Double tender

BUS operators in Shetland are to be asked to provide two tenders for school runs to help the council find out how much it could save by redesigning policy.

Councillors threw out a request from education staff to change their winter bus run policy to stop buses picking up pupils living less than two miles from school between October and Easter.

Operators are also being asked to stop driving off route to collect children from their doors, insisting they walk to designated pick up points up to 1.7 miles from their homes.

Councillors were assured that road safety audits would be carried out when requested to ensure routes were safe for children to walk or cycle to and from school, with several already deemed unsafe after 11 audits were carried out.

Shetland South member George Smith persuaded his colleagues it would be unwise to change the policy before the council knew how much could be saved.

“We are being asked to change a policy without being aware of what the implications would be,” he said.

Council leader Gary Robinson said the council could no longer afford to provide a service beyond its statutory requirement, but was defeated by eight votes to four.

The council’s development department is hoping to save £50,000 by changing the winter bus policy and a further £100,000 by forcing buses to stick to the route and only collect pupils from pick up points.

The tenders go out on Friday and must be returned by mid May.