school travel tfl

Help with travel to school costs

Free school travel is available for children, but terms and conditions apply.

Transport for London (TfL) provides free travel on buses and tram services in London (zones 1 to 6) for children under the age of 18 who are in full-time education. 

• Children aged 5 to 10 years old travel free at any time on buses and Tubes and London Overground services without a ticket or Oyster photocard.
• Children aged between 11 and 15 will need to obtain a 11 to 15 Oyster photocard to travel free on buses. Child rates will apply on the Tube.
• Young people aged 16 to 18 are still entitled to free bus travel as long as they remain in full-time education and attending qualifying school or educational establishment. For this age group, TfL offers discounted fares for the tube and rail. To access this, young people can apply for the 16+ Zip Oyster photocard .

Find out more about Free and discounted travel for under 18s on TfL website . 

Children ages 5 to 18 could get school travel support from the council outside of the scope of the free travel offered by TfL.

Pupils who are in public care will receive support with their travel from the local authority with whom they are in care. Eligibility considerations below apply and if application fails on this bases, the applicant should contact the virtual school for advice and assistance.

Eligibility and circumstances where help with travel costs may be offered by us

• The child must live in Hammersmith & Fulham. We will refer to council tax records to verify residency and further proof of address may be requested
• The nearest available school must be more than two miles from home for pupils under eight years old and more than three miles for pupils aged over eight. This rule does not apply to over-16
• A bus journey would take more than 45 minutes for a primary school pupil or 75 minutes for a secondary school pupil, in accordance with the shortest time stated by TfL. This rule does not apply to over 16 whose application will be considered on individual merit.
• Pupils must attend their nearest available suitable school. If you didn’t apply to the nearest school of the desired type, or a place was offered but you didn’t accept it, your application will not be accepted. If you are unsuccessful in obtaining a place at the nearest school of your preferred type, you must provide proof of this.
• For post-16 applicants, you must be able to provide evidence that the course of study is not available in any school in the borough and within the distance that free bus travel will easily enable you to and fro school. The grant will normally be capped and you can still obtain the 16+ Zip Oyster photocard which entitles you to discount.
• If your child has a statement of special education needs please see the education, health and care (EHC) plans for further details
• Exceptional circumstances such as a medical or social need. In these circumstances, it may be appropriate for the professional (doctor or consultant) working with the family to refer the child for EHC plan assessment if they deem the child's health is so poor as to affect their normal functioning and access to education in London.
• A child in a low-income family who is eligible for free school meals or where the parent or carer is in receipt of the highest level of working tax credit.

If you feel that your child may be eligible for assistance with travel, please complete the travel grant application form. 

Apply for travel grant

All applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application in writing within 21 working days.

Approved applications

Successful applicants will be notified in writing that a travel grant has been approved. We will carry out checks with the school to confirm that the child remains on the register and is attending.

If a grant has been made but the child is no longer attending the school please tell us. A proportion of the grant will need to be repaid to us.

Method of payment 

If your child is eligible for financial assistance, payment will be paid into your nominated bank account in 2 instalments. This applies to new applicants and renewals that are approved for the start of the academic year.

A form to provide your bank details will be provided with your letter. Payments will be calculated in accordance with the cheapest fare available at the time (usually this will incorporate concessions available to Oyster card users) and will cover the cost of the return home to school journey during week days and term time only.  

The first instalment will normally be made in September and will cover travel costs up until the February half-term break. The second instalment will be issued during January or February and will cover travel costs up until the end of the summer term.

You will not normally need to complete a renewal form for the second instalment as checks will be carried out with the school to confirm that your child remains on roll and is attending.

An application must be renewed at the beginning of each academic year.

Applicants that apply mid-year as a result of moving to the borough will have their travel costs awarded proportionately.

Hammersmith & Fulham Council will not be held responsible for the loss of Oyster cards or any credit that it may contain.

Unsuccessful applications

Where you feel an application has been refused unfairly please write to us to explain the reasons and your case will be considered by us.

School admissions manager 3rd Floor, 145 to 155 King Street London, W6 9XY

[email protected]

If you're still unhappy with the decision after this, you can contact the Local Government Ombudsman .

Other useful information

16 to 19 bursary fund for education related costs

18+ Student Oyster card

Subsidised college transport for 16 to 19 year olds in education

Disabled Persons Freedom Pass

For further information please call the school admissions team on 020 8753 1085.

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School travel plans (stp).

School travel plans help to improve the health and well-being of pupils and staff, and reduce pollution and congestion around schools, as well as saving money for parents and the school community.

STARS accreditation

STARS (sustainable travel, active, responsible, safe) is Transport for London’s (TfL) school travel plan accreditation scheme for London schools and nurseries. STARS inspires young londoners to travel to school sustainably, actively, responsibly and safely by championing walking, scooting and cycling.

• Unlock additional funding grants and school activities from TfL and Ealing Council
• Provide evidence for Ofsted of promoting and achieving active travel
• Count towards healthy schools silver and gold awards
• Allow Ealing Council to work strategically to address traffic issues around your school
• Comply with planning conditions for schools (where applicable)
• Provide networking opportunities with other schools and invitations to award events.

