Cuts threat to school bus passes

SCORES of school children in Stockport may no longer be entitled to a free bus pass in plans to cut services.

From September next year, eligibility rules could change as the council aims to balance the books.

The proposed cuts will not affect children who receive free school meals. They will automatically qualify for a free bus pass.

Pupils under eight will also remain eligible, but only if they live more than two miles from the nearest school. For those eight and over, the distance would be three miles.

The town hall issued 1,226 free passes this year. Of those, 101 were for children whose parents receive working tax credit and 374 for those attending faith schools.

The council is also looking to save on the cost of transporting those people aged 19 to 25 with special educational needs. Plans include the authority working with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to ‘possibly’ introduce a yellow bus scheme to one of Stockport’s special schools.

Town hall bosses are looking at reducing costs by working with other local authorities on specific routes where there are shared out-of-area placements. The free town centre Metroshuttle bus service, set up to help shoppers get about - and to reduce congestion - may also be scrapped.

A town hall finance report says the council needs to find almost £16m in savings in 2019/20, rising to £47m by 2022. A council tax increase of 2.99pc will bring in £4.48m. An annual saving of £272,000 could be made if the transport changes are approved.

The proposals were discussed by members of the council’s adult social care scrutiny meeting.

Coun Christopher Murphy said he would be campaigning to keep the free school bus passes for pupils who live in Brinnington and Central ward. “If the cuts go ahead they will be the biggest losers,” he said.

“Due to the closure of Brinnington Secondary School in 1986 almost all pupils now need to catch two buses to get to school.”

The council will consult members of the public before a decision is made.