Shropshire education watchdogs have been warned that the school bus service is under pressure from “significant” price rises beyond the county council’s control.

Officials are also worried that there are fewer operators able to provide school transport. And, according to a report being presented next week, there can be no certainty that the remaining operators will continue to trade in the medium term.

The council is now considering buying more of its own buses as a means of strengthening the school transport fleet. Another key pressure has been the rising cost of fuel.

The report says there are currently 35,000 children of school age in the council area, of which 7,000 qualify for free transport. In addition there are more than 1,700 post-16 students receiving travel assistance.

“There are a number of topical issues that are presenting concerns in respect of the delivery of Shropshire’s school transport service,” warns the report.

“Firstly, Shropshire’s bus market has seen further contraction, particularly in the south of the county in the last couple of years, making the procurement of Shropshire’s school bus services more problematic. Furthermore there can be no certainty that the remaining bus operators will continue to trade in the medium term.

“This concern is being addressed by some consideration of the procurement of in-house buses as a means of strengthening Shropshire’s bus fleet.”

Difficult market conditions have resulted in significant price increases beyond the council’s control, the report says.

The rising cost of fuel on contracts awarded from last September has led to budget overspend of £100,000.

But the report says the situation will be monitored closely over the coming months.