Hampshire County Council launches consultation on school transport policy changes

Hampshire County Council is asking residents to have their say on proposed changes to its School Transport Policy, which outlines how the council provides travel assistance to children and young people across the county.

The consultation, which opened on 3 November, invites feedback from parents, carers, and local stakeholders on two key proposals that could reshape how school transport is managed in Hampshire.

The first proposal would end the Spare Capacity Seats scheme, which currently allows pupils who don’t qualify for free transport to buy spare seats on council-run school buses.

The second proposal focuses on updating and clarifying the wording of the policy, making it clearer how the service already operates.

The council says the changes aim to “give parents clearer expectations” about how school transport is delivered, while ensuring the policy remains in line with government guidance.

Officials have stressed that Hampshire County Council will continue to meet all statutory obligations to provide school transport and that some children will always be eligible for assistance due to their individual needs.

If the proposals go ahead, the revised policy will be published during the spring term of the 2025/26 school year.

At that point, the Spare Capacity Seats scheme would close to new applicants and would be phased out completely by July 2026.

Residents can take part in the consultation until 11:59pm on Sunday 7 December 2025.

Anyone wishing to respond can do so by completing the online response form available on the council’s website, or by emailing their comments to insight@hants.gov.uk with the subject line School Transport Policy Consultation.

An Information Pack and Easy Read version explaining the proposals are also available online.