Free school bus travel for hundreds of Fife school children could be axed as the council faces a desperate struggle to balance the books.
Car parking charges could also be ramped up and subsidised public transport routes scrapped.
Critics condemned the proposals, insisting they would target vulnerable groups including the elderly, and warned that parking fee hikes could cripple the already fragile local economy.
Amid a squeeze on public sector budgets, council chiefs confirmed a whole raft of cuts will be considered as they battle to find savings of around £90 million by 2015.
The local authority will set its annual budget in February, but it is already clear that a number of potentially controversial decisions could be in the pipeline.
Among changes set to be considered is eligibility for free transport to school.
The council provides a free service for those living more than two miles from their local school. However, changing that to three miles the national statutory level would, council chiefs have calculated, save around £1 million.
Figures released last year showed that 7,871 Fife pupils receive free transport. If the change was forced through, more than 2,000 could lose their entitlement.
Tony Martin, the chairman of the council’s enterprise, environment and transportation committee, admitted some ”tough” choices would have to be made.
”The challenge for us is to make sure we continue to deliver quality services to Fifers within today’s financial constraints,” Mr Martin said. ”Doing nothing is not an option we have to change and reform.”
Subsidised bus routes will be ”reviewed” and parking charges ”looked at,” council chiefs warn.
Mr Martin is well aware that many of the decisions will not be popular.
”In an ideal world we wouldn’t be considering any of these options,” he said. ”However, we have to look at all of them if we are to continue to invest in our area’s transport needs.”
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Subsidised bus routes cost the local authority in excess of £4.5 million every year. Were it not for council support, many routes would not operate due to their lack of ”commercial viability”.
Mr Martin added: ”In one extreme case we are spending over £25 per passenger to keep a bus service going. Is it viable to keep providing services in this way?”
Meanwhile he insisted that any increased parking charges would take into account ”the current economic challenges” facing town centres.
”It is only going to be through change and innovation that we will be able to afford the huge task of keeping Fife’s bridges, sea defences, roads, street lights and all the other infrastructure in a fit state now and in the future.
”This is not going to get any easier. It is only going to get more challenging as budgets get tighter,” he said.
Council officials are keen to point out they have invested more than £45 million in Fife’s roads and bridges over a 10-year period.
Nevertheless, opposition leader Councillor Alex Rowley is disappointed by the direction being taken.
”There is no doubt we face some tough challenges and difficult decisions but we must be guided by a key principle to protect front-line services that are most used and needed by the people of Fife,” he said.
”When it comes to tough choices you don’t start with the easy pickings and in doing so threaten the safety of school pupils or withdraw vital community services.
”It is ironic that the SNP at Holyrood cut bridge charges when there was no proof of a negative economic impact from those charges and now in Fife they are proposing to raise car parking charges despite the fact that this will damage our already struggling town centres.
”Money has been wasted and there has been a failure to prioritise and focus on core services,” Mr Rowley added. ”I suggest we do that rather than attack school pupils, the elderly and the local economy.”