Transport Programme

From March 2016 we have been tendering for school transport, public and dial-a-bus transport services across Highland (except in Sutherland where this process has already happened).

The Council currently spends £15 million on providing these transport services across Highland. At this time of reducing budgets, the Council has agreed a target to reduce the budget spent on the provision of transport by 15 per cent.

More information on the transport funded by us can be found here.

Developing Specifications

During late 2015 consultations were undertaken with councillors and communities of the Highlands.

The consultation ended 13 December 2015 and the feedback received at public meetings and through survey questionnaires was analysed. The feedback was fed into the process of developing a range of service and route requirements which was issued to potential suppliers during March 2016. Read the consultation report.

A series of meetings were held with suppliers to inform them of the tendering process which would be followed to secure school, public and dial-a-bus transport services.

Next Steps

Many of the school transport requirements have been approved and the new services will start in January 2017. Following evaluation and reporting of recommendations to a panel of senior managers and to Councillors, it is expected that approvals to make offers of contract awards for public services and remaining school transport needs will occur during December 2016. These new contracts will start during April 2017.