OPPONENTS rallied on Saturday against a controversial plan to charge for school transport for disabled pupils across Oxfordshire.

Parents, children and staff gathered more signatures for a petition which has already got support from 2,100 people.

They gathered at 11am in Cornmarket ahead of a meeting tomorrow. Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet is expected to accept a proposal for charging for the service – which could set back parents of pupils up to £658 a year.

Any proposal would be introduced in September. The council said it is no longer able to afford to keep the service running for free.

Parent Simon Smith said: “The council is making a financial decision. They need a 360 degree view.”

He said the county council should undertake a full impact assessment – and he worried that would show many parents would be adversely affected.

Labour county councillor Emma Turnbull was at the protest on Saturday.

She said savings could still be made by bringing the bus service in-house and setting up an ‘integrated service’ rather than charging parents as proposed.

Last week the county council’s director for children’s services Lucy Butler said the council had been providing ‘over and above’ its statutory requirements.

Ms Butler said families which cannot afford the cost – including those receiving free school meals – will not be charged, and others can apply for a government bursary.

She said: “We will continue to work very closely with families to ensure the needs of the child are fully understood, so appropriate home-to-school arrangements can be put in place.”

The county council’s cabinet will meet at County Hall on Tuesday.