As reported by the BBC, Kent parents face paying £500 if plans to axe free school travel for teenagers with special needs are agreed
Kent County Council (KCC) has unveiled proposals to end the no-cost service in a bid to save £700,000 from next September.
However, families have criticised the plan, as they face having to pay for the taxis and minibuses their children have been taking to attend class.
Under the proposals, pupils with special needs over the age of 16 who have an educational health care plan will be ‘expected to seek a 16+ travel saver bus pass’.
Anyone unable to take public transport will be offered the use of taxis and minibuses, for the price of a bus pass, which is currently £500 a year. The fees can be reduced for low-income households.
KCC is asking residents to have their say on the changes during a consultation period. A spokesperson stressed the ‘strength of feeling will of course be taken into account by members’.
“But a consultation is not a vote. It is about understanding the impact our proposals may have on people and using this insight, along with other evidence, to enable well-informed decisions to be made,” the spokesperson added.
Be the first to comment