School transport guidance 2025

Section 5 – Further Considerations

5.1 Pupil supervision and behaviour on school transport

57. Inappropriate behaviour can take a variety of forms and in some cases, such as vandalism, can be a criminal offence. Some inappropriate behaviours can jeopardise individual safety or, in the case of bullying, undermine pupils' willingness to use school transport. The safety of pupils using school transport, particularly when boarding and alighting a bus, could be jeopardised as a direct consequence of inappropriate behaviour. Parents and school staff have a key role in encouraging pupils to behave responsibly whilst on school transport. For example, local authorities and/or schools may wish to develop a Code of Conduct for pupils travelling on school transport to support efforts to improve behaviour.

58. In November 2024, the Scottish Government published updated anti-bullying guidance, Respect for All^[23]. The guidance aims to encourage a proactive and inclusive approach to anti-bullying and supports all adults working with, or caring for, children and young people to create inclusive environments where bullying cannot thrive. The guidance is clear that some bullying incidents may take place outwith school hours, such as on school transport. The guidance sets out that while in a school’s care, there is a responsibility to support children and young people’s wellbeing. There is a need to understand that the impacts of such incidents can affect learning, participation and wellbeing and the school may require to support the child or young people involved even if they do not need to investigate and respond to the incident itself.

59. The Scottish Government expects all local authorities, schools and organisations to develop and implement an anti-bullying policy in line with Respect for All, which should be reviewed on a regular basis. The policy should indicate how any issues of bullying will be raised and how incidents will be dealt with and recorded. Schools, local authorities and transport providers should work together to ensure the safety of children and young people on school transport.

60. respectme^[24], Scotland’s national anti-bullying service, provides direct support to local authorities, youth groups, and all those working with children and young people on preventing and responding to bullying effectively. respectme offers free anti-bullying e-Learning which is available from the Learning Academy.^[25]

61. Children and young people should be educated about the harms of substance misuse, both to themselves and others, and all schools are expected to address this through the Health and Well-being curriculum area within Curriculum for Excellence. It is for individual local authorities to work with schools to ensure that appropriate measures are put in place to deal with incidents of substance misuse, such as smoking or vaping on school transport, based on local needs in the area.

62. There is no statutory requirement for local authorities to provide supervisors on school transport under the 1980 Act. While the supervision of pupils is unnecessary on many journeys, it may be desirable in some circumstances where it could address issues such as inappropriate behaviour or bullying. Supervision can be exercised by arranging for a teacher or parent to travel on the bus or by employing an individual to accompany the pupils. Other strategies that have been successful in promoting positive behaviour include seating plans and giving older pupils responsibilities for supervising their peers.

63. It is for local authorities themselves to determine, in light of local circumstances, when and how to provide supervision, and the Scottish Government expects authorities to keep this under review.

5.2 Accessibility

64. Delivering accessible travel, including accessible school travel, is a responsibility shared with the UK Government. Transport providers have legal duties under the Equality Act 2010^[26] not to discriminate, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different people. It requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments^[27] for all disabled people. Since 1st January 2020 all buses and coaches designed to carry over 22 passengers on local and scheduled routes have had to comply with the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2021, in order for accessibility standards to be consistent across the UK. A temporary exemption was in place until 31st July 2022 for closed door home to school services with further qualified exemptions until 31 July 2026 in certain cases.^[28]

65. Although the Equality Act 2010 is largely reserved, it gives Scottish Ministers powers to supplement the Public Sector Equality Duty with specific duties on Scottish public authorities. Consequently, Scottish Ministers have supplemented the general duty in the Act by placing detailed requirements on Scottish public authorities through the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 (as amended)^[29].

66. Regulation 5^[30] of those regulations sets out an obligation on public authorities to assess the impact of any policy or practice on people who share one or more protected characteristics, and the assessment should include relevant evidence from those affected.

67. The Scottish Government has made clear its expectation that Scotland’s transport providers and public services will continually improve their performance to help disabled people make better journeys. Scotland’s Accessible Travel Framework^[31] is about improving the journeys disabled people make, whilst also working to remove the barriers which prevent them from travelling.

68. The vision articulated in the Framework is that all disabled people can travel with the same freedom, choice, dignity and opportunity as other citizens. This means taking steps over and above those actions identified in the Framework to ensure that people’s experiences are as good as they can be, and working in partnership to make sure this happens.

