Norfolk County Council's Home to School Transport (HTST) service moves around 18,600 children to and from school every day — and a council committee has been examining how to keep it running sustainably as pressures mount.

The Children, Families and Community Select Committee heard on 13 March that the service is currently on track to balance its budget, but faces significant challenges including rising operating costs, driver shortages, and complex licensing processes.

Personal Travel Budgets questioned

One area of debate was the use of Personal Travel Budgets — optional payments that allow families to arrange their own transport instead of using council-provided services. A committee member asked whether the payments genuinely covered the real cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance, particularly given the rising cost of living.

Officers said the budgets are currently based on a standard mileage rate, but confirmed the council would explore a more flexible approach that better reflects overall costs. Families who find the offer unsuitable can choose alternative transport arrangements.

Another member questioned whether shifting transport responsibility onto families was fair, given the pressures faced by parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Officers said the council continues to provide high-level transport support, including individual taxis where needed.

Driver training and provider quality

Committee members sought reassurance that transport providers understand the specific needs of the children they carry. Officers said children's individual needs are fully considered when planning routes and awarding contracts, and that consistency of provider is maintained wherever possible.

Where contract cycles lead to changes, officers said transitions are managed carefully, including meet-and-greet arrangements with new operators. A new face-to-face training course has been introduced for all transport staff.

On safety checks, the committee was told that taxi drivers already vetted by district councils or Norwich City Council are independently DBS-checked again by Norfolk County Council.

Mobility vehicles and school transport eligibility

The committee also clarified a point likely to matter to many SEND families: a child receiving a mobility vehicle does not affect their legal entitlement to home-to-school transport. The two are entirely separate.

What happens next

The committee agreed that further information on how SEND placement decisions drive transport demand should be brought to a future meeting. An update on the HTST programme as a whole will also return to the committee at a later date.

The council said consultation and engagement with families, parent groups, schools, and colleges will continue as the programme develops — including on areas such as Personal Travel Budgets and the review of exceptional circumstances within the School and College Travel Policy.