School transport for children with special educational needs is to be improved.
The Welsh Assembly Government and Welsh Local Government Association have awarded the South West Wales Integrated Transport Consortium (SWWITCH) a grant of £134,000 to enhance the journeys of SEN pupils across South West Wales.
The grant will provide specialist training for bus contractors, drivers and passenger assistants so that they can better care for the young people while they travel.
It will also enable a major consultation exercise to be carried out with parents and others to identify how services can be further improved.
To implement these changes, a new development worker will be appointed, who will work across the SWWITCH area - Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire Swansea and Neath and Port Talbot.
"Over the past 10 years there has been an increase in the number of children with special educational needs, which has led to a large number of specialist schools and units being built," said Clr. Jamie Adams, chair of SWWITCH.
"This has resulted in an increased demand for specialist transport to enable pupils to attend the schools most appropriate for their needs.
"Since, in many cases, the most appropriate school is not the nearest, SEN pupils often have to be transported over longer distances and face longer journey times.
"The aim of this new transport project is to improve their travel experience and ensure that their journeys are as safe as possible."