West Northamptonshire Council faces £22m bill for school transport services
The rising costs are driven by increased demand for SEND support
West Northamptonshire Council is forecast to spend £22 million on its home-to-school transport services this year, providing daily travel for 6,842 children.
The service is mandated by law for children aged four to 16 living more than three miles from their closest school, and also includes pupils with specific needs such as those under eight living more than two miles away, and some over-16s with education, health, and care plans (EHCPs) who cannot reasonably be expected to walk.
Rising costs are partly due to increased demand for travel assistance in West Northamptonshire, according to the council. In 2022/23, 5,930 students used home-to-school transport in the area — nearly 1,000 fewer than this year. The largest increase has been among pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with 59 percent more SEND children using the service compared to four years ago.
A key statistic reveals a notable rise in SEND support. While transport demand for mainstream students grew by six percent, SEND provision expanded by 612 pupils over the same period.
Most recently, the council was reportedly spending up to £56,050 annually on one individual contract to transport a student 190 miles twice a week.
Costs rising nationally
West Northamptonshire Council has echoed concerns heard nationally over home-to-school transport budgets. Research from the National Audit Office shows that UK councils’ expenditure on these services has risen by 70 percent since 2015/16, with a projected £2.3 billion spent in 2023/24. At the same time, requests for SEND transportation have grown by 106 percent, with an average annual cost of £8,116 per pupil.
Locally, fees for families who do not meet the walking distance criteria or have children over 16 using WNC-organised transport services were frozen last academic year but increased from £600 to £1,000 for 2023/24.
When asked about future fee changes, a West Northamptonshire Council spokesperson said this remains “currently under review.”
Innovative solutions
The council highlighted steps it is taking to manage rising costs, including ongoing data management improvements and trial initiatives aimed at reforming the service.
One such initiative is the Billing Brook home-to-school pilot, launched this spring. It uses virtual reality content to help pupils with special educational needs feel more confident using public transport. The council has said the programme may be expanded further to benefit additional families.