R (on the application of B) v Newham London Borough Council

B’s daughter, R, had special educational needs. Following a decision of the special educational needs tribunal, a school across London was named in R’s statement. The local education authority wanted to use public transport to take R to and from the school. B applied for judicial review to challenge the transport arrangements.

B’s arguments included that R should be taken by taxi to the school. This was because her special educational needs meant that it was too soon for her to travel independently. Anyway, B argued that the authority provided a taxi for two other children to go to the school, so it was only fair that R should be taken by taxi as well.

The authority argued that the other children’s taxi was the subject of an ongoing dispute. During the hearing, the authority offered to accompany R on public transport for her first term at the school.