Increase in off-site learning prompts review of transport

North Lincolnshire Council has commissioned Steer Davies Gleave to undertake a review of transport services for students aged 14-19 participating in off-site learning activities in the authority.

With  off-site learning becoming more popular and a growing range of vocational qualifications now being offered, the Council needs to ensure that students are able to access these opportunities.

The review of transport services seeks to identify cost effective and efficient transport solutions for students engaged in off-site learning and aims to facilitate a more co-ordinated approach to transport provision among schools and colleges.

Steer Davies Gleave will be interviewing school and college representatives as well as Council officers for the study. Current provision – including services provided by the Council, transport operators and independently by schools –  is being mapped to build a comprehensive visual representation of services available. The study will also produce a cost model allowing the potential impact of different transport options to be calculated.

Ruth Bohin, Child Support Services Officer at North Lincolnshire Council, said:

“We are pleased to have commissioned Steer Davies Gleave to work on this project and look forward to receiving their findings and recommendations which we hope will enable us to continue to support students’ access to offsite learning in the future in a cost effective and sustainable way.”

The study builds on Steer Davies Gleave’s expertise in promoting sustainable school travel through both travel planning and development of sustainable school transport strategy for local authorities, and is due to report in April 2011.