School bus consultation outcome to be discussed by the Combined Authority

17/07/2025

School bus consultation outcome to be discussed by the Combined Authority

Regional decision makers are expected to agree to changing a policy on dedicated school buses next week at a full meeting of The West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The new policy if agreed, looks to create a more equitable service across West Yorkshire, while encouraging children to walk, wheel and cycle to school or use public transport as we work towards a fully integrated transport network across the region.

Following extensive consultation with affected stakeholders and the public about the changes to the school bus network, six services have been identified to be withdrawn from September 2026.

The secondary school services proposed to be withdrawn will still be subject to further engagement to ensure there is a detailed understanding of the impact of these changes.

The services in scope all either have an existing suitable public transport alternative or are less than a mile and a half from homes where children could be reasonably expected to walk, cycle or use other means of active travel to get to school.

The Combined Authority will work with local authority partners and schools to ensure that children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities are provided with transport.

As the Combined Authority works towards creating the Weaver Network and bringing buses back under public control, the school bus network will be considered as part of this process to identify areas where public transport might make it easier for school children to use, and boost their confidence for using public transport, an important skill which will carry throughout their life.

Any further changes to school services would be fully assessed and consulted on.

The proposed services to be withdrawn are as follows:

Bradford

B50 Beckfoot School – Walking and cycling alternatives available 

B99 Appleton Academy– Direct service bus alternatives available

S64 or S66 Titus Salt – Walking and cycling alternatives available

Calderdale

C6 Crossley Heath Grammar - Direct service bus alternatives available

Leeds

S62 Cockburn School – Walking and cycling alternatives available

SM25 – St Marys Menston – Direct service rail alternatives available

All schools have been contacted to inform them ahead of the full meeting of the Combined Authority next week (24th July).

Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe said: “It is vital that we provide safe and secure routes for children to get to school, and we want to ensure the policy is equitably applied across West Yorkshire.

“We will continue to engage with stakeholders and the parents and carers of the small number of children affected to ensure that every child has a suitable option to get to school.”

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin said: “As we look to improve transport across West Yorkshire, we want to ensure services are equitable for all.

“We are working towards delivery of our Weaver Network which will ensure reliable public transport working alongside trains and walking and cycling routes, so whether it is school, work or leisure, wherever you’re going, we’ll get you there.” 

These proposed changes will affect less than 1% of children who use school buses across the region and there will continue to be provision for children going to their nearest school.

The new strategy has been developed by the CA alongside its other work to create a fully-franchised West Yorkshire-wide public bus network by 2028.

Notes to editors

The CA currently helps local authority partners fulfil their legal duty to provide free home to school transport for eligible pupils.

It also subsidises additional services for fare paying students at a cost of nearly £19m per year.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority has arrangements in place for around 328 buses, which carry on average 20,000 pupils per day, and forms around 29 percent of the total spending on extra bus services across the region.

The services affected carry in total on average 195 pupils per day.

The existing arrangements for school bus services in the region were last formally reviewed by the CA’s Transport Committee in July 2019.