A Midlothian mum says a change to her son’s school transport contract, made by the council for financial reasons, is threatening to disrupt a routine he has relied on for the past eight years — right before what she describes as the most important year of his school life.
Gemma Manson’s son Harry, 16, is about to start his final year at Saltersgate School in Dalkeith, a special education school he has attended since he was four. Harry has severe autism, an intellectual disability and Prader-Willi syndrome, a genetic condition that can cause an excessive appetite and emotional outbursts. For eight years, he has travelled between the family home in Penicuik, Saltersgate, and local respite facilities largely on his own — an arrangement Gemma says has been essential to managing his needs.
Midlothian Council has ended its contract with Harry’s existing taxi provider early, citing financial pressures. The replacement arrangement would see him travel with three other children in a different vehicle, on different timings, rather than the solo transport he’s used to. The council’s travel team has assessed that Harry doesn’t require solo transport and can travel with others, provided he receives “appropriate preparation and support” to manage the transition — pointing to the fact that he already uses shared transport for school trips.
Gemma disputes the comparison. Those group trips, she says, are always on a spacious bus, with children and trained staff he already knows well — not the same as being placed in a car with unfamiliar children and a new driver. She described his existing taxi driver as “absolutely amazing,” someone who understands Harry’s routine and can keep him calm if he becomes distressed. Despite submitting evidence from teachers, social workers and a clinical psychologist supporting his need for solo transport, she feels her concerns haven’t been taken on board.
When the council arranged for Harry’s prospective new driver to visit the family home in the vehicle he’d be transported in, Harry became anxious and distressed at the prospect of change, leading to an outburst of aggressive behaviour that left Gemma worried for his safety and that of transport staff and other children.
The council has also suggested Gemma or Harry’s father could drive him to school themselves and claim fuel reimbursement — not workable, she says, given they both work full-time. The timing is especially difficult: Harry is due to begin visiting the Young Adult Service from October ahead of his transition out of school, a process Gemma says is meant to be a joined-up effort with the council but has instead left her hitting “a brick wall.” The new transport arrangement also can’t accommodate his 12 to 15 monthly trips to respite facilities.
“It’s been a fight since he was three or four years old,” Gemma said. “You’re surrounded by folk who think your child is just a number on a spreadsheet and it’s all about money.”
A Midlothian Council spokesperson said: “We recognise that changes to travel arrangements can be difficult for children with Additional Support Needs and challenging for their families. In this case, the pupil already uses shared transport for school trips. Following an assessment, it was concluded that he can travel with other pupils to and from school, provided he receives appropriate preparation and support to help manage the transition.” The council added that if the family chooses not to use the shared transport offered, its alternative arrangement — mileage reimbursement of 70p per mile for the four daily journeys, five days a week, payable in advance each term — will remain available.
For taxi operators working school-run contracts, cases like this are a reminder of how much weight sits behind these routes beyond the fare itself — for children with additional support needs, a familiar driver and a consistent routine can be the difference between a manageable school day and a genuinely difficult one.
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