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Education and Skills Bill

moved Amendment No. 203: 203: Clause 68, page 40, line 5, after ““statements)”” insert — ““(a) ““ The noble Baroness said: In speaking to Amendment No. 203, I shall support Amendment No. 207A in the name of the noble Lord, Lord Low, to which I have added my name. Amendment No. 203 proposes a revised duty for each local authority relating to home-to-education transfer for 16 to 18 year-olds. There are 1.9 million 16 to 18 year-olds in England, 76 per cent of whom participate in education or training, and colleges of further education account for the largest share of educating these young people with 727,000 attending FE colleges as compared with 447,000 attending school. Research shows that young people are often frustrated by the limitations of public transport and that the demand to learn to drive is high. Poor access to public transport in rural areas is a particular impetus to learn to drive. More than 180,000 out of a cohort of 650,000 teenagers obtain a driving licence at 17, which means that something like 25 per cent of all 17 year-olds seek to obtain a driving licence. The journey to school or college might be one of several made during the day, but is worthy of attention for several reasons. An estimated 10 million journeys to educational establishments are made each week by 16 to 18 year-olds. The journeys are made during the day, often at peak times, which adds to congestion if undertaken by car. Young people and their passengers account for a disproportionate number of the 3,500 road deaths each year. These journeys often make a public transport option viable, with sufficient numbers travelling to the same destination at the same time. Limited funds and limited access to cars among this age group makes public transport a reasonable choice, and the habits developed as young adults often stay with people for the rest of their lives. If young people get used to travelling by bus or by train, they are not afraid of doing so later. Anything we can do to encourage the use of public transport at this stage, the better. I believe that the Government are currently consulting on a long-term strategy towards a sustainable transport system that supports economic growth in a low-carbon world. The strategy proposes five tests that should be applied to judge transport projects: improving economic competitiveness; addressing climate change; protecting safety, security and health; improving the quality of life; and promoting greater equality of opportunity. More effective home-to-education transport for 16 to 19 year-olds passes all those tests at relatively limited cost. Local education authorities have a statutory responsibility for home-to-education transport for the 16 to 18 age group. Under the 1996 Act as amended by the 2002 Act, local authorities should have regard to the, "““need to secure that people in their area have reasonable opportunities to choose between different establishments at which education or training is provided””." The local education authority is required to take into account income, cost, distance travelled from home to school and the needs of those who could not easily attend a particular institution if no such arrangements were made. The Education Act 2002 strengthened those duties by requiring local authorities to publish transport plans, and in 2006 the responsibility for managing these statements passed from the Department for Education and Skills to the Learning and Skills Council. An example of good practice is illustrated by what has happened in Avon and Somerset, where councils and transport operators have co-operated to provide a £420 youth rover card, an annual season ticket for young people. This has increased the numbers using public transport and has also contributed to rising participation in education and training. In London, all those aged under 18 get free travel under the subsidy introduced by Transport for London. It is important that the Government should pursue the policy of improving the provision of home-to-education transport in the interests of making wider choices available to those on low incomes. The Education and Inspections Act 2006 extended local authority powers to provide transport for school-age children in the interests of encouraging choice and sustainability. However, that provision is insufficient for the following reasons. First, some local authorities are not fulfilling their statutory duty to produce appropriate transport plans. For example, some authorities disregard the issue of choice and suitability by simply assuming that the closest place of study is the right one, regardless of the courses available. Secondly, education institutions have to provide increasing subsidies to fill the gaps in existing public and local authority supported provision. A survey undertaken by the Association of Colleges in 2006 showed that 87 per cent of colleges are subsidising transport at an average cost for each college of over £300,000. Thirdly, the Education and Skills Bill will require councils to consider travel time as well as distance in meeting their responsibilities for 16 to 18 transport provision. The aim of these amendments, particularly Amendment No. 203, is to propose a revised duty for each local authority relating to home-to-school transport for 16 to 18 year-olds. The duty presently relates to cost, distance travelled, travel time and the needs of those who are unable to access provision. The duty should take greater account of the ability of young people to pay. I should like to speak briefly to Amendment No. 207A tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Low. We strongly support this proposal, and this issue is one that the late Baroness Darcy de Knayth and I pursued on one or two occasions. It is vital that those with disabilities who cannot access public transport are provided with proper transport to and from their place of education. It is an important aspect of our equality legislation, and I hope that the Minister will look favourably on it. I beg to move.