School travel passes

This information applies to children aged 4 - 18 (Reception Class to year 13).

To receive free travel to school:

• You must reside within Caerphilly County Borough Council.
• You must be registered with council tax as residing at the property from which you are applying for transport.
• Your child must attend his/her 'relevant' school. The relevant school is the catchment or nearest school.
• For children in primary education the distance between your home and the school must be more than one and a half miles – the distance being measured by the nearest available walking route.
• For all other pupils the distance between the home and the school must be more than two miles – the distance being measured by the nearest available walking route.

Secondary school transport

For pupils attending secondary school for the first time in September 2021 there is no need to apply for school transport. Details of these pupils will be provided by your child's school to the Integrated Transport Unit (ITU) for assessment in accordance with the School Transport Policy. If your child is eligible for free school transport, the necessary travel arrangements will be made, and you will be notified during the Summer term.

If you have not completed the school admission form for your child to attend your chosen school, please visit the school admissions section.

Please Note: Parents/carers of those pupils who do not qualify for free school transport will not be automatically informed. If you have not received confirmation that your child has been allocated a free seat on school transport, you must make your own way into school.

For in-year admissions or transfers to secondary schools, you should apply for transport using our online form below.

Primary school transport

Parents/carers must apply online to receive transport for primary school pupils at the following link.

Bus passes are not issued to primary school age pupils. Bus drivers will be issued with lists of entitled pupils (name only) to ensure that only those that have been confirmed as eligible are allowed to travel.

Please Note: If you have not received confirmation that your child has been allocated a free seat on school transport, you must make your own way into school.

College travel

For college travel, visit the college travel passes section.

Does my child need to keep their bus pass?

Yes. Do not throw the bus pass away. Your child will need to show their bus pass to the driver every day before every journey for the remainder of their schooling.

What if my child's bus pass is lost or damaged?

In the event that a bus pass is lost or stolen or destroyed, a replacement will only be issued on receipt of a small charge.

• £5.00 bus pass issued by the Integrated Transport
• £10.00 season ticket issued by a Public Transport provider

To arrange a replacement bus pass or season ticket you should contact the Integrated Transport Unit.

Can my school ask the transport provider to allow my child to travel without a bus pass?

No. All secondary learners that are eligible for transport are provided with bus passes that must be used to access school transport.  

Can my child’s friend travel on the school bus with them?

No. Only eligible pupils, who are in possession of a valid bus pass can travel on school transport. All seats have been allocated to eligible pupils. If additional learners are travelling then this may lead to the bus becoming overcrowded.

Make a complaint or report a problem

Should you wish to report a problem or make a complaint please contact us. Please supply as much information as possible relating to the complaint or query.

Data protection

The council is under a duty to protect funds it administers and that you would be acting fraudulently if you give an incorrect address in order to obtain a service to which you are not entitled. In order to deal with your request we may contact other departments within the council as part of our verification process. In the event that we are unable to verify the address submitted is correct the application form will be returned to the applicant.