School transport arrangements for September

Transport will be provided to all eligible pupils who have been through the application process and are unable to make their own way to school.

Officers have been working closely with operators and all school transport routes will operate as normal. School bus timetables are available to check on our website. Unfortunately, the council is unable to provide ‘spare seats’ during this period.

Parents are being asked to please remind their children to wash their hands before and after travelling on school transport and to remind them to keep 2 metres apart when waiting at the bus stop.

Pupils will be asked to show their travel pass at the start of each journey and buses will be boarded one at a time keeping a safe distance between passengers, and the vacant seat at the rear of the bus must be used first. Similarly, when disembarking, pupils are asked to do this one at a time keeping 2 metres apart, starting with the front seats first, working back in turn to the rear seats.

It is not always possible to practise social distancing on school transport; however, in order to maintain social distancing between the driver and the pupils, the front seats nearest the driver will not be occupied.

All secondary school pupils will be required to wear face coverings on school transport including taxis – unless they are exempt on medical grounds. We are asking parents to provide face coverings for their children for the first day of school where possible. The council will provide a reusable face covering for those pupils who do not have suitable provision.

Refusal to comply with this requirement will result in your child’s place on school transport being suspended.

All vehicles will be cleaned thoroughly after every journey.

Pupils should not travel if they are feeling unwell and have symptoms of COVID-19, or if they live in a household with someone who has symptoms or has tested positive to COVID-19 in the past 14 days.

All travel passes have now been sent out but if you have not received yours please email LearnerTravel@carmarthenshire.gov.uk or call 01267 228 362 as soon as possible.

Sixth form students who are returning in September need to tell us if they have not already done so, please email publictransport@carmarthenshire.gov.uk with your details confirming your return to sixth form.

College students need to apply for transport via their college.

Pupils who normally use local bus services and pay to travel to and from school should be aware that bus companies are operating limited services and have limited capacity on their buses, so pupils and parents need to plan ahead.

Some journeys usually used by school children may be running at different times, may not be calling at the schools they usually do, or not running at all.

Schools fare paying services L23, L24, L27 will operate, however 227, 243, C11, C12 will NOT operate for fare paying services. C11/C12 will run for eligible pupils with travel passes only.

Please check times and plan your journey before you travel. Information on bus services throughout Wales is available from Traveline Cymru or Freephone 0800 464 0000.

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