THE amount of additional support needs school transport provided internally by Inverclyde Council staff is to increase.
Members of the council’s education and communities committee unanimously agreed to trial an extension of the local authority’s internal transport service to boost capacity and reduce costs.
The council will buy four new buses and take on drivers to deliver more journeys for additional support needs (ASN) pupils in-house, following a review.
Transport is currently provided through various means including bus or taxi, private and charitable operators, and council vehicles.
Approximately a third of ASN transport is already provided in-house and that will increase to around half.
As well as creating more capacity to deal with growing demand, the trial will help reduce ASN transport costs which have gone up by 75 per cent in the last five years from around £735,000 to almost £1.3million. Spending is projected to top £1.6million during 2025/26.
Councillor Jim Clocherty, convener of the education and communities committee, said: “We have to ensure we can continue providing transport to those who need it in the most cost-effective way for the council and ultimately taxpayers.
“That’s what the review looked at and the recommendation is to pilot an increase in provision through the council’s own internal transport service to create more capacity and help reduce growing costs.
“It seems like a sensible approach that would also provide more flexibility and the potential for buses to be deployed to support other uses.”
The changes are expected to begin in August 2026, to allow for time to acquire new buses and hire drivers. The scheme would deliver an initial saving of almost £14,000.
Currently, free transport is provided to all pupils with additional support needs who attend Craigmarloch School.
Transport is also provided to pupils with ASN who have been assessed as requiring it in settings such as Hillend Children’s Centre, Lomond View Academy, communication and language bases or within mainstream settings.
Children and young people who require transport to meet a short-term need are also supported.