The STARS accreditation comes as bronze, silver and gold awards and provides an on-line travel plan. The travel plan will also help towards keeping pupils safe, improving punctuality and attendance, reducing child obesity and improving health and well-being. Schools can include sustainability within the curriculum, providing a supportive and caring school environment.

All Ealing schools have been set up on the STARS website . The STARS champion can register to access their school’s profile.

You can see your school's level on 2020-21 STARS accreditation list (pdf)

Want to boost your accreditation level?

TfL have put together some guides to help you do this. Each one lists a range of different activities that can be done as part of each event and how you go about them. Doing extra activities during events all count as additional stories and will boost you towards your school’s next accreditation.

• STARS and active travel booklist
• STARS and Big Walk and Wheel
• STARS and bike week
• STARs and clean air day
• STARS and cycle to work day
• STARS and eco schools
• STARS and healthy schools London
• STARS and London climate action week
• STARS and national walking month
• STARS and road safety
• STARS and school streets
• STARS and walk to school week
• STARS and walk to work day
• STARS and world environment day

Already have Healthy Schools accreditation? Find out where Healthy Schools crosses over with STARS (pdf)

STARS 1:1 Sessions

We advise school travel champions to book a 1:1 STARS surgery every half term. These sessions are for champions to get help and advice from the school travel team on anything STARS related or your work on school travel planning. If you are new to STARS or just want to find out more about it and how to become accredited, you can also book a 1:1 surgery with the team.

Book an appointment

To book an appointment please email us ( [email protected] ) 3 dates and times which are convenient for you, for example, before or after school, lunch time or during your PPA time. We will do our very best to make sure we can book one of these in.

All we ask is that the sessions do not begin before 8.30am or finish later than 5pm. Each session will usually run for up to 30 minutes. If you need more than one session, we are happy to accommodate this too. So, why not book your STARS 1-1 Surgery today.

Home learning resources for teachers and parents

STARS at home activities primary schools (pdf)

STARS at home activities high schools (pdf)

STARS at home activities special schools (pdf)

Planning applications

Planning applications for school expansions or rebuilding usually require an up to date travel plan which clearly sets out how the school will promote safe and sustainable travel to the school site and what measures will be taken to mitigate against the possible increased levels of car trips/congestion that the expansion might cause.

Developers and schools must review the STP and the planning process guidance and use the interim STP template to produce the travel plan for their planning application available on the Ealing Council website . For more information contact us at the school travel team.

School travel calendar

School travel calendar events related to sustainable travel (pdf) View calendar of school events related to sustainable travel for 2023/24

School Travel for Life activity planner (pdf) We encourage schools to plan ahead to ensure a smooth accreditation process. Please use this planner or one of your own. Word copies can be sent to you by emailing us at [email protected] . Alternatively, you can save this pdf onto your device, open Word, then open the pdf document in Word to make it editable.

Active Travel booklist (pdf) Encouraging active travel can happen as easily as sharing books with children with exciting travel tales and active travel adventures. We would love you to share the Active Travel book list with your school community, during the school year, but particularly around World Book Day each year. Perhaps you could even have a selection of these books in your class libraries/school library for children to enjoy.

Why not showcase the books in assembly, ask your Travel Ambassadors to peer read with the younger children and discuss the stories and lessons in the books. These are ways of not only engaging the children but working towards your Travel for Life accreditation.

If you know of some books that are not included, please get in touch on [email protected] so that we can add them for future updates.

Big Walk and Wheel toolkit (pdf) The Big Walk and Wheel is the UK’s biggest inter-school cycling, walking, wheeling and scooting competition and is celebrating its 15th year.

Register to be in with a chance of not only winning some great prizes but also joining hundreds of other schools including those in Ealing in promoting active travel on the school journey.

From 11 - 22 March 2024 join in the fun to see the longer term impact on your active travel numbers.

Children will be able to participate as long as they use active travel for the school journey – this includes walking, wheeling (wheelchair users, cycling, scooting) and those who use Park and Stride areas. There is an Ealing league table and the school travel team will be giving daily updates on X @EalingSTARS during the competition to spur you along.

Check out the Big Walk and Wheel toolkit above for some great ideas on how to promote it and make it the best year ever. We look forward to seeing how well each Ealing school does.

Road safety week 19 - 25 November 2023 Road Safety Week is the UK’s biggest road safety event every November, organised by ‘Brake’, a national road safety charity. The theme of Road Safety Week 2022 is ’Safe roads for all', which brings together communities and professionals to promote everyone’s right to make safe and healthy journeys on safe roads.

Here is our downloadable Road Safety Week guide 2023 (pdf) with supporting information, resources and ideas to help schools raise awareness for road safety.

This year we have an assembly schools can use to encourage children to Be Bright, Be Seen. It will help schools to raise awareness of the importance of being visible as the days and evenings get darker.

Email [email protected] if you would like the assembly powerpoint with the teachers notes.

