Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008
The Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008 (‘the Measure’) makes provision about the travel of those receiving primary, secondary or further education or training to and from schools or other places where they receive it.
The Welsh Government’s main objectives in implementing the Measure are to:
- increase entitlement to free transport to school for primary school children if they live two miles or further away from the school;
- re-enact entitlement to free transport for secondary school children if they live three miles or further away from the nearest suitable school;
- provide entitlement to free transport to school if the parents want their child to be educated at a school of a religious character, subject to age/distance criteria, if the nearest suitable school is not of such character;
- introduce a specific requirement to assess and provide for the needs of looked after children and to clarify related payment arrangements between local authorities in Wales;
- require local authorities and the Welsh Ministers, when exercising their functions under the Measure, to promote access to Welsh medium education;
- require Welsh Ministers to make a code of conduct (the All-Wales Travel Behaviour Code) in relation to travel to and from places of learning and require this to become part of a school’s behaviour policy; and
- give local authorities the power to change school session times if that can improve transport arrangements or environmental sustainability.
The Explanatory Notes to the Measure provide detailed commentary on the various provisions.
Coming into force
Sections 27 to 29 came into force at the end of the two-month period following Royal Approval (in other words on 10 February 2009), in accordance with section 28(1).
The remaining provisions of the Measure come into force in accordance with provision made by the Welsh Ministers by order, in accordance with section 28(2).
The following Orders have been made:
- The Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008 (Commencement No. 2) Order 2009
- The Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2009
Subordinate legislation made under the Measure:
| Title | Citation number | Made date | Coming into force date | Explanatory Memorandum |
| The Learner Travel Information (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 | 2010 No. 192 (W.27) | 2 February 2010 | 1 April 2010 | Explanatory Memorandum |
| The Learner Travel Information (Wales) Regulations 2009 | 2009 No. 569 (W. 53) | 9 March 2009 | 1 April 2009 | Explanatory Memorandum |
Consideration of the legislation by the Senedd
The Measure was introduced on 15 April 2008 by Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, who was the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport at the time. The Measure was passed by Senedd Cymru (known then as the National Assembly for Wales) on 30 September 2008.
More information about the Measure is available on the Senedd website including a record of the passage of the Measure through the Senedd and the Explanatory Memorandum which was prepared by the Welsh Government (as amended after Stage 2).
The Measure received Royal Approval on 10 December 2008.