Citation, commencement and application

1. —(1) These Regulations may be cited as The School Travel (Piloting of Schemes) (England) Regulations 2007 and come into force on 1st June 2007.

(2) These Regulations apply only in relation to England.

Interpretation

2. In these Regulations—

“academic year” means a period beginning with 1 ^st August and ending with the next 31 ^st July;

“pilot period” means the period beginning on 1st September 2009 and ending on 1st August 2012;

“pilot scheme” means a school travel scheme made by a local education authority under section 508E of, and paragraph 1 of Schedule 35C to, the Education Act 1996 and approved by the Secretary of State under paragraph 10(1) of that Schedule, which is in force during the pilot period( 2 );

“pilot scheme area” means the area of the local education authority in respect of which a pilot scheme is in force;

“the Schedule” means Schedule 35C to the Education Act 1996; and

“scheme authority” has the meaning given in paragraph 14 of the Schedule.

Applications to run pilot schemes

3. Every application to the Secretary of State for his approval of a school travel scheme made by a local education authority during the pilot period must be made in writing and must contain information in respect of each of the matters specified in the Schedule.

Annual Reports

4. A scheme authority must provide a report to the Secretary of State for each academic year during which a pilot scheme is in force for their area by 1st September following the academic year to which the report relates.

Limit on the number of pilot schemes

5. The Secretary of State must exercise his power of approval under paragraph 10(1) of the Schedule so as to ensure that there are no more than 20 pilot schemes in force during the pilot period.

Expiry of pilot schemes

6. —(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a pilot scheme will expire at the end of the pilot period, unless revoked by the scheme authority under paragraph 11(1) of the Schedule.

(2) The Secretary of State and a scheme authority may agree, at any time prior to the expiry of the pilot period, that the pilot scheme may be extended until such date as the Secretary of State may specify.

Regulation 3

SCHEDULE Information to be included in an application for a pilot scheme

1. The name and address of the local education authority making the application.

2. A description of the proposed pilot scheme area, including its size, population densities, travel patterns and the main characteristics of its school system that affect transport patterns.

3. Current pupil travel patterns in the proposed pilot scheme area.

4. Principal school travel issues in the proposed pilot scheme area.

5. The capacity of the authority and local partners to manage a pilot scheme.

6. An outline of the arrangements for the proposed scheme, including its aims and objectives.

7. A description of the plans for the proposed scheme, including targets.

8. The educational benefits for pupils, including an assessment of the impact of the proposed scheme on disadvantaged groups.

9. An outline of the wider benefit the proposed scheme will have on the pilot scheme area and its residents.

10. The evaluation strategy for the proposed scheme.

11. Funding of the proposed scheme.

12. The arrangements for charging pupils, including the arrangements for protected children (within the meaning of paragraph 6 of the Schedule) and for low income and large families.

13. Detail of partners (that is persons or bodies who will contribute to the running of the proposed scheme).

14. An outline of how the proposed scheme will improve links between school travel and other publicly funded transport provision, and of how the proposed scheme will link with transport policy for pupils of sixth form age, local transport plans, and bus strategies.

15. Evidence of the consultation carried out by the authority prior to the submission of the application.

16. Detail of how the authority will have regard to parents’ religion or belief in the running of the proposed scheme.