Workshop play script A new workshop-play script, linked to active travel, road safety and air quality. A series of 6 drama improvisation workshops that fit together to form a play, performed by pupils to parents and the rest of the school. This raises awareness of environmental and congestion issues associated with car use, in particular parent parking and supports promotion of walking and cycling. It’s perfect for schools who want to target a specific class or year group. We have both PDF and hard copies that schools can borrow. Please contact us for more information.

Health Fair game (pdf) We have produced this downloadable game for schools to give to Junior Travel Ambassadors (JTAs) to use during their health fairs. It’s a great way to engage families with the idea of active travel!

Terri the Tiger (pdf) Sadly, schools cannot hire Terri the Tiger, our sustainable travel mascot, at the moment! We will let you know when it is safe for him to return to schools. Contact us for more information and to book.

Ealing's junior travel ambassador (JTA) annual programme Programme for 2022/23

Walking and cycling initiatives Walk and cycle to school initiatives and resources.

Active travel maps Maps to promote walking to school

Tackling parent parking issues Organising a perfect parking campaign.

Useful links Websites and resources to help with your STP.

School travel plan support can be provided by: Nicky Batkin Senior school travel adviser Tel: 020 8825 9648 Email: [email protected]

Services for children

• Raising SEN support expectations
• Roles and responsibilities
• Quality first teaching
• Broad area of needs
• Interventions and approaches
• Useful SEND web links
• Glossary of SEND terms
• ELP SEND and inclusion committee
• ELP SEN and inclusion key dates
• Ealing’s strategy for additional and SEND and inclusion 2023-2027
• Special school and ARP and SEN unit provision in Ealing
• SEN وإدراج مقاطع الفيديو باللغة البنجابية
• સેન અને પંજાબીમાં વિડિઓઝનો સમાવેશ કરે છે
• SEN ਅਤੇ ਵੀਡੀਓ ਨੂੰ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ
• SEN மற்றும் பஞ்சாபியில் வீடியோக்களை சேர்க்கிறது
• SEN bulletin March 2024
• SEN bulletin February 2024
• SEN bulletin January 2024
• SEN Bulletin December 2023
• SEN bulletin November
• SEN bulletin October
• SEN bulletin September
• SEN bulletin issues
• SEN provision in the future
• SENCO bitesize sessions
• SEND and inclusion key documents
• SEND and inclusion resources
• How to access the SEND professional portal
• SENCO guide to the parent and young person’s portal
• SEND professional portal FAQs
• SEND who's who
• Teachers support for austistic pupils
• Allegations against staff and volunteers
• Children in need/ child protection response issues
• Education of children outside of their normal age group
• School Admissions Module (SAM) admissions database
• EAP supporting pupils with medical needs policy
• Monitoring and quality assurance of alternative provision placements
• Checklist when choosing an alternative provision
• Attendance checklist for schools
• Attendance missed and the impact on pupil's learning
• Attendance tracker
• Ealing school attendance network meeting
• Flexi schooling
• Leave of absence in term time and fixed penalty notices update
• BMF learning library
• Child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS)
• Child missing out on education (CMOE)
• Child protection advisers
• Children looked after (CLA) network meeting
• Pupil premium grant for looked after children
• Think Equal
• Virtual school for children looked after and care leavers
• Virtual school for children with a social worker
• Virtual school teacher allocations
• Children missing education (CME) reasonable enquiry form
• Children missing education (CME) referral flow
• Elective home education (EHE) off-rolling
• In-year applicant - non-coordinated schools only
• Reasonable journey time to and from school
• Reporting September reception class and year 7 non-arrivals
• Statutory weekly leavers and joiners
• Deletions from admission register
• Leavers tasks and referrals checklist
• Transfer leaver's files and get receipts
• Pupils on extended, unauthorised leave abroad - Letters in SEN schools
• Pupils on extended, unauthorised leave abroad - Letters for mainstream schools
• Children's services duty contact numbers
• Cultural Education Partnership
• EHCP and key review dates
• Ealing community partners referral hub
• Ealing primary centre outreach service referrals
• Ealing young carers
• Early help assessment and plan (EHAP)
• Welfare and safeguarding
• Early years speech and language therapy
• Identify and plan for SEN in early years
• Business and early years' funding
• 30 hours childcare programme
• COVID-19 in early years settings
• Ealing start for life / family hubs discovery and consensus phase 2023-24
• Parent collaboration and SEND bitesize webinar
• Expansion of early education entitlements and wrap around provision in primary schools 2023-2025
• National wraparound childcare programme
• About the EPS service
• Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSA) Project
• Evaluation of the Educational Psychology Service (EPS)
• SEN support from EPS
• Notifying relevant parties of suspensions (fixed-term exclusions) and permanent exclusions
• Disclosure of CCTV and mobile phone footage in exclusions
• Pupil suspension and exclusion codes
• Holiday activities and food (HAF) programme
• About learning mentors
• Becoming a learning mentor
• Case studies
• Measuring progress and impact
• Target groups
• Training and development
• Learning mentor team
• Ealing mental health support team (MHST) in primary schools
• Ealing mental health support team (MHST) in high schools
• Kooth mental health support
• Circle - Crisis Intervention for children and young people
• Organisation charts
• SAFE referrals
• ECIRS referral guide
• ECIRS consultation line
• Contextual safeguarding
• Domestic violence
• Female genital mutilation (FGM)
• Forced marriage
• Radicalisation - the Prevent duty
• Ealing safeguarding and child protection guidance
• Statutory safeguarding guidance
• Children missing education
• Positive handling
• Private fostering
• Private tutor
• Professional challenge and dispute resolution
• Pupils uncollected at the end of the school day
• Recording and files
• Safer recruitment and employee checks
• Role and duties of senior leaders and governing bodies
• Inspecting safeguarding
• Allegations against staff and volunteers (ASV)
• Safeguarding resources
• Social Workers in Schools (SWIS) programme
• Photography and publicity
• Designated safeguarding leads lightning briefings
• ECIRS and MASH process where timely or satisfactory response not met
• Ealing school nurses training modules
• Named nurses by area and school
• School safe scheme
• Climate change and COP26
• Ealing’s junior travel ambassador (JTA)
• PlayStreets for schools
• Tackling parent parking issues
• Useful links
• Active travel maps
• Walking and cycling initiatives
• Speech and language therapy workshops for parents
• Teenage pregnancy
• Therapeutic Thinking

