It is more important than ever for pupils to follow the advice and guidance for safer travel on home to school transport to ensure they do not engage in behaviour which may cause a risk of infection to other passengers and operator staff. 

The Local Authority appreciates the continued support from schools in conveying to pupils and parents/carers the message and measures necessary to help minimise the risk of transmission.

Where a pupil/passenger does not behave in accordance with the Warwickshire County Council Home to School Transport code of conduct and/or generate an unacceptable safety risk to staff, operators will be asked to report any issues to the local authority and the school.  Evidence of deliberate acts of misbehaviour could lead to the withdrawal of transport on a temporary basis, and in extreme cases on a permanent basis. 

As part of the advice and guidance, pupils are told to sit in the same seat on the vehicle each day to minimise transmission and facilitate the identification of close contacts as part of the test and trace process.  We are aware that some schools have a seating plan or have collated a record of seat numbers from their pupils that use dedicated home to school transport that can be drawn upon .  For those schools that don't hold this information we are asking that schools collate this from their pupils that travel on home to school transport as soon as possible, in order that this information can be called upon as part of the track and trace process to avoid unnecessary self-isolation periods for some pupils.  

Whilst Warwickshire County Council have pressed the importance of numbering seats or rows on vehicles to the operators where it is feasible, we are aware of a small number of vehicles where seat or row numbering is not in place.  In these instances, we ask that a row number or area of the bus is still recorded.  If you require passenger lists for your school or a visual vehicle seating plan to aid the recording of pupil seat numbers please contact busservices@warwickshire.gov.uk for availability.