COMMUNITY transport bus services in Hampshire will keep some county council funding after it realised the move could stop children getting to school.

As part of the cuts to generate extra funding to plug Hampshire County Council’s financial deficit of £175m projected to 2025/26, the council proposes reducing the funding for non-commercial bus services and community transport provision.

It was previously reported that Hampshire County Council proposed to withdraw £1.7m from services, including £800,000 to support local buses, £500,000 for the Community Transport Connect Dial-a-Ride, and £142,000 for the Connect Group Hire, a move which could leave thousands of vulnerable users without an alternative.

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Community First, which operates in seven of the eleven Hampshire’s districts on its ‘Connect’ Dial A Ride and Call & Go services together with semi-scheduled routes serving rural and isolated communities and where public transport is practically non-existent.

However, the report that will be sent for approval to the cabinet on October 14 said that after reviewing the proposal, the county council is now proposing a reduction of £1.087m.

Of the total, £587,000 would be achieved through reductions to passenger transport services. The remaining £500,000 is expected to be generated from implementing some service changes.

The changes mentioned result from correlating the impact of the cuts with school transport and adult health and care services when officers found a “clear link” between all areas.

By cutting the funding, the county council realised children could be affected and this would push up the cost of school transport, which is already under severe pressure.

The report reads: “This means that in many cases, withdrawing a supported local bus or community transport service would have the effect of increasing the cost to Hampshire County Council of school transport by more than the savings that would be generated by these proposals.

“In these instances, withdrawing these services would not generate a saving overall for the county council, and therefore it is proposed that the supported local bus and community transport services which have a direct link to school transport provision services are retained.”

“One potential way to ensure the continuation of community transport services is to combine these services with school transport provision.”

According to the report, the council and its funding partners fully own 17 minibuses and share in seven more.

These vehicles are contractually forced to provide daily community transport services, mainly Connect Dial a Ride/Call & Go and Fleet Link services.

It is proposed that the majority of transport for community transport services be retained and the approach is adapted so that, where practical, Dial a Ride and Call & Go services are procured around a school run.

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This would mean that community transport services would provide a minimum of eight further school transport contracts by repurposing eight vehicles currently contracted to operate at school times.

These schemes are proposed to provide traditional community transport services between operating a school contract, for example, between 9am and 2.30pm.

However, despite some funding being kept, others will be completely withdrawn, such as the concessionary travel scheme, wheels to work scheme, and taxi share scheme.

The final decision will be made on October 14 by cabinet members.