69. In the context of school transport, this means authorities can do a number of things. For example, they should work with providers to ensure accessible vehicles, such as buses which are fully suitable for people with visible and hidden disabilities, are used in the provision of school transport. Consideration should be given to whether school transport can be accessed easily from all stops along a school bus journey. Pupils should also feel safe and secure whilst waiting for transportation to and from school. However, accessibility is about more than physical infrastructure. For example, staff should have appropriate levels of competency and training when working in the field of disability awareness. Positive interactions with staff can help build the confidence of disabled people to travel. In all this work, carrying out suitable equality impact assessments which obtain the views of disabled people about their needs and wishes is especially important. In their work on school transport, authorities should also strive to make sure any unmet need for information or assistance about using public and accessible transport outside school is included.

5.3 Managing vehicles in and around schools

70. Local authorities have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984^[32] to manage and maintain local roads in their area as well as duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984^[33] to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic.

5.4 Parking around schools

71. Authorities can use traffic regulation orders to manage and restrict parking around schools or to exclude vehicles at particular times. Such measures will also make it safer for children to walk, wheel and cycle to school as well as creating a more pleasant environment. For example, the City of Edinburgh Council has introduced the School Streets initiative at 14 primary schools across the city, some of which have been in operation since 2015. This initiative prohibits most vehicular traffic moving within a zone set out by flashing signage. It is similar to the signs used for part time 20mph speed limits and these flash during specified time periods before and after school. Permits are issued to residents to maintain access, Blue Badge holders and other permitted vehicles, such as emergency services, are exempt from the prohibition. These restrictions are enforceable by Police Scotland. By limiting vehicle access at the school gates, it eases congestion, improves air quality and encourages active travel to and from school.

72. Powers of parking enforcement can either be Police Scotland or the local authority, depending on whether or not the local authority has Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE). DPE is a regime which enables a local authority to administer its own parking penalties, including the issuing of Penalty Charge Notices to vehicles which a local authority that has DPE, can enforce. However, if the local authority has not decriminalised parking enforcement, Police Scotland would be responsible for enforcement. If the parking is still criminalised, Police Scotland could issue fixed penalty tickets within the appropriately marked areas.

73. The ‘School Keep Clear’ markings indicating a school entrance are mandatory (“must not stop”) if they are accompanied by a vertical sign, but only advisory (“should not stop”) if laid on the road. This is set out within the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.28. This marking is enforceable by the Police without a traffic regulation order (as a moving traffic offence). In order to enforce waiting on the marking as a waiting offence (enforceable by local authority parking attendants), an upright sign with the restrictions and an associated Traffic Regulation Order is required. Links to further guidance can be found in Appendix A.

5.5 Managing vehicle speeds

74. The Scottish Government is dedicated to making roads safer through Scotland's Road Safety Framework to 2030^[34]. This aims to achieve world-leading road safety performance by 2030, eliminate serious injuries and fatalities by 2050. Reducing excessive speed is a key focus of this Framework. It has a renewed focus on pedestrians and people who cycle, including specific casualty reduction targets for children and cyclists. To support local authorities, a newly published “Implementation Guide for 20 mph Speed Limits in Scotland^[35] is now available. This will ensure a consistent and effective approach to implementing 20mph limits, fostering safer environments in communities across the country.

75. Early communications aid a wider acceptance and smoother implementation of 20mph speed limits, it is expected that such speed limits will enhance road safety making it easier for people to choose walking, wheeling and cycling for everyday journeys. The Guide encourages local authorities to introduce them near schools, in residential zones and in other areas of towns and cities where there is a significant volume of pedestrian and/or cyclist activity. The Scottish Government wants to see 20 mph limits and zones implemented in Scotland where they are appropriate and is keen to encourage initiatives that cut speed, particularly near schools and in residential areas.

5.6 Managing the type of vehicle traffic on school transport routes

76. Local authorities may consider it desirable to prohibit access by certain vehicles to some routes in the interests of school transport safety. For example, they may consider it desirable to prohibit large goods vehicles (“LGVs”) on narrow country roads during times when school buses are likely to be running on these. Local authorities can achieve this by exercising powers available to them under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, which allows authorities to make Traffic Regulation Orders preventing the use of local roads by vehicular traffic of a kind or in a manner which is unsuitable, having regard to the character of the road. Mandatory restrictions can cover small lengths of a road, or large area networks, and can be based on gross vehicle weight, axle weight, length, height, width, or any other readily understood characteristic of the vehicles.

77. One of the most cost-effective traffic management measures is the signposting of suitable alternative routes, where appropriate, to direct LGV traffic away from particular parts of a road network at certain times, such as when a road is likely to be used by school buses.

78. When considering schemes to control LGVs, the local authority should bear in mind the need to maintain a balance between the protection of the community against the effects of heavy lorry traffic, and the maintenance of an effective road freight distribution system essential to a healthy local economy.