This Travel Policy “the Policy” sets out the conditions where Kent AC (the “Club”) will contribute to the costs of travel for its members to represent the Club in a running or athletics competition. The policy is to inform members and team managers. Team managers or their nominee are responsible for making or approving in advance travel arrangements covered by this policy.
Journeys in Scope:
Only journeys where club members are traveling to an ‘in scope’ competition are within scope of the Travel Policy.
Individuals In Scope:
The Policy applies to all Club members (including coaches and those officiating) and one parent/guardian of a (junior) Club member.
Competitions In Scope:
Teams
The following team competitions are considered to be in scope of the Policy, providing they take place outside of London*:
- Cross Country (including Masters): Surrey League Matches; South of the Thames races; Southern Championships ; Kent County Championships: National Championship (“Nationals”); National XC relaysRoad Races: National Road Relays, Southern Road Relays, British Masters Road Relays
- Track & Field: Southern Athletics League; Kent Youth Athletics League
The policy excludes non-championship team events and events where Club members are competing as individual athletes or are not representing the club (e.g. Inter-counties races representing local county or England Masters events representing country). Requests for travel related expenses to such events are to be considered and approved in advance by the Kent AC Committee.
A separate section of this Policy is dedicated to the costs associated with national or regional level competition requiring an overnight stay e.g. annual Cross Country Nationals Championship event (“Nationals”).
Individuals
Where individuals are at a national standard at senior or junior level and are attending national track and field events, they may be in scope, as may parents and coaches of such athletes. Entry fees for national events will also usually be covered by the club.
Transport
The Club agrees to cover the costs of trains to competitions where members (and where applicable, one parent of junior member) travel together to and from locations outside of London* in groups and can benefit from ‘group save’ or railcard-discounted tickets. Note individual costs of travel (regardless of mode of transport) to the group meeting point or for any onward journey to the event location are not within Policy.
Where individuals are travelling to compete in a national competition they may recover their travel costs up to a maximum of £50 per person, including one parent and a coach, if required.
Example 1: a member travels to Waterloo from Ladywell by overground train to travel to a Surrey League fixture in Effingham with other Club members. The cost of the tickets to/from Ladywell to Waterloo East is not covered. The cost of the group ticket from Waterloo to Effingham is covered by the Club.
Example 2: A member travels on a group ticket to Stevenage to attend a Southern Athletics League match. They then take a taxi to the athletics stadium. The train ticket is covered, the taxi journey is not.
Example 3: A member travels on a group ticket to Aldershot to attend the Road Relays. They have to leave early so choose to travel alone back to London. The outward journey is covered by the policy but the return journey (a single ticket) is not.
All members are strongly encouraged to travel to competitions by public transport. However, it is recognized that there are occasions where this is either not practicable or exceptional circumstances apply and as such, members choose to drive to a competition.
Reimbursement for petrol costs will be paid for by the Club subject to the following conditions being met:
- The location and/or time of the event is considered to be a logistical challenge by public transport; or
- There are medical reasons why travel by public transport is not possible; and
- At least 4 people in the car (i.e. petrol costs will not be reimbursed if a member travels alone).
Expenses will be paid at the lower of the train fare (where applicable) or a rate of 45p per mile (HMRC rates)
Costs of private car parking, taxis, tubes, trams or buses for any part of a journey to the location of a competition are not refundable under this Policy.
Where Club members are juniors and are accompanied to a competition by a parent or guardian, the conditions described above will apply i.e. providing they travel as part of a group ticket, their cost of travel will be borne by the Club; if a driver takes more than 1 other athlete to an event, petrol costs may be expensed provided no group transport offered by the club.
Accommodation
Costs of overnight accommodation are not covered by the Travel Policy as standard.
If an overnight stay is required for individuals in competition, for example if the event is sufficiently distant, or is over multiple days, then accommodation costs may be recovered up to £50 per person per night, including one parent and a coach, if required.
Nationals XC Championships
In the years the Nationals take place outside of London, the Club traditionally part-subsidizes travel to the race event and one night’s accommodation costs. The subsidy applies to all members competing** in the race and only covers accommodation booked centrally by the Club and group train costs. In 2023, the subsidy per Club member** was about £30, with individuals paying the balance directly to the Club prior to the event taking place.
Exceptional Circumstances and Hardship Cases
It is recognized there will be situations where discretion needs to be applied. In extraordinary cases, it remains at the discretion of the Kent AC Committee to make exceptions to this Policy.
Last Updated: March 2025, approved at Committee 07/07/2025
*as defined by TFL Zones 1-6
** plus coaches and one parent or guardian of a junior member
In policy:
✔ Journey commences/ends in London
✔ Member is competing in an in-scope event
✔ Event takes place outside London (i.e. not within zones 1-6)
✔ Member is a Kent AC coach or official
✔ Person is a parent or guardian of a junior member
✔ Travel is by train on a group-save ticket
✔ If traveling by car, policy conditions are met
Outside policy:
🗶 Journey commences/ends outside London
🗶 Event is in London (i.e. within zones 1-6)
🗶 Overnight accommodation
🗶 Individual journey costs for any part of journey
🗶 Second parent or guardian or other family members of junior athlete
🗶 Travels to event on own by car and where group travel by train available