School transport drivers could pay higher fees

Councillors unanimously agreed to a statutory consultation into the plans at a meeting on 22 July

People who drive pupils to school each day may have to pay hundreds of pounds more to continue operating.

Reading Borough Council has proposed removing school transport, which enables drivers to get children with education, health and care (EHC) plans to and from school, as a separate licencing category.

Alan Parkinson from Green Metro Cars said the changes, which would mean school transport drivers would have to become private hire drivers, would create a "massive hole".

Reading Borough Council said the special licensing category was only introduced due to a lack of vehicles and drivers at the time, and was no longer needed.

At a meeting on 21 July, Clyde Masson, the council's principal licensing officer, said "times have changed".

"From a licensing perspective, we're questioning why we're subsidising that work," he said.

The plans would mean school transport drivers would need to become private hire drivers

Any child who does not live within walking distance of their school is eligible for a bus pass, and children with more complex needs and disabilities are entitled to a taxi service.

It currently costs £240 to get a school transport licence in Reading. It then costs £100 to licence a school transport vehicle, compared to £315 to licence a private hire taxi.

At a council meeting, Mr Parkinson said school transport drivers were different from private hire drivers.

He said it was "specialist" and required extensive training and catering for the needs of pupils, and also questioned the financial rationale.

"If there is a financial reason for getting rid of the school transport licence, it's not a good choice," he said.

"We take 1,000 children to school every day. It's far cheaper for me to put these drivers into a school-run vehicle rather than a private taxi vehicle."

Councillors unanimously agreed to a statutory consultation into the plans at a meeting on 22 July.