The Isle of Wight council has spent more than £6 million in the last six years providing taxis to get pupils to and from school.
The spend on home-to-school taxis has increased year-on-year since April 2017, when only 148 pupils required transport, costing £659,534.
It meant, in that year, the council spent £4,456.31 per pupil.
Cost now more than doubled
The number of pupils needing home-to-school taxi transport has increased each year, with the cost now more than doubled.
At the latest count, a freedom of information request to the council revealed that in 2022/23 it has spent £1,837,793 — nearly triple the cost of 2017 — for 319 pupils.
It equates to a cost of £5,761.11 per pupil this year— an increase of £1,304 per pupil.
Over six year period
Between April 2017 and March 2023, the Isle of Wight council provided 1,382 pupils with taxi transport to school costing £6,773,587.
Each year, the council provides home-to-school transport — by bus, train or taxi — to around 4,000 students.
Students needing taxi service
The majority of students get a bus or coach service, but taxis are available for some due to their needs or where they live.
At the moment, the council holds 138 contracts with taxi operators to provide the transport needed for students.
It is a legal requirement for the council to make sure suitable travel arrangements are in place so children who are eligible can go to school.
By law, if a pupil lives more than the minimum number of miles from their home to the nearest school, they are entitled to free school transport. That is two miles for Reception to Year 3 and three miles for Years 4 to 11.
Andre: Rise due to several factors
The rise in students needing taxis to and from school has been put down to a range of factors by the cabinet member for children’s education, Councillor Debbie Andre.
She said there were inflationary operator costs and increased demand for transport provision for children with special educational needs.
Initiatives to reduce cost
With the increase in pupil numbers and costs, Councillor Andre said the council is focusing on several initiatives to reduce the cost of school transport.
They include a review of the contracted taxi routes, trying to consolidate them to make fewer journeys and vehicle provisions.
Reducing the need for transport
Councillor Andre also said they were exploring opportunities for children with special education needs to access more local school provision which meets their learning needs while reducing the need for transport or decreasing travel time.
She said they would also be providing eligible parents with options for parental mileage allowances or personal budgets, so they could take their children to school, replacing the need for more expensive taxi transportation.
‘Spend to Save’ leased minibus scheme
The council will also be investigating opportunities for schools to take advantage of a ‘Spend to Save’ leased minibus scheme.
It would allow schools to undertake home transport duties while using the vehicles during the day for school trips, with the option to replace the minibus every three to four years.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
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