Education Act 1996

[F1508F[F2Local authorities] in England: provision of transport etc for adult learnersE+W

(1)A [F3local authority] in England must make such arrangements for the provision of transport and otherwise as they consider necessary, or as the Secretary of State may direct, for the purposes mentioned in subsections (2) and (3).

(2)The first purpose is to facilitate the attendance of adults receiving education at institutions—

(a)maintained or assisted by the authority and providing further or higher education (or both), or

(b)within the further education sector.

(3)The second purpose is to facilitate the attendance of relevant young adults receiving education or training at institutions outside both the further and higher education sectors, but only in cases where the [F3local authority] have secured for the adults in question—

(a)the provision of education or training at the institution in question, and

(b)the provision of boarding accommodation under section 514A.

(4)Any transport provided under subsection (1) must be provided free of charge.

(5)In considering what arrangements it is necessary to make under subsection (1) in relation to relevant young adults, a [F3local authority] must have regard to what they are required to do under section 15ZA(1) in relation to those persons.

(6)In considering whether they are required by subsection (1) to make arrangements in relation to a particular adult, a [F3local authority] must have regard (among other things) to the age of the adult and the nature of the route, or alternative routes, which the adult could reasonably be expected to take.

(7)Arrangements made under subsection (1) by virtue of subsection (3) to facilitate full-time education or training at an institution outside both the further and higher education sectors must be no less favourable than the arrangements made for relevant young adults of the same age for whom the authority secure the provision of education at another institution.

(8)A [F3local authority] in England may pay all or part of the reasonable travelling expenses of an adult—

(a)receiving education or training at an institution mentioned in subsection (2) or (3), and

(b)for whose transport no arrangements are made under subsection (1).

(9)In this section—

  • “adult” means a person who is neither a child nor a person of sixth form age,

  • “sixth form age” is to be construed in accordance with section 509AC(1), and

  • “relevant young adult” means an adult who is aged under 25 and is subject to learning difficulty assessment.]