Could Moray parents be paid for taking kids to school?
Parents living in rural areas of Moray could be paid for taking their own children to school.
This is one option available to Moray Council which will soon launch a public consultation on the subject of school transport.
The local authority currently spends £5.3 million a year on providing coaches, minibuses and taxis to transport children whose zoned schools are more than two miles distant from their homes.
Elgin High School and Elgin Academy are the exceptions, where children have to walk three miles before they receive transport.
Paying parents to take their children to school in rural areas will be looked at as one possible way to replace high-tariff contracts and save money.
The consultation will begin once the schools return after the summer break.
Consideration will be given to increasing the distance to three miles for all secondary pupils, or even for anyone in the fifth year of primary school.
Increasing the distance beyond three miles will also be considered, although this could potentially breach the council’s statutory duties.
