Appeal a school transport decision

If your child is not eligible for free home to school transport, there are other school transport options available.

If your application has been turned down there is a two stage review and appeal process.

Stage 1 - review

You can ask for a review if you feel there are exceptional, mitigating family circumstances we should consider.

A senior officer, who was not part of the initial decision to refuse home to school transport, will review your application.

To ask for a review:

• contact your local area education office for a review form

• return the form by email with any supporting evidence you can provide

Stage 2 - appeal

If your stage 1 review was turned down, you can request a further review called a home to school transport appeal.

The independent transport appeal panel (ITAP) will carry out this review if you submit an appeal.

The panel meets approximately every six weeks to consider the appeals. If you request an appeal, the paperwork which was considered at stage 1 will be forwarded to the panel.

You must:

• send extra supporting evidence which was not available at the time of the stage 1 review

• let us know how you wish to present your appeal

You can present your appeal:

• in person (this is usually at County Hall in Preston)

• via MS Teams virtual meeting

• via telephone call

• in writing

If your appeal is not allowed, there is no further right of appeal unless you can provide extra evidence, which was not available at the time of the stage one review and stage 2 appeal.

If you feel that there was a failure to comply with the procedural rules or if there were any other irregularities in the way your appeal has been handled, then you have a right to complain to the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO). However, please note that a complaint to the LGO is not a further right of appeal. Your complaint must relate to the administration of your appeal rather than the appeal decision that was taken. The LGO cannot overturn a decision taken by the appeals Panel.

Complaints to the LGO should be made either by telephone, email or by post. You can contact them on 0300 061 0614 or visit the LGO website for further information.

Any other general complaints should be referred initially to appeals@lancashire.gov.uk or 01772 536 776 or to log a formal complaint please email complaintsandfeedback@lancashire.gov.uk.