Parents raise concerns over Hampshire school transport plans

Planned changes to school transport provision could mean children with extra needs missing out on lessons, parents have warned.

Hampshire County Council has proposed changes in order to save £2.5m from its school transport budget.

They include children using pick-up points up to a mile from their home and mixing primary and secondary school pupils on buses.

The council said no final decisions have been made.

Under the council plans, currently open to public consultation, buses would make multiple drops at different schools and mainstream and pupils with special educational needs could share vehicles.

Doorstep collections would also be replaced by "safe, co-ordinated pick-up and drop-off points" which the council said would mean no secondary school child having to walk more than a mile to get to.

It said journey times and distances may increase, but would not exceed the legal limit of 45 minutes for primary children and 75 minutes for those in secondary education.

The Conservative-run local authority is looking to make savings of £80m from its overall budget.

Aimee White from Fareham, said her daughter, who is wheelchair user and is autistic, has an "amazing" relationship with the regular bus driver and escort who pick her up each morning.

"She gets huge anxiety over school - having them help gets her through the anxiety

"On the bus it's like a family - they all know each other personally. Without that I don't know what we'll do.

"It's putting barriers up to them actually being [at school]."

Paul Gutman, chair of governors of Baycroft Special school in Stubbington said: "Obviously the council is having to save cash, but the way it affects kids with special needs is significant.

"The pandemic has been bad enough, but add on the stress of a cohort of children who have had a bad experience coming to school - it'll wipe the staff out, they'll be completely drained and the children won't learn."

The council's consultation runs until 27 March.

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