Transport Policy Statement for Students Aged 16-19 in Further Education - A Summary

2011/12 Academic Year

For full terms and conditions regarding eligibility, students are strongly advised to read this information in conjunction with the detail contained in the full Transport Policy Statement for Students Aged 16-19 in Further Education document.

Overview

This transport policy is for the academic year 2011-12. It is for Tameside residents aged 16-18 studying at Tameside’s post-16 schools and colleges, or at approved institutions outside of the borough.

In this context:

• Full benefits are for full-time students, where the student undertakes at least 12 guided learning hours per week.
• Some of the benefits may be available to part-time students and to students aged 19+.

In addition to the scheme described here, all post 16 institutions operate their own independent hardship funding schemes. These might cover travel needs, and enquiries should be made directly to those institutions.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the detail contained in this document, the partners reserve the right to modify the detailed arrangements in response to factors outside their control.

Overview of Current Transport Provision

General Travel

Tameside students are well served by reasonably priced and accessible public transport, and most routes to post-16 schools and colleges are convenient for travel both within the borough, and to and from other neighbouring areas in Greater Manchester.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) offers a range of fare concessions that are available for students. There is also a range of tickets available that allow mixed modes of transport, using bus, rail and the Metrolink tram system. Fare concessions are available throughout Greater Manchester, making it possible for students to travel across local authority boundaries to access their learning.

Special Transport Needs

Students with special transport needs are a priority for the partners in this policy. The Council may, in association with the learning providers, fund the provision of transport for qualifying students who need it.

Wherever possible, however, efforts are made to provide students with the support they need to travel independently and use public transport. This is considered an important part of providing young people with the independence skills they will need after leaving school/college.

Help for students who attend a further education institution, which is beyond daily travelling distance

• TfGM Bus Cards and Permits are available to all students for travel throughout Greater Manchester. A detailed map of routes covered is contained in leaflets available from TfGM or on the Transport for  Greater Manchester website 
• Specialist Courses outside Greater Manchester are likely to be better served by students attending as “resident” students (e.g. Residential Agricultural Colleges). Such specialist colleges are able to offer a greater level of support from their Learner Support Funds. Enquiries should be made directly with the College. More details can be found at Money to learn on Direct Gov
• Special Educational Needs: students with special educational needs who have been recommended to study at a residential establishment can be provided with escorted rail travel at the start and end of each term if this is necessary.
• 16-19 Bursary Fund: Students aged 16-19 can apply directly to colleges to help with the costs of learning. Support is based on the level of household income. Further information is available from the website: Money to learn on Direct Gov

Concessionary Fares operated by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) – a summary

Scheme	Eligibility	Benefits	Cost	Further Information
Scholars’ Concessionary Permit	Full-time Students	Half fares from home to place of study	£5 for permit	Application forms from colleges and bus stations
System 1 Travel: Student Bus Saver Card	Must join GM Travel Club (free) and possess photo card	Unlimited bus travel in GM	Weekly £14.25 Monthly £51.00 Annual: £530.00	For full details see the System One Travel Card website
System 1 Travel: Bus and Train County Cards	As above, and those with photo Railcards	Unlimited travel on GM bus, train and City Zone Metrolink	Weekly: £32:00 Monthly £100.00 Annual: £1005.00	For full details see the System One Travel Card website
Stagecoach: Unirider ticket	Varies	Reduced fares		For further information see the Stagecoach Manchester Website
First Group: Student Tickets	Varies	Reduced fares		For further information see the First Group Manchester Website
Colleges	Varies			Hardship Funds – contact College directly after enrolment
Special Bus Services				Some special bus services are provided for travel to Tameside post-16 schools and colleges from parts of the borough. See TfGM web site for up-to-date information.

Provision for Pupils with Disabilities and/or Learning Difficulties

The Council’s Inclusive Services team, in liaison with relevant colleges, where appropriate, will assess an individual’s needs, and, depending on the outcome of that assessment, will:

• provide mobility or independence training those students potentially capable of independent travel, to assist them to benefit from the free travel available.
• make arrangements for transport, with no charge to students

Students who are educated outside Tameside may be provided with transport organised directly by Inclusive Services. This varies from the provision of escorted rail travel for students educated in residential establishments, to the provision of taxis for students attending colleges in neighbouring authorities, where the specific course could not be provided in Tameside.

Transport for Greater Manchester also provides a range of free and concessionary travel arrangements for those registered as disabled, blind, or with serious walking difficulties. This can cover bus, train and Metrolink travel. Terms and conditions apply.

Further information is available from the Transport for Greater Manchester Accessible Transport page .

Travel Concessions TfGM
PO Box 429
Manchester
M60 1HX.
Phone: 0161 244 1050

To ask for this information in other formats, such as in large print, in Braille, on audio tape, on CD and in other languages, please phone 0871 200 22 33.

Useful Contacts

Web Sites

• Transport for Greater Manchester
• Ashton Sixth Form College
• Tameside College:
  • Ashton Campus
  • Hyde Clarendon
• All Saints Catholic College
• Audenshaw School Sixth Form
• New Charter Academy
• Droylsden Academy

E-mail addresses to any of the above can be found through the websites.

Telephone Contacts

• Tameside Council Inclusive Services Transport: 0161 342 3205/3691
• TfGM General Travel Enquiries: 0161 228 7811
• Tameside College:
  • Student Services Ashton Campus: 0161 908 6789
  • Student Services Hyde Clarendon: 0161 908 6832
• Ashton Sixth Form College: 0161 330 2330
• All Saints Catholic College: 0161 338 2120
• Audenshaw School: 0161 336 213
• New Charter Academy: 0161 330 7437
• Droylsden Academy: 0161 301 7600