Pay-as-you-go Service Charges Reduced to £1 a Trip

Following further negotiations with Strathclyde Passenger for Transport (SPT) officials, East Dunbartonshire Council announced today (Frid) that a standard fare had been agreed for all pay-as-you-go buses on school routes.

The amount agreed is £1 per journey, and £2 return. This will apply to all routes to and from schools in the area.

The new pay-as-you-go service follows on from a budget decision earlier this year to bring free school bus journey entitlement into line with Scottish Government regulations. Councillors have been working with SPT officials for several months to support the introduction of a pay-as-you-go service for pupils who would no longer be entitled to free school transport.

The new service – to be underwritten by the Council until the Easter break - is due to begin in August 2010. This will coincide with the start of the new school term. All drivers of the commercially-operated pay-as-you-go service will be disclosure checked and no adults will be permitted to board the buses. The vehicles will be similar to the previous contract buses and fitted with seat belts.

Council Leader Rondda Geekie said: “We are delighted to have finally reached an outcome with SPT and hope that parents of children who are not longer entitled to free school transport make good use of this service. The higher the level of usage then the more chance there will be of the service being sustainable and continuing once the period of underwriting ends.

“Again, can I just remind parents that this new service is not a replacement for free school transport but an alternative means of getting pupils to school who would otherwise have to walk or find other transport provision.”

Information had been sent to parents detailing pick-up points, times etc and will now be updated to reflect the new position regarding the £1 per trip. A dedicated SPT number has also been set up on which SPT officers will answer questions and provide information. They will also be in constant communication with the bus operators. The dedicated number is: 0845 271 0944.

Source: East Dunbartonshire Council http://www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk  (12/7/2010)