The Education Authority provides transport assistance to over 90,000 pupils each day and the school transport network is designed and funded in such a way as to ensure as many pupils as possible have access to appropriate transport assistance. As such, the transport network, which includes EA bus, Private Operator bus and Translink services, is operationally complex and operates to a very constrained timetable.
Changes to the home-to-school transport network can prove very difficult and complex to implement, due to the beginning and end of the school day being peak times for bus transport across the country. The majority of routes are tightly scheduled and can service multiple schools in the area to ensure as many pupils as possible can avail of suitable home-to-school transport and so a change of schedule for one school can have a knock-on impact on many other services.
We are aware that adjustments to the start and finish times of the School day may be necessary from time to time. However it must be stressed that even what may be considered as minor changes, can have a significant impact on existing transport arrangements, including route scheduling, vehicle availability, connections with other services across both EA and Translink.
To support this process, an official “Timetable Change Request Form” can now be completed and submitted for all proposed adjustments at the link below.
Please note that submission of a request does not guarantee that transport can be adjusted to meet the proposed timetable. Each request will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking account of network capacity, resource availability, and the wider impact on other schools and services.