Surrey council leader apologises over school transport issues

Children, many with additional needs, had to do lengthy journeys on public transport

Surrey County Council's leader has apologised after 149 children, many with additional needs, were left without school transport.

Councillor Tim Oliver said the authority had to "hold its hands up" and he promised a review.

The leader blamed a policy change, higher demand and driver shortages for the backlog at the start of the term.

Mr Oliver said: "We have to hold our hands up on occasions like this to say that we have let some people down."

The local authority had attempted to work through more than 500 applications, and Mr Oliver said it had been "a very complex and difficult situation".

'Lessons learned'

Children had to do lengthy journeys on public transport and were unable to stay for the whole school day due to sibling pick ups and drop offs, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The local authority's ambition was to ensure that no-one in Surrey was left behind, Mr Oliver said, but he admitted "that isn't currently the case".

He added: "It is our ambition and it will remain our ambition to make sure that we do look after every vulnerable member of this county, whether that's a family or a child or any resident."

Councillor Nick Darby said there had been a "woeful lack of communication" with families when transport was withdrawn or delayed, and that "lessons need to be learned".

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