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• Our Partners
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What is accreditation?

STAR is a strategic framework that encourages and rewards school to adopt safe and active travel behaviour. The London School Travel Plan Accreditation Scheme was created in 2007 to set a recognised standard for schools with travel plans that not only promote safe and active travel but achieve it as well. The scheme has three levels;

• Sustainable
• Higher Standards
• Outstanding

The accreditation scheme has the following objectives:

• To target schools in London that have impact on the road network in terms of congestion, safety and public transport delay to meet the minimum standard to become accredited for travel activity
• To guide and encourage schools to deliver against core TfL aims to increase walking and cycling levels and reduce the number of collisions involving young people on London roads
• To encourage schools to work independently as a community and to commit to monitoring and evaluating travel activity through an online toolkit

© Transport for London

London parents encouraged to champion active school travel as TfL launches makeover of its education programme

• Active Travel , Air Quality & Emissions , Environment , Local Government , Public transport , Transport
• 15 . 09 . 2023

Most London schools have signed up to TfL’s successful education programme with almost a quarter seeing exceptionally high levels of or increases in pupils walking and cycling

Using active travel for the school run instead of the car can help improve young Londoners’ health and wellbeing

Almost a quarter of London schools are making significant progress in shifting pupils’ travel habits to walking and cycling, as part of Transport for London’s (TfL) education programmes, which are celebrating 16 years with the launch of a new brand, TfL Travel for Life.

Since 2007, TfL, in partnership with all London boroughs and the London Transport Museum, has run a variety of school programmes for pupils aged 3-17. These are designed to help young Londoners travel better and choose active travel options – walking, cycling and scooting. The majority of London’s 3,313 schools are participating in one or more of the TfL education programmes formerly known as Road Safety Club, STARS, Safety and Citizenship and TravelSmart.

The programmes – now consolidated under a single banner – TfL Travel for Life, have accredited nearly half of the 3,313 schools[1] in London with Bronze, Silver or Gold STARS awards. Almost a quarter of these schools have received Gold accreditation, which means they have either reduced their car use by six per cent or they have more than 90 per cent of their students walking and cycling to school. Since the start of the programmes in 2007, schools have so far replaced 22 million kilometres of car journeys with active travel.

TfL Travel for Life brings all of TfL’s different programmes together to create one cohesive programme through a child’s school life, that will help them travel with confidence and independence, with a new website and more support for teachers and parents.

Choosing active travel for the school run has numerous benefits. Rates of childhood obesity are higher in London than in the rest of the UK,[2] and opting to walk, cycle or scoot to school is a great way for children in the capital to improve their wellbeing and get more regular exercise.

A University of Cambridge study shows that children who regularly walk, cycle or scoot to school are less likely to be overweight or obese, a result consistent across neighbourhoods, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds.[3] A University College London (UCL) study also found that active travel improves mental health,[4] further highlighting its benefits.

Fewer parents driving children to school also improves road safety, as TfL works to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from London’s transport network as part of its Vision Zero programme. Following several measures taken by TfL, there has been a sustained improvement in safety for under-16s on London’s roads. In 2022, the number of children killed or seriously injured on London’s roads reduced by 63 per cent against TfL’s 2005-09 baseline.[5]

Fewer cars also helps tackle the air pollution that leads to poor health outcomes and exacerbates conditions such as asthma, which affects nearly a quarter of a million London children.[6]

Adopting a more active approach to travel and taking part in TfL’s education programmes can help foster a sense of independence and improved understanding of London’s roads and transport network. This in turn can help prepare children and young people for travelling on public transport on their own and even learning to drive later down the line.

London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner Will Norman met with staff and pupils at Gold-accredited Hillyfield Primary Academy in Walthamstow to see first-hand the difference TfL’s educational programmes have made to the school. The academy is part of the School Streets Initiative, imposing a temporary restriction on motorised traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times on six surrounding streets, to help tackle road danger and congestion. The school’s façade also features a green wall constructed from vertical ropes and planters, helping promote wellbeing.

