Parents will have to pay more for home-to-school transport
Natalia Forero
Parents will have to pay a lot more towards getting over-16s to school or college next year as the county council considers raising the cost by more than a quarter.
The Post-16 school transport policy could increase the parental contribution by 27.1 per cent if approved by Hampshire County Council’s executiveleadmemberforchildren’s services Edward Heron.
The post-16 transport policy ensures that over-16 students with special needs or disabilities can access education no matter their parents’ economic situation.
Transport will typically only be offered if the student has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or if the student has a disability which means they require transport arrangements.
Where travel/transport is perceived as a barrier, the policystatementdetailswhenand howthecouncilwillsupportattendanceinPost-16education.
The service provides transport for about 560 students a day.
Due to the above-inflation increasesintransportoverthe last year, the council says that the service now costs 27.1 per centmorethanlastyear,atotal of £3.7m a year.
The council is therefore suggesting that parental contributions go up by 27.1 per cent for the next academic year. The proposal was subject to public consultation from February 20 to April 2 this year.
The consultation received 31 responses; one stated they were supportive, 12 said they were opposed, and 18 expressed ‘no direct support or opposition though all had unfavourable comments’.
One parent said: ‘I am writing today to strongly disagree with the proposal to increase parent’s contributions. We already pay a huge amount towards transport. It is not our children’s fault that they need access to private transport rather than public transport.
‘It is also not our children’s fault that the closest colleges that can meet their needs are a lot further than their local colleges. We already pay significantly more for our children who cannot use public transport, but raising this amount isridiculous…themostvulnerable are being targeted again.’
Forest Park School, Peter SymondsCollege,HookParish CouncilandPortsmouthDown Syndrome Association also sent objections to the county council.