Title, commencement and application

1.–(1) The title of these Regulations is the Learner Travel Information (Wales) Regulations 2009 and they come into force on 1 April 2009.

(2) These Regulations apply in relation to Wales.

Revocation

2. Paragraphs 8, 19 and 20 of Schedule 1 to the Education (School Information) (Wales) Regulations 1999(2) are revoked.

Interpretation

3.–(1) In these Regulations –

• "the Measure" ("y Mesur") means the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008;

• "relevant places" ("mannau perthnasol") has the same meaning as in section 1(4) of the Measure.

Publication of information

4.–(1) A local authority must publish the information specified in Part 1 of the Schedule to these Regulations.

(2) The information must be published before 1 October of the year preceding the academic year to which the information relates but in the case of information relating to the academic year 2009-2010 the local authority is required to publish the information only in so far as it has not already done so (under the Education (School Information) (Wales) Regulations 1999) and is required to do so as soon as is reasonably practicable.

(3) The information must be published –

(a) on the local authority´s website;

(b) by copies being distributed without charge to parents on request, and made available for reference by parents and other persons –

(i) at the offices of the local authority; and

(ii) at every school maintained by the local authority;

(c) by copies being made available for reference by parents and other persons at the public libraries in the authority´s area;

(d) by copies being distributed without charge to parents of pupils who are in their final year at schools maintained by the local authority, other than special schools or pupil referral units.

(4) Pupils are in their final year for the purpose of paragraph (3)(d) if, in the year preceding the academic year to which the information relates, they are in the final year at a school and they might transfer to other schools maintained by the local authority.

(5) It is sufficient compliance with paragraph (3)(d) if there is published so much of the information as is relevant having regard to the schools to which pupils in the final year at a particular school might transfer.

(6) The information must also be published by copies being distributed without charge to any other relevant places which the local authority consider learners ordinarily resident within its area may wish to attend.

Other information

5.–(1) A local authority must provide such of the information specified in Part 2 of the Schedule to these Regulations as is in its possession on request and free of charge to –

(a) the governing body of a school in its area or a school at which a child who is ordinarily resident in its area attends,

(b) the head teacher of such a school,

(c) the parent of a child who is ordinarily resident in its area, or who is or may become a registered pupil at a school in its area,

(d) any learner who is ordinarily resident in its area.

Regulations 4 and 5

SCHEDULE INFORMATION TO BE PUBLISHED

PART 1

1. The local authority´s general arrangements and policies in respect of travel to and from relevant places including, in particular –

(a) the provision of free transport;

(b) any travel arrangements made for learners for whom free transport is not provided;

(c) the payment in whole or in part of reasonable travelling expenses;

(d) arrangements and policies in relation to learners with learning difficulties and learners who are disabled.

2. Information on how to make enquiries about travel arrangements, on any complaints procedure available in respect of travel arrangements and any appeals procedure available in respect of decisions relating to travel arrangements.

3. Any other information the local authority considers would be useful for learners in its area about travel arrangements made by other persons which facilitate the attendance of learners at a place where they receive education or training and which the authority has in its possession by virtue of the assessment carried out under section 2 of the Measure.

PART 2

1. Information relating to the assessments carried out under section 2 of the Measure.

2. Information relating to decisions as to the suitability of transport or travel arrangements for the purpose of section 3 or 4 of the Measure.

3. Information relating to decisions as to whether a route is available for the purpose of section 3(7) of the Measure.

4. Information relating to decisions as to whether travel arrangements are necessary for the purpose of section 4(1) of the Measure.

5. Information relating to decisions to make travel arrangements under section 6 of the Measure.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations set out the information required to be published by local authorities about travel arrangements made under the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008 and set out how and when the information is to be published.