With hundreds of London schools such as Hillyfield already taking part in TfL’s education programmes and succeeding in increasing active travel, TfL is encouraging parents using the car for the school run to consider walking and cycling instead as a first step towards a healthier, happier future.

Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: “For 16 years, TfL’s education programmes have worked in London schools to help children travel safely, healthily and sustainably using public transport, walking and cycling. I’m delighted that, through TfL Travel for Life these vital programmes are being refreshed to ensure that next generation are set up to travel sustainably.”

TfL Travel for Life brings together the different educational programmes (Road Safety Club, STARS, Safety and Citizenship and TravelSmart.) Keeping the same engaging content and adding cohesive branding, an easier online process and a dedicated support team, it will help TfL reach its target of 1,000 Gold-accredited schools by 2025, and replace another 22 million km of car journeys with active travel.

Lilli Matson, TfL’s Chief Safety, Health & Environment Officer, said: “There is nothing more important than children’s health, and prioritising active travel to school is the key to unlocking so many improvements in their wellbeing. We’re delighted to see so many of the schools already involved with our education programmes take such positive steps towards increasing active travel, working towards the common goal of parents and teachers across the city for children to grow up healthy and happy. TfL Travel for Life keeps all the successful elements of our education programmes while introducing new features that make it even easier and quicker to manage, and we urge all parents to consider walking and cycling for the school run if they’re not already.”

Elizabeth McKay, London Transport Museum’s Director and CEO, said: “We’re incredibly proud to partner with Transport for London and the London boroughs to deliver TfL Travel for Life. Each year, our team is out and about across the capital working with 1,800 schools and around 100,000 primary school students to deliver the ‘Citizen’ programme, and supporting all London school’s with their ‘Travel for Life Accreditation’. TfL Travel for Life is a fantastic example of city-wide collaboration to inspire young Londoners to not only make greener, safer, healthier choices when they travel, but also a great way to get them thinking about their role in the future of our city.”

Lucy Straker, Campaigns Manager at Brake, the road safety charity, said: “When we surveyed parents and carers across the UK this year, more than a third (36 per cent) said their children couldn’t walk, cycle or scoot to school because roads are too busy, with a further quarter (25 per cent) saying it was because traffic was too fast.[7]

“It’s every child’s right to be able to walk, cycle or scoot to and from school safely – and the way to enable this is with safe footpaths, segregated cycle paths, safe crossing places and slow traffic.

“So it is really encouraging to see initiatives like Travel for Life helping children and their families understand and reap the benefits of making safer and healthier journeys – because ultimately that’s how we can make journeys safer and healthier for everyone.”

Stephen Edwards, Chief Executive of Living Streets, the charity behind the national Walk to School campaign, said: “Walking to school has so many benefits for children and their families. From improved physical health to better mental health, independence, and walking is both free and the greenest form of transport. Teachers who take part in our WOW, walk to school challenge say children arrive at school ready to learn and concentrate better in class too.

“It’s fantastic that TfL are putting the safety of London’s children front and centre by investing in active travel to school. This really helps build healthy habits for life.”

Related Stories

New london cycle lane “would increase congestion by 800%” says report, £28 million investment proposed for ealing’s roads, women in bus and coach appoint inaugural board of directors, stoke-on-trent’s local transport and active travel plan gets the green light, popular this month, systra signals significant growth with leeds office move, lower thames crossing: planning decision moves closer, local authorities have cut 90% of bus services in england since 2020, new research shows, new team in place for highways delivery in staffordshire, one.network unveils a ‘new era in roadway management and collaboration’, edinburgh suv ban: council warns of ‘complex’ and ‘messy’ situation, tyne bridge: restoration project set to get underway, glenrothes bridge improvements planned.

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School travel plans

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• Services for children, parents and schools

A plan by schools to manage transport issues

A School Travel Plan is a practical plan used by schools to manage their transport issues. 

They have two main purposes: 

• to reduce the number of vehicle trips to a school site by encouraging and/or developing alternative travel options 
• to raise awareness about travel issues such as air pollution and road safety 

School Travel Plans are now produced and assessed on Transport for London’s STARS website

Schools doing their School Travel Plans using the TfL STARS online system can achieve a Bronze, Silver or Gold award. The award level depends on the amount of activities they do throughout the school year. They also set targets for increasing active travel to school. 

Schools who get involved in the STARS program are eligible to receive funding to support their travel plans. 

STARS schools case studies  

St Anthony’s School, NW3 

• Gold accredited on STARS 
• Been on STARS since 2013, and awarded Gold in 2016 
• Achieved 12% increase in walking/scooting/cycling to school in the last 3 years, and a 3% decrease in car use 
• Popular STARS activities that pupils have participated in are: pedestrian skills training, Bikeability and walking trips 
• The school distributes Travel Information Packs to parents and carers. These raise general awareness about the school's commitment to sustainable transport. They also outline steps parents/carers can take to travel to school by foot, bike, public transport and so on.  

Regent High School (Secondary), NW1 

• Been on STARS since 2015, awarded Gold in 2017 
• Achieved a 2% increase in cycling to school since being on STARS. Active travel to the school has gone up by 12%. 
• The school has a bike club. Pupils who are in the club attend cycling related trips regularly. They also learn bike maintenance skills to City and Guilds standard.

