Nearly 6,500 families call on education secretary Bridget Phillipson to close post-16 transport loophole

2 mins read

Thursday 26 March 2026

Tags: school transport in England, Post 16 students, Close the Loophole campaign

This advice applies in England only.

A woman stands outside the Department for Education building holding a letter addressed to the Secretary of State, requesting action for disabled children’s transport and showing support from 6,200 people.

Contact’s school transport lead, Rachel Dixon, has delivered a letter to the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Philipson, from parents campaigning for post-16 school or college transport for disabled students in England.

The letter calls on the government to Close the Loophole leaving disabled young people without the transport they need. Nearly 6,500 families and supporters signed the letter.

Currently, young disabled people aged 16-plus in England are expected to stay in education until they’re 18. Yet government guidance in England leaves post-16 school transport at the discretion of local authorities.

Watch Rachel hand in the letter below.

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A post shared by Contact – for families with disabled children (@contactfamilies)

A huge thank you to everyone who signed our letter

Rachel said: 

“We want to say a huge thank you to the families behind this letter, many of whom are fighting their own transport battles, and to the thousands of families and supporters that signed it. This shows the enormous support there is for this.

“Transport isn’t a luxury. It’s vital: it keeps young people in education, families in employment and families with disabled children going. It gives them a chance at an ordinary life. It makes no sense that young people stay in education or training until at least 18, but their transport stops at 16. The law isn’t there to support them.

“Our campaign and the change we want will mean a fairer system where transport decisions are  based on need, not age. This is not about wanting anything special. It’s about disabled young people getting an education they have a right to and deserve and the support they need to get them there.”

Next steps

Contact will ask the Secretary of State to meet with us and parents impacted by this loophole in the law. We’ll continue to campaign for a system where all disabled young people get the support they need to continue in education.

Find out more about Contact’s school transport campaign.