Falkirk Council: Warning to cut school buses or there could be more painful reductions, including staff losses

A report going to Falkirk Council’s education, children and young people’s executive on Tuesday shows that councillors will be asked to agree to proceed with a proposal to change qualifying distance entitlement for home to school transport.

At the moment, free transport is provided for pupils up to eight years old who live more than one mile from school and to all pupils aged eight years and over who live more than two miles from school.

If the change goes ahead, only primary pupils who live more than two miles from school and secondary pupils who live more than three miles from school will be eligible. More than 1000 pupils will be directly affected, but hundreds more could find they no longer have a service to use, even if they are prepared to pay or use a bus pass.

The council says that up to 33 school buses could be cut if the changes go ahead and it hopes that many of the pupils affected will start to walk, cycle or scoot to school.

But a consultation on the changes has seen overwhelming opposition, with many fearing it is more likely that many more pupils will be taken to school by car by parents who are pressed for time. Other say that poor bus services mean it will be difficult to get public transport to school which could have a bigger impact on poorer pupils and affect attendance.

There are also road safety fears despite the council’s assurances that only safe walking routes will be used to measure the distance between school and home.

However, the cost of providing buses has soared in recent years as council budgets have become more squeezed.

The report reaffirms the council’s position that it simply cannot afford to provide a service that is much more than it is legally obliged to offer.

It also states that 75 per cent of local authorities – 24 out of 32 – currently have a school transport policy that is less generous than Falkirk’s.

It is very possible that the changes will not go ahead as both Labour and Conservative groups on Falkirk Council have said they are unlikely to support the proposal as it stands.

However, the report warns that if councillors do not make the savings by reducing bus services, they will need to look at other options that could be even more painful, including staff cuts.

The budget already agreed for 2023-24 includes a saving of £625,000 that will need to found elsewhere.

The report states: “Given the current volatility and cost uncertainty within the transport sector currently, it is imperative that the council takes all reasonable steps to address this issue and to reduce any possible financial risk.”

If the changes are made, they will come into effect this August when the schools return for a new term.

The report will be discussed at a meeting to be held in Grangemouth Community Education Unit, Kerse Road, Grangemouth, on Tuesday at 10 am.

The meeting will be livestreamed and recorded for the council’s YouTube channel.