TAXIS for school pupils have cost Argyll and Bute Council nearly £100,000 in each of the last three full calendar years.

And in the first five months of 2018 alone, the local authority has racked up a bill of over £53,000 for the same transport.

Figures obtained from a Freedom of Information request also show that taxis for Helensburgh school pupils cost the council £31,862 in 2017.

This was found to be partly attributable to transporting pupils from the Helensburgh area to access support services.

Previously, Helensburgh pupils’ taxis had cost £7,275 in 2016 and £9,000 in 2015, with the council paying only £250 in 2014.

As of May 31, the running total for Helensburgh youngsters to attend lessons by taxi was £11,983. In total, from January 1 2014 to May 31 2018, taxis for Burgh pupils have cost £60,370.

The total school taxi bill for the entire Argyll and Bute area in 2017 was £97,927, while in 2016 it was £96,260, and in 2015 it was £96,246. As of May 31, the running total for 2018 was £53,370.

Islay has been shown to be by far the most costly area of Argyll and Bute for taxis for school pupils, who have to be taken to meet their main transport to the classroom.

A total of £156,673 has been spent on taxis for pupils from that area between January 1 2014 and May 31 2018.

The highest spend for Islay pupils in a calendar year in that period was 2016, when the bill came to £39,474.

An Argyll and Bute Council spokesperson said: “We do all we can to provide all pupils with the support they need.

“For a temporary period in 2017, this included transport costs for a number of pupils from the Helensburgh area to access particular support services. This contract is no longer required.

“In terms of Islay, there is a requirement to transport pupils from outlying areas to meet with the main bus to Islay High School.”