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Help......I split up from my partner a few years ago in the south of the UK and moved to the north west, since the split I have done all the travel so i can retain contact and access to my son as she will not do any travel at all as in her eyes, i moved so i have to do the travel. now she is moving from her home in the south west to the south south eat and while it is the same miles for me the journey is a lot harder. if i go by her logic, she is moving therefore she should now do some of the travel but she is refusing. this is potentially jeopardising my ability to see my son. i earn a low income but pay maintenance every month but she will not assist at all. what are my rights, can i get her to share the travel? i have been doing all the travel for over 2 years now.
help!
Hi
There is no requirement written down in law as to who does the travelling, but it is generally more unusual for a court to expect the resident parent to travel, and I'm afraid that your ex is likely to be successful in arguing that you moved away and that she shouldn't have to pay for the additional cost of that travel. Your travel costs should be taken into account in the maintenance calculations, though it doesn't often make a great deal of difference to the amount paid.
Have you considered reducing the frequency of your contact, but making having contact for longer when it does happen - that way you may be able to reduce your travel costs while having the same number of days contact, and potentially you will have a greater quality of contact when you do see your son.
Hi
thanks for answering my question.
however, she has now also moved away and made my journey more difficult, would that not be considered?
I would doubt it to be honest, the courts generally don't insist that the parent with care does the travelling and its pretty rare for them to insist on any contribution to travel expenses. I can understand your frustration, but unfortunately, I don't think it would be worth going to court for as I don't think you'd be likely to succeed - ultimately it's your choice whether you try, but you could find that your ex makes it harder for you.
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