Parents have voiced concerns as Sheffield City Council plans could replace travel support vehicles for disabled over-16s with a personal budget in a bid to cut millions in overspending.

SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) children are currently offered Council minibuses or access to taxi services to help them get to school or college.

The proposed Personal Travel Budget (PTB) would replace these services this September, allowing over-16s to plan their own travel and receive Council payments three times a year to cover the costs.

Jane Gibbs, 48, from South Sheffield, works at Anns Grove Primary School and has a 17-year-old son with autism.

They have used the Council transport service since their son, Joe, was 11 and pay £77 per month to the Council to organise his transport with Traveller’s taxis.

She said: “We’ve had no problem with our transport and now if we have to arrange it ourselves I can see major issues. It seems like another thing to worry about.”

“I work in a school so the time it would take to take Joe on two buses there and back and then get to work is a nightmare.”

Joe attends Hillsborough College in North-West Sheffield, and takes independent living courses in developing social skills, road awareness, cooking techniques, and household shopping.

According to the BBC, nearly 2500 SEND students rely on the Special Needs Transport service in Sheffield and costs the Council £22.7m.

Sheffield City Council’s current spending is £7m over budget and the proposal aims to reduce the financial burden on the Council and encourage the independence of over-16s with disabilities.

By law, the Council must provide free transport for SEND children under 16 who are unable to walk.

Councillor Dawn Dale, Chair of Education, Children and Families Committee at the Sheffield City Council, thanked parents for participating in the consultation that received over 1000 responses.

She said: “Hearing experiences directly from our families is vital to us as their views and insights will help the service in the future.

“We remain committed to provide the very best for our young people with SEND and their families, and will continue to keep in touch with them directly with recommendations from the consultation and how any possible changes will be implemented and what potential impact they could have.”

A report from the public consultation will be brought to the committee in April.