Parents in Renfrewshire could receive help with bus and rail fares, fuel, taxis, bicycles and driving lessons when starting work or training.
Renfrewshire Council has received £278,149 from the Scottish Government for a new parental travel initiative.
Details were presented to the council’s Economy and Regeneration Policy Board on Tuesday 25th August 2026.
The funding is intended to prevent travel costs from stopping parents on low incomes from accessing employment, education or training.
Under the plans, 175 parents could receive up to 12 weeks of subsidised bus and rail travel while attending interviews, training or work placements, or when moving into employment.
A proposed £38,149 travel fund could pay for bus and rail tickets, fuel, taxis and emergency transport. It could also fund bicycles and electric bikes.
A further £35,000 would support 25 parents with theory tests, practical driving tests, driving lessons or refresher training.
The plans also include a £25,000 fund for urgent travel costs. Advisers could award grants of between £25 and £300 for fuel, parking, travel passes, interview travel or exceptional transport costs.
Another £55,000 could be invested in community transport for parents living in rural villages and areas with limited public transport.
The council also plans to explore support for employer transport schemes where early shifts begin before public transport services. The report identified Glasgow Airport and Inchinnan as possible areas for shuttle pilot schemes.
The support will be available only to parents receiving help through the No One Left Behind employability programme. It must be temporary and cannot be used as a long-term travel subsidy.
The funding must be spent by the end of March 2027, and there is no guarantee that further money will be available.
At the time the report was prepared, the council’s proposed spending plan was still awaiting approval from the Scottish Government and could change.
Members of the Economy and Regeneration Policy Board noted the additional grant and its planned use.