for a reversal.
Prediction
For families with SEND teenagers, the biggest effect is likely to be uncertainty about daily travel, added costs and possible changes to work or care routines if transport is not restored. For students, the policy could affect attendance, independence and access to post-16 education if alternative transport is difficult to arrange. For Leeds Council, the issue is likely to remain politically sensitive because it sits at the intersection of budgets, SEND support and access to education.
