Cuts to school transport in Suffolk planned

Students in Suffolk could be affected by plans by the county council to change transport to schools.

Currently Suffolk County Council provides transport for more than 18,000 students on more than 1,200 routes, mostly free of charge.

But the council now wants to cut some transport provision and make changes to others to save money.

Free transport to Roman Catholic schools could be stopped saving £160,000.

Low-income families would be exempt from cuts to those services.

Children with special needs could see more stringent assessments of their entitlement to home to school transport as could students aged 16 or over.

Charges for discretionary transport could rise and the council is proposing to reduce the eligibility criteria for low-income families.