Transport

This page gives you information about home to school transport for students attending Consett Academy.

Please note all policy/criteria is set by Durham County Council and not by Consett Academy. Home to secondary school transport is administered through Durham County Council.

Free Home to School transport – Who qualifies?

Students of compulsory school age are entitled to free home to school transport to:

• the nearest suitable school, if that school is more than three miles from the parental home using the shortest available walking route. 

http://www.durham.gov.uk/article/2919/Home-to-secondary-school-transport

Extended Transport Policy

For secondary school children who are eligible for free school meals, or whose parents receive their maximum level of Working Tax Credit, free transport will be provided to:

  • one of the three nearest qualifying schools, if that school is more than two but less than six miles from the child’s home, or
  • the nearest secondary school preferred because of religion or *belief for students whose parent(s) adhere to that particular faith, where that school is more than two but less than fifteen miles from the child’s home. 

* For this purpose, parental adherence to the Roman Catholic faith has been defined as where at least one parent and the student are baptised Roman Catholic; and to the Anglican faith where at least one parent is a confirmed Anglican and the student is a baptised Anglican.

The six mile upper limit to a choice of schools and the fifteen mile upper limit to a school preferred on the grounds of religion or belief are not walking routes therefore these routes will be measured along road routes.

Transport Contracts

Our campus is located centrally and is on regular bus routes via Villa Real Road, Medomsley Road and Sherburn Terrace and is less than a ten minutes walk to the central bus station in Consett. Taking this into consideration, some local bus services have been introduced or adapted to provide transport to/from our new campus. Details are as follows:-

Castleside/Moorside/The Grove (808)

Go North East runs a bus service (808) at school times between Castleside and the school bus park, serving all stops, which will run as service 808. Times (amended April 2019) as below.

Castleside Church 07:51, Moorside Derby Drive Top 07:55, The Grove Selby Gardens 08:02

Consett Academy 08:17

Return journey leaves the Academy at 15:08.

Please see https://bustimes.org/services/808d-castleside-consett-academy-via-moorside-the-g for more information of all stops.

Medomsley Edge

Go North East is rerouting a current morning journey from Newcastle to Consett to run as a service X72 which will serve all stops in Medomsley running via Fines Road (08.03), then continuing along Medomsley Road, and setting down outside the school at the Leisure centre.

In the afternoon the current service X71 provides a suitably timed journey at 15.39 from Consett Bus Station.

Hamsterley Colliery/Ebchester

Service 806 operated by GEM Travel will run at school times linking Hamsterley Colliery/Ebchester and the Academy.

A weekly ticket can be purchased from the driver at £10 per week or a daily return £2.50 a single £1.40. The same fares are applicable from Hamsterley to East Law however from Shotley Bridge a single ticket can be purchased at a cost of £1.

If you require any further information on this service please do not hesitate to contact the contractor direct, Gary Spark, Transport Manager, GEM Travel Tel:01207 299999 Email:info@gem4travel.co.uk. www.gem4travel.co.uk/welcome-to-gem4travel.

The Dene (Weardale Motor Service)

A service (8.05) operated by Weardale Motor Services will run at school times linking The Dene and the Academy. This will leave The Dene at (08.20), running via Medomsley Edge. In the afternoon it will leave The Academy at (15.25). Fares for this service can be paid to the driver and will be the same as the GNE fare, but without requiring Keycard etc – i.e £1.40 single, for all in students wearing school uniform.

Lanchester Scholars bus (Go North East 15s)

First pick up Lanchester Village Green @ 08:02 operating via Front Street and serving all stops, then runs through Leadgate using Durham Road and Front Street. £1.20 for each journey.

Go North East are encouraging passengers not to pay with cash whenever possible, but if they do to please have the exact fare as they maybe unable to provide change at the current time. Contactless payment is accepted, or for anyone with a smartphone there is an option to purchase the new “School tripper” ticket which is £12 for their school journeys for the week.

Other areas i.e. Delves Lane, Leadgate, Shotley Bridge/Bridgehill

Other ordinary bus services do offer opportunities for students who prefer not to walk to the Academy. Some buses serve stops near the academy or in other cases a walk of approx. ten minutes from/to Consett main bus station will be required. You can find information by calling Traveline on 0871 200 22 33, or via www.travelinenortheast.info.

Go North East’s normal “Get Around” fares for young people will apply on their services – either paid on the bus or weekly passes. Note the Get Around scheme requires the young person to have a Get Around Keycard, which GoNE issue without charge. See their website for details at www.gonortheast.co.uk, or ring their Customer Services on 0845 6060260.