City of Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet has been recommended not to introduce transport charges for post-16 students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
It would mean the council is one of just a handful in the country that continues to provide free travel for post-16 SEND learners to get to their places of education.
Fees for post-16 SEND travel were due to be introduced in 2020 following consultation but halted due to the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.
A fresh public consultation over introducing charges in Wolverhampton – bringing the city in line with neighbouring authorities – was launched in May this year.
The proposed charges would have applied to students moving into post-16 SEND education from September 2025 in Wolverhampton and those already in post-16 SEND education.
However, the consultation results have been carefully considered, and a recommendation has now been made to the council’s cabinet meeting on 3 September that post 16 charging is not implemented.
The City of Wolverhampton Council’s leader, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: “We’ve listened to our residents and thanks to strong financial management, we are now in a position to pull back from this proposed saving and bring forward a recommendation to cabinet that eligible post-16 learners will not be charged for transport.
“This proposal directly supports one of our key priorities protecting our most vulnerable residents and ensuring fair access to education and opportunity for all.
“We remain firmly committed to independent travel training, empowering learners with the skills and confidence to travel safely and independently.
“This recommendation will now go before cabinet and is another example of how we will always act with care and responsibility, prioritising our finances based on what matters most to our communities, and our continued commitment to our young people within the city.”
In line with legislation there is no transport charge for pupils aged 5 to 16 or for adult learners in 19 to 25 education.