Local councils in England are now spending more on transport for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) than on maintaining their road networks, a trend that is placing significant pressure on local government budgets. As the demand for SEND services increases, the costs associated with pupil transport have risen sharply, particularly in rural areas.
This situation has sparked concerns among local authorities, with many claiming that the rapid growth in transport costs has become unsustainable. Councils are now faced with a difficult choice between meeting their legal obligations to transport pupils with special needs and ensuring the upkeep of essential public infrastructure such as roads.
Rising Transport Costs for SEND Pupils
According to a Guardian investigation, the spending on SEND pupil transport now surpasses that of road maintenance in many areas of England. Of the 43 councils that responded to a data request, all but eight were allocating more funds to SEND transport than to their revenue roads budget. This budget is used primarily for road maintenance and not for capital improvements.
In some cases, the difference is stark: Wakefield, for example, spends seven times as much on SEND transport as it does on maintaining its roads. Other councils, including Hertfordshire and Norfolk, are also experiencing similar disparities.
These figures reflect the escalating costs of providing transport for pupils with special needs, who often rely on taxis due to the lack of appropriate public transport options. According to the County Councils Network, the number of SEND students travelling by taxi has increased by 25% since 2019.
The Role of Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs)
The growing demand for SEND transport can be partly attributed to the increasing number of students benefiting from Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs). These plans, introduced to ensure that children with special needs receive the appropriate support, have led to more children being entitled to transport.
According to a council source, EHCPs, which were originally designed to reduce the adversarial nature of SEND systems, have instead created more challenges for councils with limited resources.
This rise in the number of children needing transport has placed additional strain on local authorities. With the rapid growth of SEND pupils requiring specialized educational support, local governments argue that more funding is necessary to meet these growing demands.
Efforts to improve the services and reduce the transport burden include reforms to mainstream schools, but many councils believe this will require substantial additional resources.
