Education Act 1996

[F1 508F [F2 Local authorities] in England: provision of transport etc for adult learners E+W

(1) A [F3 local 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 [F4 education sector and the wider higher education sector], but only in cases where the [F3 local 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 [F3 local 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 [F3 local 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 [F5 education sector and the wider higher education sector] 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 [F3 local 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 [F6 for whom an EHC plan is maintained].]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 508F-508I inserted (1.4.2010) by Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (c. 22), ss. 57(2), 269(4); S.I. 2010/303, art. 3, Sch. 2 (with art. 8)

F2 Words in Act substituted (5.5.2010) by The Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1158), Sch. 2 para. 7(3) (with Sch. 2 para. 7(4)(5))

F3 Words in Act substituted (5.5.2010) by The Local Education Authorities and Children’s Services Authorities (Integration of Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1158), Sch. 2 para. 7(2) (with Sch. 2 para. 7(4)(5))

F4 Words in s. 508F(3) substituted (1.8.2019) by The Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (Further Implementation etc.) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1027), regs. 1, 7(3)(a)

F5 Words in s. 508F(7) substituted (1.8.2019) by The Higher Education and Research Act 2017 (Further Implementation etc.) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1027), regs. 1, 7(3)(b)

F6 Words in s. 508F(9) substituted (1.9.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), s. 139(6), Sch. 3 para. 46; S.I. 2014/889, art. 7(a) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2014/2270 (as amended (1.4.2015) by S.I. 2015/505)