Demand for school transport 'rising fast'

Middlesbrough Council pays for 600,000 journeys to school a year, mainly for children with special needs or a disability

The cost of home-to-school transport is "rising fast", councillors have been told.

Middlesbrough Council now pays for 600,000 journeys a year, at a cost of £6.6m, mainly for children with special needs or a disability.

An additional 200 children with educational, health and care plans (EHCP) have been added to the number who get free transport in the last two years.

The council's director of environment and commercial services, Geoff Field, said: "It has been a very challenging time for the council in terms of reacting to those increases of numbers."

In most cases, families are responsible for taking their children to the nearest available school.

But local authorities have a legal duty to help those children with special educational needs, a disability or mobility problem.

Middlesbrough Council has a legal duty to help children with special educational needs, a disability or mobility problem get to school

Mr Field said the increase in the number of children in that category in Middlesbrough mirrored a national trend, but stressed the council would continue to meet the cost.

"If someone needs transport, they will get transport," he told the council's place scrutiny panel.

Transport and infrastructure manager Craig Cowley said many children were being transported by private carriers, like taxis, which could be expensive.

"We have got a significant internal fleet and we want to grow that and give us a bit of flexibility," he said.

"Our eligibility is beyond tight – we just do not give transport to those not entitled to it."

Panel chair Councillor David Branson said: "We’ll end up paying for this but we just won't be able to pay for other things.

"We might need to deal with central government and say what you’re asking us to do isn’t practical any more."