A DISGRUNTLED grandparent has hit out over claims North Ayrshire Council is planning to replace a "vital" school taxi service with a "school bus".

The allegation was brought to us this week that the council intends to end its contract providing taxis for pupils at the school, instead offering a school bus.

Currently, taxi services are provided for either small groups of children, or in some cases for individuals, to and from the school.

The grandparent, who preferred not to be named, was irate as he told how he was informed that the system may be about to change - by his grandson's taxi driver.

He said the driver was "nearly in tears" as he told him that his taxi was to be replaced by a larger bus.

It is a plan that would see vast change for a number of pupils at the Additional Support Needs (ASN) school - and one this grandparent thought would be catastrophic for the children.

He said: “The weans have got a hard enough time as it is. You can’t treat the kids like that.

“My grandson would not get on a bus. He has been with the same taxi driver since he started at the school.”

And it is the loss of this familiarity and routine that he fears would cause a number of issues moving forward.

He told how his grandson, who has been largely non-verbal, has begun to build up a relationship with his driver - saying hello and goodbye to him each day.

He added that on the occasion that the driver was on holiday - his grandchild "went berserk".

“I don’t know what it would be like trying to get him on a bus," he added.

And it is not only this part of his gandson's routine he fears would change due to the increased number of pick ups and drop offs that would be required from individual homes.

The disgruntled grandparent added: “Even if it is a mini bus – what time will they have to leave in the morning? And what time will they get back to the house?”

He was also frustrated at how this alleged plan had been communicated, only finding out via his grandson's taxi driver.

The grandparent added: “It seems they (the council) are trying to sneak this through the back door – only a fortnight before the summer holidays.”

North Ayrshire Council has been approached for clarification on the matter, though it would not confirm or deny the plans.

A council spokesperson said: “We recognise the distress such changes may cause to some families and their children.

"We can confirm that all pupils who are transported will continue to be transported next session, parents and carers will be informed of any changes to transport arrangements as soon as possible.”

This lack of clarity left the grandparent frustrated and worried.

He commented: “If they weren’t going to do it - they would have come out and said it wasn’t happening.”