The School Transport Action Group (STAG) is a community-led campaign advocating for better routes, fairer funding, and safer travel for students in our local area.
The School Transport Action Group (STAG) is a parent-led, non-political grassroots campaign coalition formed by families across North Yorkshire.
Map of North Yorkshire. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
In 2024, North Yorkshire Council pushed through a controversial budget-saving policy that restricted free school transport eligibility, creating severe challenges for families.
Historically, North Yorkshire Council provided free school transport to children attending either their nearest school or their designated catchment school. This aligned travel support with local admissions planning and family choice.
Under the new rules, the Council restricted free transport eligibility to the absolute nearest school only, regardless of traditional catchment areas. This shift has affected families across the county, particularly in rural areas where the catchment school is often slightly further away than a school in a different direction, sometimes in an entirely different county.
Parents who choose to send their children to their traditional catchment school must pay a material financial penalty for a bus pass if it is not the absolute nearest school, or arrange private transport. If this is not financially viable, families may feel forced to change schools, which can lead to siblings attending different institutions.
The nearest-school policy suffers from key structural issues:
These basic flaws underpin the 66 failings documented by STAG.
If you have been affected by the changes to North Yorkshire's school transport policy, here are the most effective actions you can take today:
Lobby ward representatives
Councillors vote on county policies and represent you directly on North Yorkshire Council. Tapping their influence is critical to voice community safety concerns, and force a policy review at County Hall.
Write to Councillor →Pressure Parliament
MPs represent your constituency in the UK Parliament. Contacting them raises national awareness, pressures the Department for Education (DfE) to review calculations, and highlights breaches in Westminster.
Write to MP →Grounds for free travel
If your child is refused transport, you can appeal. Ground your case in the systemic, administrative, and communication flaws detailed in our campaign's 66 Failings dossier.
How to Appeal →Connect with the campaign, join the conversation, and stay up-to-date with our efforts to protect rural school transport.
Get direct email notifications regarding upcoming council meetings, action alerts, community surveys, and key campaign updates.
Connect with over 1,000+ local parents, share your school transport stories, ask questions, and collaborate on local safety campaigns.
A place to look at all STAG issues, campaigns, and key updates.
Need help with your school transport appeal? Have suggestions or media requests? Email us directly to get in touch with our team.
Our campaign and the challenges facing North Yorkshire families have featured in regional and national news coverage. Read the reports below:
