Helping students, parents/carers and staff plan safe, sustainable journeys to and from school this spring  

As all children and young people will now return to their classrooms for the spring term, as part of the Government’s roadmap for leaving lockdown, we remain committed to doing our part to help them travel to school and college safely on our network.   

 

School services

From 8 March, TfL are planning to run bus services in a similar way to how they did during the autumn term. This means:  

  

• Extra services on some routes, with some adjustments to services that ran last year to reflect demand  
• Up to half of buses on certain higher-frequency routes signed as 'school services' (generally between 07:30 and 09:00 and 14:30 and 16:30)  
• A full service on our existing school day-only routes (routes generally numbered 600-699)    

  

These arrangements are planned to be in place until at least the end of the current term and TfL will confirm arrangements for after Easter in due course.   

  

Schoolchildren travelling without adults should travel on the school services where possible, to help provide space for other customers on regular services. Customers who are not schoolchildren but who need to travel at school travel times (including school staff) are strongly encouraged to use regular services.  

  

The full details of planned additional services and routes operating with buses signed as a ‘school service’ will be available shortly at: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/bus-changes.   

  

Both TfL and the Council will continually review how our local network is operating to ensure our approach is working and meeting demand as best as possible. Please check the TfL  dedicated webpage regularly for the latest information on school travel.  

 

  

Safe travel across the public transport network   

TfL are continuing to take a range of measures to ensure that the public transport network is clean and safe – including an enhanced cleaning regime. They will ask everyone travelling to continue following their  safer travel guidance to protect themselves and others. It is compulsory for everyone aged 11 and over to wear a face covering over their nose and mouth throughout any public transport journey unless exempt. Bus windows should remain open to ensure a good supply of fresh air, even in cold weather.  

  

If a child aged 11 to 17 isn’t wearing a face covering without an exemption or reasonable explanation, TfL officers may arrange for a warning letter to be sent to their parent or guardian. Further non-compliance could lead to the suspension of their concessionary travel.   

 

The Broadway and Market Place are likely to be particularly busy during the school travel peaks. Their operational teams will be deployed to these areas to provide assistance and they would appreciate your support in working with them in and around these areas to ensure their safer travel guidance is followed.