Buy a vacant seat on a school coach

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If your child cannot get free school transport, you might be able to pay for a seat on the school coach.

You can do this if:

  • there is space on one of our current routes
  • your child does not already get free school transport on another route
  • there is no public bus they could use

Check if you already qualify for free school transport

How much does it cost?

The prices will stay the same from September 2025.

  • primary school children: £94.35 each term (there are 6 terms in a year)
  • extra children from the same family: £70.76 per term
  • secondary school and sixth-form children: £188.70 per term (6 terms per year)
  • extra children from the same family: £141.53 per term

Should you try the Vacant Seat Scheme?

Children and young people who get free transport are always given seats first. This means:

  • your child might have to get on the bus at a different stop, not always close to your home
  • we may take their seat away if someone who gets free transport needs it
  • we may take their seat away if the bus gets changed to a smaller one
  • we may not know for sure if there are seats to sell until November
  • the following services do not have vacant seats available:
    • BE03 Coleman's Hatch - Groombridge - Beacon Academy
    • CC01 Westfield - Sedlescombe - Claverham Community College
    • CC06 Westfield - Claverham Community College
    • CS06 Barcombe Mills - Barcombe - Newick - Chailey School
    • CS12 World's End - Wivelsfield - Chailey School 
    • CS14 Slugwash Lane - Streat - Plumpton - Chailey School
    • CS15 Barcombe - Town Littleworth - Cooksbridge - Chailey School
    • HE04 Twelve Oaks - Dallington - Rushlake Green - Beestons Triangle - Heathfield Community College
    • UP01 Burwash - Pashley Road - Uplands Academy

How do you buy a vacant seat?

  1. Fill in the request form.
  2. Once we have given places to all students who get free transport, we will tell you if there are seats left to buy.
  3. If you are applying for the start of the new school year, you will find out by November if you can buy a seat.
  4. If you apply after November, we will try to let you know within 10 working days.
Request a vacant seat

Which schools are included?

Check if we provide transport to your child’s school:

Primary schools 

  • Alfriston School 
  • Burwash C E Primary School 
  • Dallington CE School 
  • Firle Primary School 
  • Laughton Community Primary School 
  • Little Horsted C of E Primary 
  • Ninfield C of E Primary School 
  • Rye Community Primary School 
  • St Peter’s C of E Primary School (Chailey) 

See:  Primary school coach timetables 

Secondary schools