We also offer a number of free initiatives to support your schools travel plan. You can find these on the School travel and child road safety page . 

Thursday 14 Sep 2023

London parents encouraged to champion active school travel as TfL launches makeover of its education programme

• Most London schools have signed up to TfL’s successful education programme with almost a quarter seeing exceptionally high levels of or increases in pupils walking and cycling
• Using active travel for the school run instead of the car can help improve young Londoners’ health and wellbeing

Almost a quarter of London schools are making significant progress in shifting pupils’ travel habits to walking and cycling, as part of Transport for London’s (TfL) education programmes, which are celebrating 16 years with the launch of a new brand, TfL Travel for Life .

Since 2007, TfL, in partnership with all London boroughs and the London Transport Museum, has run a variety of school programmes for pupils aged 3-17. These are designed to help young Londoners travel better and choose active travel options – walking, cycling and scooting. The majority of London’s 3,313 schools are participating in one or more of the TfL education programmes formerly known as Road Safety Club, STARS, Safety and Citizenship and TravelSmart.

The programmes - now consolidated under a single banner - TfL Travel for Life, have accredited nearly half of the 3,313 schools [1] in London with Bronze, Silver or Gold STARS awards. Almost a quarter of these schools have received Gold accreditation, which means they have either reduced their car use by six per cent or they have more than 90 per cent of their students walking and cycling to school. Since the start of the programmes in 2007, schools have so far replaced 22 million kilometres of car journeys with active travel.

TfL Travel for Life brings all of TfL’s different programmes together to create one cohesive programme through a child’s school life, that will help them travel with confidence and independence, with a new website and more support for teachers and parents.

Choosing active travel for the school run has numerous benefits. Rates of childhood obesity are higher in London than in the rest of the UK, [2]  and opting to walk, cycle or scoot to school is a great way for children in the capital to improve their wellbeing and get more regular exercise.

A University of Cambridge study shows that children who regularly walk, cycle or scoot to school are less likely to be overweight or obese, a result consistent across neighbourhoods, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds. [3] A University College London (UCL) study also found that active travel improves mental health, [4] further highlighting its benefits.

Fewer parents driving children to school also improves road safety, as TfL works to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from London's transport network as part of its Vision Zero programme. Following several measures taken by TfL, there has been a sustained improvement in safety for under-16s on London’s roads. In 2022, the number of children killed or seriously injured on London’s roads reduced by 63 per cent against TfL’s 2005-09 baseline. [5]

Fewer cars also helps tackle the air pollution that leads to poor health outcomes and exacerbates conditions such as asthma, which affects nearly a quarter of a million London children. [6]

Adopting a more active approach to travel and taking part in TfL’s education programmes can help foster a sense of independence and improved understanding of London’s roads and transport network. This in turn can help prepare children and young people for travelling on public transport on their own and even learning to drive later down the line.

London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner Will Norman met with staff and pupils at Gold-accredited Hillyfield Primary Academy in Walthamstow to see first-hand the difference TfL’s educational programmes have made to the school. The academy is part of the School Streets Initiative, imposing a temporary restriction on motorised traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times on six surrounding streets, to help tackle road danger and congestion. The school’s façade also features a green wall constructed from vertical ropes and planters, helping promote wellbeing.

With hundreds of London schools such as Hillyfield already taking part in TfL’s education programmes and succeeding in increasing active travel, TfL is encouraging parents using the car for the school run to consider walking and cycling instead as a first step towards a healthier, happier future.

Will Norman, London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: “For 16 years, TfL’s education programmes have worked in London schools to help children travel safely, healthily and sustainably using public transport, walking and cycling. I’m delighted that, through TfL Travel for Life these vital programmes are being refreshed to ensure that next generation are set up to travel sustainably.”

TfL Travel for Life brings together the different educational programmes (Road Safety Club, STARS, Safety and Citizenship and TravelSmart.) Keeping the same engaging content and adding cohesive branding, an easier online process and a dedicated support team, it will help TfL reach its target of 1,000 Gold-accredited schools by 2025, and replace another 22 million km of car journeys with active travel.

Lilli Matson, TfL’s Chief Safety, Health & Environment Officer, said : “There is nothing more important than children’s health, and prioritising active travel to school is the key to unlocking so many improvements in their wellbeing. We’re delighted to see so many of the schools already involved with our education programmes take such positive steps towards increasing active travel , working towards the common goal of parents and teachers across the city for children to grow up healthy and happy.  TfL Travel for Life keeps all the successful elements of our education programmes while introducing new features that make it even easier and quicker to manage, and we urge all parents to consider walking and cycling for the school run if they’re not already.”

Elizabeth McKay, London Transport Museum’s Director and CEO, said: “We’re incredibly proud to partner with Transport for London and the London boroughs to deliver TfL Travel for Life. Each year, our team is out and about across the capital working with 1,800 schools and around 100,000 primary school students to deliver the ‘Citizen’ programme, and supporting all London school’s with their ‘Travel for Life Accreditation’. TfL Travel for Life is a fantastic example of city-wide collaboration to inspire young Londoners to not only make greener, safer, healthier choices when they travel, but also a great way to get them thinking about their role in the future of our city.”

