School transport for mainstream schools
Walking route and distance assessments
We use the walking route assessment from Road Safety GB guidelines to ensure fairness in providing free transport on road safety grounds. We decide whether a pupil qualifies for school transport based on distance and the suitability of the walking route to school.
This page sets out how distances are measured, how walking routes are assessed, and the factors we consider when making decisions.
Request a review
You can ask us to review a walking route decision if you have concerns about the assessment.
Email RoutesToSchool@midlothian.gov.uk and explain what part of the decision you would like us to look at.
A qualified officer who was not involved in the original review or decision will consider your concerns and review the original decision.
New route assessments must be carried out during school term time. This allows officers to assess the route when pupils would normally be using it.
Where a route has already been assessed, another assessment will not normally be carried out within 12 months unless there has been a significant change to the route.
Distance
How we measure distance
We use specialist transport planning and mapping software to measure the distance from your home to school.
The software uses a walking network made up of routes that can be used on foot including
- roads
- pavements
- footpaths
- recognised walking links
It finds the shortest suitable walking route rather than measuring in a straight line.
The distance is measured from your home to a set point at the school. Each school has a set point chosen by us for measuring school transport applications.
The walking network is informed by our route information. Any section of a route that has been assessed and deemed unsuitable for walking to school is blocked and excluded from the walking network and any distance calculation. This is why the distance used by us may be different from a distance shown by a general mapping app.
School boundaries
Each school has three designated calculation points within its boundary. These points are referred to as “gates”, although they are not always physical gates or entrances to the school.
When a school transport application is assessed, the walking distance is calculated from the home address to the nearest of the three gate points, using the shortest suitable walking route.
Using three gate points helps ensure that distances are measured consistently and fairly for all applications. The gate points are used for distance calculations and may not be the entrances pupils normally use to enter the school.
Suitability of a route
The Road Safety Team looks at the route itself and the features that affect walking. Depending on the route, this can include:
- pavements, footpaths and roadside space
- road crossings
- lighting and visibility
- traffic speed
- the amount and type of traffic
Pavements, footpaths and roadside space
A walking route does not always need a pavement for the whole journey.
What is needed depends on the type of road and the traffic using it.
- On roads with normal or heavy traffic, there would normally need to be a continuous and suitable public footway or roadside strip.
- On roads with light traffic a route may still be suitable where there are safe places to step off the road and there is enough visibility for approaching traffic to be seen in good time. If there are no places to step off, officers can also consider the width of the road, visibility, traffic speed, the amount of traffic and the type of vehicles using the road.
Road crossings
A walking route does not need a zebra crossing or traffic lights every time a road has to be crossed.
There are different ways to cross a road that we consider suitable including:
- a zebra or signal-controlled pedestrian crossing
- a pedestrian phase at traffic lights
- a pedestrian refuge or island
- traffic calming
- enough safe gaps in the traffic, with good enough visibility to cross
Lighting and visibility
A walking route does not need street lighting along every part of the journey to be considered suitable.
We assume pupils will wear suitable clothing and footwear and will be accompanied by a parent, carer or another responsible adult where this is appropriate.
Maintenance
If your route requires maintenance such as overgrown vegetation; damage to the path or an obstruction contact us at travelteam@midlothian.gov.uk. A maintenance problem does not automatically mean that the whole route needs a new walking route assessment.
If there has been a significant change to the route which may affect whether it is suitable, we will consider whether a new assessment is needed.
Additional needs
The assessment is about the route, not the individual child walking it.
Each child is assessed individually, we will consider their health, mobility, safety, wellbeing and ability to travel.
We may also look at relevant support plans, such as an Individual Education Plan, Coordinated Support Plan or Midlothian Learner's Plan, parents, carers, school staff and other professionals who know the child may be asked to provide information to help understand the child's travel needs.
We will decide the most suitable transport option after considering the child's assessed needs and the transport options available.