Taxi Driver Online

Evening News (Edinburgh)

October 19, 2006, Thursday

HEADLINE: Education chiefs picking up a GBP 4m fare for school transport

BYLINE: Andrew Picken and Linda Summerhayes

EDUCATION chiefs spend almost GBP 4 million a year ferrying children in Edinburgh to school, new figures published today reveal.

Some of the cash is for taxis to transport children who have special needs or are physically disabled. But free transport is also given to mainstream pupils who live too far away to walk.

The GBP 3.8m spent by the council includes money for buses, taxis and private hire cars. Council chiefs today defended the cost saying they were legally bound to provide transport for children and added that two-thirds of pupils who qualify for free transport travel by coach or bus.

Opposition leaders today questioned how much money was being spent on school transport and green campaigners warned a large number of taxi trips was having a major environmental impact on the city.

The city council's policy of closing down schools with falling pupil numbers across the city has been blamed for some of the journeys as youngsters have to travel further to get to their new school.

Transport is provided for primary and secondary pupils who live more than two miles away from their schools and for pupils with special needs or medical conditions.

Edinburgh has the second highest spend on school transport in Scotland according to figures released under the freedom of information act, which revealed the school run spend across Scotland last year was GBP 30m.

Councillor Iain Whyte, the city's Tory leader, said: Of course this is essential transport, often for children with special needs, and the council has an obligation to get children to school. But we should be able to negotiate a more competitive rate for contracts with bus or taxi operators."

Robin Harper, the Green Party Lothian MSP, said: "I think it highlights the need for more work on encouraging kids to cycle or walk to school. This used to be the norm several years ago and there is no reason why it couldn't return to replace the school run.

"There needs to be more emphasis on discouraging parents from giving their kids lifts to school and looking at the walking and cycling options.

"I think this also highlights the problem of Edinburgh Council closing down schools, which means children automatically have further to travel to school."

Councillor Liz O'Malley, the city's Lib Dem education spokeswoman, said: "I think it's a great pity that more children don't walk to school but parents will not let their children walk to school unless the entire route is safe for their child."

Judith Gillespie, of the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, said: "Basically the taxi charge is a requirement to meet the needs of youngsters with special educational needs and I have no doubt that the cost is necessary for Edinburgh to meet the needs these youngsters have."

A spokeswoman for the city's education department said: "We have a statutory requirement to provide transport in these cases and the most cost effective transport mode is used where possible."

TRANSPORT BILL

How much the four local authorities in Lothian spend each year on ferrying kids to school in taxis.

Edinburgh GBP 3,814,000

East Lothian GBP 667,341

Midlothian GBP 563, 195

West Lothian GBP 223, 592
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