Partial charging for School transport

Perth and Kinross Council should consider introducing a partial charging model for school transport, requiring families to contribute towards the cost of the journey that falls within the statutory walking distance — up to 3 miles for secondary pupils and 2 miles for primary pupils.

The Council’s statutory duty is to provide free transport only beyond these distances. Transport provided within the walking distance is therefore discretionary, and it is reasonable to apply a charge for that element of the service.

This approach is also a matter of fairness. Families who live within the statutory walking distance — and whose children walk or make their own way to school — should not be expected to subsidise, through general taxation, the travel choices of those who have chosen to live further away. A shared-cost model ensures that convenience travel is paid for, at least in part, by those who benefit from it.

Such a policy would:

• Align spending with statutory responsibilities

• Reduce cross-subsidy between households

• Introduce a transparent and defensible user contribution

• Protect vulnerable families through appropriate exemptions

This would support a more equitable and financially sustainable school transport policy for Perth and Kinross.