North Ayrshire Council is still paying school bus and taxi operators so they don’t go bust due to Covid-19.

It is one of a number of councils paying the firms 75 per cent of their normal contract amount. 

North Ayrshire Council will hand out a total of £753,808 during  April, May and June to school transport companies in the area. 

There is a fear the bus and taxi businesses could be forced to stop trading, if they aren’t bringing in much income with no school journeys running.

That would leave councils with no transport for children when schools reopen – potentially leading to problems finding new suppliers. 

A spokeswoman for North Ayrshire Council said: “In the interest of supporting local businesses as well as ensuring available capacity when schools return, we, as well as other local authorities, will continue to pay ‘home to school’ transport providers through to the end of the summer term.”

She added: “Based on the number of school days remaining this term, the 75 per cent payment would equate to £753,808 for the three months April to June 2020.

“This ensures that staff get paid and that businesses remain solvent until we are ready to utilise their services when schools reopen.”

The transport operators got 100 per cent contract payment for March.  Councils have been involved in discussions with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) on the deal. Companies receiving council funding need to show there is a benefit to the workforce. 

The Scottish Government has also made various grants available to a range of different types of businesses to help them during the pandemic.

North Ayrshire Council has been helping distribute those grants to businesses in the area with hundreds of firms  handed funding.

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