Doncaster Council Finalises Post 16 Transport Policy for 2025/2026 with No Planned Changes

Doncaster Council has finalised its Post 16 Transport Policy for the 2025/2026 academic year with no planned changes to the current statement. The document will be refreshed only to reflect any future updates issued by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority or central government guidance. This policy sets out the arrangements for travel assistance available to eligible post-16 students attending education or training.

Related policies under review

The Home to School Travel Assistance Policy was reviewed and updated to cover the period 2022-2027 after formal consultation began in November 2021. That process addressed rising requests for support and increasingly complex needs among pupils. The Resilient Network highway maintenance strategy, aligned with the Department for Transport's Transport Resilience Review, is due for its next biennial review in April 2026. The Transport Policies and Programme remains the annual capital document used to secure central government grant aid and supports the wider Borough Council transport strategy.

These policies directly affect how residents, particularly families with school-age children and post-16 learners, access education and training across the borough. Stable post-16 arrangements mean continued eligibility criteria for those travelling to colleges or training providers, while the Home to School policy governs support for younger pupils with assessed needs. Highway maintenance under the Resilient Network influences the condition of routes used for daily school runs, work commutes and access to local services.

Evidence from past reviews

A 2012 zero-based review of all transport operations for Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council delivered £1.79m in annual revenue savings through a three-year change project. This figure remains the documented outcome of that exercise and illustrates the scale of operational adjustments previously achieved within the council's transport functions. Residents continue to rely on the resulting service frameworks for school travel and road maintenance priorities.

The next scheduled action is the biennial review of the Resilient Network strategy in April 2026. No further dates for policy refresh or consultation have been set beyond the requirement to incorporate external guidance when issued. The Transport Policies and Programme will continue to be produced annually to support funding applications.