Disputes about whether a child is eligible for transport, or whether a transport arrangement is suitable, are dealt with by way of a complaint or an internal appeal to your local authority (LA). The SEND Tribunal does not have the power  to make orders about these things.

For children with EHC plans, the cost of transport can be relevant in an appeal about the school named in section I. This is because transport costs are included when the SEND Tribunal is weighing up the costs of placements. For more information on this, please see Transport: children with SEN, a disability or a mobility difficulty

All LAs have a procedure for handling complaints about the services they provide. You can complain about the service you or your child has received in relation to travel to school. You can also appeal a decision taken by your LA about travel to school. The correct route depends on what the matter is:

Matters typically handled as an appeal	Matters typically handled as a complaint
Whether your child is eligible for free travel	Problems with the school bus being late
Whether the travel your LA has arranged is suitable for your child’s needs	Delay in replying to correspondence from parents

If you disagree with a decision made about transport, you will need to start by making an appeal through your LA’s own internal appeals procedures.

LAs can decide how their appeals process will operate. The statutory Travel to school for children of compulsory school age, May 2026 guidance (the May 2026 Guidance) recommends LAs have  a two-stage process. The process is set out in the May 2026 Guidance, with stage one being a review by a senior officer and stage 2 being a review by an independent appeal panel.

If you are unhappy with your LA’s decision about your child’s transport to school, you should write to your LA’s home to school transport department to ask for a copy of the transport policy and appeal procedures. Remember, your LA is required to publish this information and make it easily available to you as part of its Local Offer.

If you think that there has been a failure to follow the rules of an appeal or if there are any other problems in the way the appeal was handled or decided, you may be able to complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO). At the end of the second stage of the appeal process, your LA should tell you  that you may complain to the LGSCO if you think it  has made a mistake in the way it has handled or decided your case.

However, if the matter is urgent and serious and cannot be resolved by making a complaint or appeal (for example, because it would take too long) you should get advice from a solicitor on a process called judicial review. This process can look at decisions made by public bodies to decide whether they were made in a lawful, fair and reasonable manner.

If you can’t find the answer to your question in this section, you can book an appointment to speak with us.