Parents with children going up to secondary school in September who think they may be entitled to free transport are being urged to apply as soon as possible.

The deadline for applications is December 16, the same as the education department’s date for admissions.

Anyone who leaves it too late could find that the bus nearest their home is already full and they would have to make their own way to a bus further away from their address; that they would not be allowed to travel on the bus for their ‘transition days’; that if their application is refused and they want to go through the referral process, by leaving it much later they may find that their referral is not determined by the start of the new academic year.

Parents with children living in Carmarthenshire but moving to out of county secondary schools must apply in the same way.

Executive Board Member for Transport Cllr Hazel Evans said: “I would urge parents to please apply by the deadline and not leave it too late. The sooner the applications come in the sooner the officers can establish the routes.”

You can find information on the council’s school transport policy and make an application at www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/schooltransport