Transport

Greater Manchester Residents

Students living in Greater Manchester may be eligible for Our Pass, which provides free bus travel across Greater Manchester and access to additional opportunities and discounts.

This means many students can travel to College free of charge using Bee Network bus services.

Travel - Guide - Our Pass

If you’re now over the age for 'Our Pass' but still live in Greater Manchester (for example, if you’ve just turned 18 or are starting Art Foundation), there are still discounted fares available for you through TfGM.

Here are some key things to know:

• 18–21-year-olds living in Greater Manchester can get a 28-day Bee Bus ticket for just £40.
• You can access reduced-cost travel via TfGM’s “18-21” young people’s scheme.
• This scheme helps make travel more affordable if you don’t qualify for 'Our Pass' anymore.

To find full details (costs, eligibility, how to get it) visit the TfGM site

Discounted travel for 18-21 year olds | Bee Network | Powered by TfGM

Students Living Outside Greater Manchester

Students living just outside Greater Manchester (for example parts of Billinge, Garswood and Appley Bridge) may not qualify for Our Pass and should explore alternative travel discounts such as:

• System One Travel - Unlimited travel on any bus, train or tram across Greater Manchester
• Bus Passes for Students | Student Travel | Arriva Bus - Arriva UK Bus [Links]

Orrell Railway Station is approximately a 12-minute walk from College, making rail travel a good option for students travelling from areas between Kirkby and Manchester.

Students may wish to explore:

• 16–17 Saver – 50% off rail fares 16-17 Saver | Half Price Travel | Railcards
• 16–25 Railcard – 1/3 off fares 16-25 Railcard | Only £35 | Railcards
• Northern Education Season Tickets – discounted travel for Year 12 and 13 students (applications usually close at the end of September) Education Season Tickets | Save 50% | Northern

Parking on site is limited and spaces cannot be guaranteed. Parking permits are currently available to Upper Sixth students only, at a cost of £100.

Students with a full driving licence can apply for access via the ANPR barrier system through Student Services. Spaces cannot be reserved while waiting to pass a driving test.

We also ask that:

• Parents avoid dropping off or collecting during peak times
• Students do not park on Winstanley Road out of consideration for local residents

There are designated motorcycle and moped parking spaces (spaces for mopeds are free of charge) at the top of the car park near the sports hall. For directions to College see Contact Us.

You are encouraged to cycle to College and cycle racks are available against the sports hall wall. For directions to College see Contact Us.

Cycle Safety

Some students are fortunate enough to live within proximity to the college. A brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise.

Walking for Health

For students moving into Upper Sixth, renewing your private coach pass for September 2026 is essential. After May half term of your Lower Sixth year, we will contact your parent/carer to invite them to reserve a seat for the next academic year.  This form must be completed, even if a bursary application is planned.  Seats are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to current students before any remaining seats are offered to new Lower Sixth students.  Once all seats are allocated, no additional coaches will be provided.

We will also invite all other students moving into Upper Sixth to secure a seat on a coach at the same time – this may help those who no longer wish to travel by train or other alternatives or weren’t able to secure a seat last year.

You will have two payment options:

1. £100 upfront payment via ParentPay (required to print your pass before summer). Our Finance Team will then arrange a direct debit for the remaining balance.
2. Full payment upfront via ParentPay (pass price will be confirmed in the correspondence after May half term)

We aim to issue passes before the Lower Sixth year finishes, so payments must be completed promptly. Temporary passes will be issued for those awaiting bursary outcomes, and Finance will send bursary continuation forms over the summer. Please note; coach companies will check passes on the first day of term. If you have a green pass currently, this will not be valid after the summer.

We will remind you of any upcoming deadlines, but the responsibility lies with you to reserve your seat and complete payment or indicate bursary plans.

For any queries relating to this, please email Transport@Winstanley.ac.uk