Mayor Ros Jones calls for ‘national strategy’ after Doncaster Council had to spend £4.4 million sending 1,000 children to school by taxi

The data, gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service through a Freedom of Information request, shows 1,016 Doncaster children were taken to and from school each day by taxis and minibuses provided by a number of firms during the 2021/2022 academic year.

But around 25 per cent of the bill – at just shy of £1.2 million – is spent on just 101 children who are attending schools outside of Doncaster.

Doncaster Council bosses say the costs have increased due to more children needing trips to specialist schools, some which are outside Doncaster, across South Yorkshire and even further afield.

Taxi and minibus transportation is provided for a number of reasons. The majority of pupils accessing this form of transport have Special Educational Needs (SEN) and disabilities and are not able to travel to school or college independently or via public transport.

In many cases these children often have longer journeys to make to the most suitable school which can meet their individual needs.

Transport is provided for a number of reasons including behavioural and medical needs as well as educational needs.

Mayor Jones said: “This is an issue across the country, and causing significant financial pressures to councils across the country.

“We are seeing continued rising demand for Special Educational Needs and disability school places when our specialist schools in Doncaster are oversubscribed, meaning that we are having to send a number of children out of authority for their education.

“With the continued reduction in services from private bus companies and lack of government investment in appropriate schools means that Doncaster Council is left to fill the gap to ensure these young people get to school.

“A national long term strategy is needed to address the increase in need to help prevent local authorities having to cut essential services to react to the pressure on the service.”

The Department for Health & Social Care has been contacted for comment.