Council may cut transport for 143 pupils
BBCA council scheme providing school children with reduced price bus tickets could be scrapped.
Durham County Council is to vote on plans to end its Maintained Concessionary Scheme at the end of this academic year due to a rise in costs and demand.
The local authority said ending the scheme, which supports 143 young people from nine schools, would save it £200,000 a year.
Reform councillor Cathy Hunt said in an "ideal world" all families would be supported with travel to school but it was not possible due to funding levels.
"Home-to-school transport (HTST) is one of our biggest and fastest-growing financial pressures on councils, and while we have made significant savings through our transformation programme, costs continue to escalate," she said.
The council's cabinet is set to meet on 11 February to discuss the proposals.
'Long-term stability'
Local authorities must provide free transportation for school-age children who are unable to walk to their nearest suitable school because of distance, special educational needs and disabilities (Send) or safety issues, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
But the service the county council is proposing to cut at the end of this academic year is for 143 pupils who do not meet any of these requirements.
They pay £2 a day to access spare seats on the buses which are already carrying pupils that the council must legally provide for.
Despite the fees paid by pupils, the local authority said it still made a loss on the service.
It said by reducing the size of buses taking eligible children, and therefore reducing the number of spare seats available, it would save £200,000 a year.
Hunt said: "Ending the Maintained Concessionary Scheme is a measure that has been discussed for a number of years and, at a time when councils are facing mounting pressures, we can't continue to put it off," she said.
"It's not an easy decision to make but it will help to ensure the long-term sustainability of HTSTP, and direct valuable resources to families most in need."