Lucy Straker, Campaigns Manager at Brake, the road safety charity, said: "When we surveyed parents and carers across the UK this year, more than a third (36 per cent) said their children couldn’t walk, cycle or scoot to school because roads are too busy, with a further quarter (25 per cent) saying it was because traffic was too fast. [7]

"It’s every child’s right to be able to walk, cycle or scoot to and from school safely - and the way to enable this is with safe footpaths, segregated cycle paths, safe crossing places and slow traffic.

"So it is really encouraging to see initiatives like Travel for Life helping children and their families understand and reap the benefits of making safer and healthier journeys – because ultimately that's how we can make journeys safer and healthier for everyone." 

Stephen Edwards, Chief Executive of Living Streets, the charity behind the national Walk to School campaign, said: “Walking to school has so many benefits for children and their families. From improved physical health to better mental health, independence, and walking is both free and the greenest form of transport. Teachers who take part in our WOW, walk to school challenge say children arrive at school ready to learn and concentrate better in class too.  

“It’s fantastic that TfL are putting the safety of London’s children front and centre by investing in active travel to school. This really helps build healthy habits for life.”

Contact Information

TfL Press Office Transport for London 0343 222 4141 [email protected]

Notes to editors

[1] 737 schools out of 3,313

[2] https://trustforlondon.org.uk/data/child-obesity/#:~:text=Childhood%20obesity%20is%20more%20prevalent,4.2%20percentage%20points%20in%20England.

[3] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190521101344.htm

[4] https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/research-projects/2023/jul/journeys-walking-and-cycling-improve-physical-and-mental-health-across-life-course

[5] https://content.tfl.gov.uk/casualties-in-greater-london-2022.pdf

[6] https://imperialcollegehealthpartners.com/new-innovative-data-tool-is-a-breath-of-fresh-air-for-londoners/

[7] https://www.brake.org.uk/how-we-help/raising-awareness/our-current-projects/news-and-blogs/brake-calls-for-20mph-speed-limits-around-schools

[8] https://content.tfl.gov.uk/getting-to-know-school-streets-case-studies-2022.pdf

[9] https://content.tfl.gov.uk/school-streets-qualitative-research-2022.pdf

• TfL is taking several measures to make it easier and safer for children to walk, cycle and scoot to school. Working with London boroughs, it has helped ensure there are currently more than 500 School Streets in London, at almost a quarter of primary schools. School streets research commissioned by TfL found that parents of children at School Streets schools drove 18 percent less - with those streets also showing an increase in the number of people cycling per hour. [8] One school recorded a 20 per cent increase in walking to school after the scheme was implemented [9]
• Following the Government funding agreement in August 2022, £80m per year was allocated to TfL for the walking and cycling schemes that are part of its Healthy Streets Programme, the scheme that has seen pedestrian wait times at crossings near schools reduced. A 20mph speed limit on a further 28km of roads in the boroughs of Camden, Islington, Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Haringey was successfully completed earlier this year
• Junior Roadwatch, part of Vision Zero, is a road danger reduction education scheme run as a joint initiative between TfL, the Metropolitan Police Service and London Boroughs, in which school children talk to drivers about the dangers of speeding near their school, as an alternative to the driver receiving a fine
• Working with London boroughs, TfL has more than tripled the size of the London-wide strategic cycle network to more than 340km, meaning that more than one in five Londoners now live near the Cycleway network. In June, TfL launched a major new plan to further boost cycling numbers across the capital, including funding cycle training for more than 40,000 children, and there will also be new guidance setting out principles of inclusivity in design to ensure shared paths in parks and by waterways are properly accessible to everyone, including children. The following month, TfL launched 10 new low traffic cycleways across the capital, the most it has ever opened at one time, making it safer and easier for people to travel around London by bike
• TfL has also continued to work on its Safer Junctions programme to make life-saving changes at some of the capital’s most dangerous and intimidating junctions. With the completion of work at York Road roundabout in Wandsworth earlier this year, TfL has so far completed work at 44 junctions across London as part of the programme
• TfL continues to work with young people with its Youth Panel, a group of volunteers aged 16-25 that help to shape transport policy and create a transport network that works for young people. Established in 2009, the panel’s members have helped inform notable policies and plans such as the Mayor’s Transport Strategy, road safety campaigns, and Year of Engineering, among many other initiatives. They also formally submit consultation responses, representing young Londoners, and take part in some TfL campaigns
• TfL Travel for Life is delivered in partnership with the London Transport Museum and all London boroughs, and designed in line with the OFSTED enrichment programme, the Curriculum and the new Climate Action Planning expectations
• Under the new TfL Travel for Life branding, STARS for primary schools will be renamed TfL Explorers, and STARS for secondary schools renamed TfL Pioneers. Road Safety Club, the programme to help little Londoners be safe around roads, will be renamed TfL Discoverers. Safety and Citizenship, the flagship programme to prepare year 6 children for independent travel, will be renamed TfL Citizens, while TravelSmart, the digital tool to guide young people to be more risk-aware, will be renamed TfL Navigators

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School travel support

Have your say on the Post-16 transport policy statement for September 2023 – this sets out the travel support available for young people of sixth form age to attend education or training from September 2023. Complete the survey and let us know what you think about our statement or contact us on 020 7364 4435. 

