Peterborough council recommends over £650,000 of funding for new school minibus fleet

The exact figure of £659,621 would be used to pay for 13 buses to deliver the council’s Home to School Transport service.

The scheme sees the council provide free school transport for pupils to school depending on their home address or the financial situation of their parents.

To find out if you are eligible for the scheme, visit: www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/schools-and-education/school-transport.

The old fleet has been described as having “reached the end of its life” and that has led to an increase in maintenance costs and the time that the vehicles have spent out of service.

The new minibuses would become the property of the council but be handed over to Peterborough Limited; the local authority’s trading company.

The vehicles would be a mix of accessible vehicles and standard 16-seaters and be funded through the council’s capital program.

The decision has been referred to Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Education, Skills and the University, Councillor Lynne Ayres, for a final decision.