Questions are being raised over Bradford Council’s decision to allocate significantly more SEND transport work to a taxi operator despite reported concerns about its previous performance.

A small Bradford operator, who wishes to remain anonymous, intends to question the council’s traffic-light system for monitoring transport providers and how previous performance concerns are considered when contracts are awarded.

The operator claims the company concerned had previously been suspended from bidding for work on several occasions because of service concerns and was subsequently given a “red” performance rating - understood to be the lowest category.

Despite this, the company has reportedly been awarded around twice as much work as it received last year after submitting bids significantly lower than those of competing operators.

Concerns have now been raised about whether some of those prices are financially sustainable and whether drivers will be willing to undertake the work at the rates offered.

The anonymous operator says drivers have questioned whether the newly allocated contracts are commercially viable. One example involves a minibus journey that had reportedly paid a driver £50 for approximately three years but has now been reduced to £33.

There are also claims that additional drivers are being recruited through cash referral incentives, while some existing drivers are considering leaving because they no longer believe the work is financially worthwhile.

Further questions surround the way journeys are being allocated. The operator alleges that some are being offered to drivers at short notice, without the price always being disclosed in advance, making it difficult for drivers to assess whether they are commercially viable.

It is also claimed that different drivers and passenger assistants are being used on the same routes, creating a lack of continuity for SEND children.

Consistency is particularly important for vulnerable passengers, many of whom benefit from familiar drivers, passenger assistants and established routines.

With the new school year underway, questions are being asked about whether the company has sufficient drivers, vehicles and operational capacity to fulfil its increased workload reliably and safely.

Bradford Council’s Passenger Transport Service is responsible for transporting more than 1,800 SEND and vulnerable children and adults twice each day. Any significant disruption could therefore have a direct impact on passengers, families and carers.

The council’s senior management structure lists Dan Careless as Assistant Director for SEND and Inclusion.

The key question is whether senior SEND management - and those responsible for awarding and monitoring the contracts - were aware of any previous performance concerns when the additional work was allocated.

The council should also be asked whether it is satisfied that the operator has sufficient vehicles, appropriately licensed drivers and the necessary operational capacity to deliver the increased workload.

It should explain how price is assessed when awarding SEND transport contracts and whether the long-term sustainability of a bid is considered alongside cost.

Where bids are significantly lower than those submitted by competing operators, the council should be able to demonstrate that appropriate checks have been carried out to establish whether the service can realistically and consistently be delivered at those rates.

Another important question is what contingency arrangements are in place if an operator cannot fulfil one or more contracts because of driver shortages, vehicle availability or other operational difficulties.

For families relying on SEND transport, reliability is not merely a commercial consideration. A missed or disrupted journey can prevent a child from attending school and place considerable additional pressure on parents and carers.

Bradford Council should therefore provide reassurance that its contract-award and monitoring procedures are robust, and that previous performance, operational capacity, continuity and service quality are properly considered alongside price.

The fundamental question is straightforward:

When transporting vulnerable children, is the cheapest bid really the best value if the service cannot be delivered consistently and sustainably?

The concerns detailed in this article are allegations made by an anonymous operator. They should be considered alongside any response from Bradford Council and the transport operator concerned.

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