Flintshire could extend free bus passes to college students taking vocational courses
Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet will consider plans next week to extend free school transport to post-16 students taking vocational courses at Coleg Cambria, after a cross-party review group backed a significant expansion of the county’s discretionary transport policy.
Under the proposals, students living in Flintshire could become eligible for free transport to Coleg Cambria sites at Connah’s Quay, Northop, Wrexham and Llysfasi (land-based courses only) and Deeside Sixth.
The current policy covers academic courses at secondary school sixth forms and a handful of out-of-county schools, but offers no equivalent support for learners pursuing vocational qualifications.
The recommendation comes from a Task and Finish Group set up following a Notice of Motion to Full Council in December 2024, which called for a wholesale review of the county’s school transport arrangements. The group met monthly from September 2025 and examined six areas of the existing policy.
Cabinet members will also be asked to consider writing to Airbus, Flintshire’s largest private employer, to explore whether the company would sponsor post-16 transport costs.
The group also suggested the council investigate whether transport funding could be accessed through the Investment Zone, specifically for apprenticeship routes.
The group recommended a new exceptional hardship fund for families who fall outside the standard benefit-based eligibility criteria.
Applications would need to be made through an advice agency such as Citizens Advice, Shelter or Newcis, with evidence of income and savings.
The council said it does not have capacity to consider direct applications from families.
On faith school transport, the group stopped short of a firm recommendation, saying it was ‘minded’ to back an extension of free travel to all faiths as defined under the Equality Act 2010, but only after legal advice is received and subject to a full options appraisal, equality impact analysis and costs review.
The group proposed no changes to Welsh medium transport.
If Cabinet backs the proposals on 24 March, a six-week public consultation is due to open in April, with results reported to Cabinet in July. Any policy changes would be published in September 2026, with implementation not expected until September 2027.
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