£1.4m post-16 transport service faces shake-up as Cumberland Council reviews taxi and minibus journeys for young people with SEND

Cumberland Council has opened a consultation on proposed changes to post-16 transport for young people with special educational needs and disabilities, potentially affecting council-arranged taxi work from September 2027.

The consultation was launched on 5 October and runs until 20 November 2026. The council says no decision has been made and any changes would require further consideration by its Executive.

Cumberland currently arranges transport for eligible young people continuing in education or training, typically at colleges or sixth forms. The authority says journeys are often provided using minibuses or taxis.

The proposal being consulted on would introduce a financial contribution towards travel costs based on the cost of a bus pass. Individual travel requirements would continue to be assessed, including whether a young person needs additional support.

The council says demand for post-16 transport is increasing alongside the cost of providing the service. Its stated objectives include making support financially sustainable while giving young people and families greater choice and encouraging independent travel where appropriate.

Earlier council scrutiny proceedings provide additional financial context. At a People Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 26 June, officers said providing transport to post-16 young people with additional needs or from low-income families was costing the authority around £1.4 million annually.

At that meeting, an officer said a recommendation to the Executive was likely to retain assessed provision for young people with additional needs or from low-income households but move support towards the equivalent cost of a bus pass rather than direct transport provision. The consultation now launched should not be treated as confirmation that this model will ultimately be adopted.

The June scrutiny also showed the wider direction of Cumberland’s school transport programme. Officers reported increased use of personal travel budgets, reviews of high-cost routes and independent travel training, alongside work to retender transport provision.

The scale of any eventual impact on taxi contracts cannot yet be quantified. Cumberland has not said in today’s announcement how many post-16 SEND journeys are currently provided by taxis, what proportion of the £1.4 million annual cost reaches taxi suppliers or how many existing routes might change.

Any approved changes would not begin before September 2027. For operators supplying SEND and school transport in north and west Cumbria, the consultation therefore creates a potentially important lead time to assess how a move towards contributions, personal travel arrangements and greater independence could alter demand for directly commissioned taxi journeys.

Cllr Elaine Lynch, Portfolio Holder for Lifelong Learning at Cumberland Council, said: “We want young people with SEND and their families to have more choice and flexibility in arranging travel to education or training. The proposals also aim to support young people to become more independent as they prepare for adulthood, while making sure individual needs continue to be considered.

“We recognise that reliable travel is especially important for families across a large rural area such as Cumberland. At the same time, rising demand and increasing costs mean the council faces significant financial challenges, so we need to consider how support can remain fair and sustainable.

“I want to reassure families that no decisions have been made. We want young people, parents, carers, schools, colleges and partners to help shape what happens next. I encourage everyone with an interest in post-16 SEND transport to read the proposals and have their say.”