Travel assistance for children and young people in school and sixth form/college

Transport for London (TfL) operates a scheme of free and/or discounted travel for children under the age of 18 in full-time education in the following table:

Please visit Free and discounted travel - Transport for London (tfl.gov.uk) or call the Oyster helpline on 0343 222 1234 for further information and advice on concessions and how to apply for a Zip card.

The Council expects residents to make use of concessions offered by TfL. If you require support that is not met by free public transport or other alternatives, you can make an application to Pupil Services for travel assistance.

Travel assistance for children in primary and secondary school

Who is eligible.

The council has a duty to make travel arrangements as considered necessary in order to facilitate the school attendance of an ‘eligible’ [1]  child. 

The child must be registered at a ‘qualifying school’ [2] .

 Eligible children are those of compulsory school age (5-16) who meet the following criteria:

1. Statutory walking distance - children who are attending a school that is beyond two miles for a pupil under the age of 8 or three miles for children ages 8 or over

2. Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or mobility problem - children who cannot reasonably be expected to walk to school because of their mobility problems or because of associated health and safety issues related to SEND, including temporary medical conditions. If your child has an education, health or care plan (EHCP) you should contact the SEN team to find out more about school travel for children with SEND.

Tel: 020 7364 5000 - Email  [email protected]

3. Unsafe route - children who cannot be reasonably be expected to walk to school because of the nature of the route

4. Extended rights eligibility - children entitled to free school meals or those whose parents are in receipt of their maximum level of Working Tax Credit and:

• the school is beyond two miles (for children over the age of 8 and under 11)
• the school is between2 and 6 miles (if aged 11-16 and there are no suitable nearer schools)
• The school is between 2 and 15 miles and is the nearest preferred on the grounds of religion or belief (aged 11-16)

We will also consider whether there are any medical reasons affecting the parent/carer's ability to accompany the child to and from school along a walking route which can be considered safe.

Children will usually only be eligible for travel assistance if the council cannot offer a place at a suitable alternative school. Therefore please ensure that you have made an application to your local schools before applying for travel assistance.

[1] Schedule 35B of the Education Act 1996, as inserted by Part 6 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (the EIA 2006)

[2] Section 508B(10) of the Education Act 1996, as inserted by Part 6 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (the EIA 2006).

Travel assistance for students in further education (16-18+ year olds)

The council also provides travel assistance to enable young people (over 16) in further education to access and attend the education and training of their choice.

Young people can apply for travel assistance if they meet the following criteria: 

• are a resident of Tower Hamlets
• are aged 16-18 or a 'continuing learner' who started their course before their 19th birthday
• are attending a full-time course in a maintained school sixth form/college or other establishment. Assistance is not provided to students attending private (independent) fee paying establishments
• are attending the nearest maintained establishment at which the course, or the majority of the course is offered (i.e. at least 50% of the course). If the young person is attending a specialist course, this must be one that ends with a nationally recognised vocational qualification such as BTEC or NVQ
• the establishment is over three miles from the young person’s home address
• their parents’ taxable income was £18,210 or less in the last financial year

If the young person has special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) and an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) you may be eligible for support from the SEN team (contact details above).

Additional information

• It can take up to 30 days for your application to be processed.
• You must be resident in Tower Hamlets to apply for travel assistance and be able to provide us with proof of your address i.e. recent Council Tax bill.
• You must be registered at the 'qualifying school', learning or training provider and provide proof of registration if necessary
• You should provide all the necessary supporting information with your application. Any delays or failure to provide this information will affect the outcome of your application
• Please refer to the application form and guidance notes for further details (See below).

Read the council’s travel assistance policy .

How do I apply?

You can download the form or contact Pupil Services on 020 7364 5006 for a hard copy.

Please view the guidance notes  before completing the application. 

If you need any support or advice, contact Pupil Services using the details below.

Making a decision

When processing your application the council will consider the most suitable form of travel assistance taking into account the age and needs of the child, the distance from home to school and any other relevant factors. You will receive a letter informing you of the outcome of your application.

If your application is refused, then you have a right of appeal against the decision and you will be advised of this in your letter.

Advice on travel support for young students in further education

The transport policy statement provides information and advice for young people in Year 11-13 and their parents/carers about the travel arrangements and support available locally. It outlines who is eligible for support, how and when to apply for support as well as information for young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities.   

Download the Transport Policy Statement .

Contact details for Travel Assistance and Elective Home Education:

• Ali Akbar – Travel Assistance officer Tel: 020 7364 4435
• Karen O’ Brien – Lead officer for Children Missing Education (CME) and Elective Home Education (EHE) Tel: 020 7364 3439
• Rehanaz Begum – Operations Manager for CME, EHE and Scholars travel Tel: 020 7364 1427 (available Tuesday to Thursday)

Related services

• Home schooling
• School clothing grants
• Free school meals