A town council has stopped escorting children who cycle to a special needs school because their route passes a refugee centre.

A spokesman for Loon op Zand town council told broadcaster RTL news there is no longer any demand for the service. In the first week, a maximum of six children used it and on Friday there were none, the broadcaster said.

The council introduced the controversial escort because parents were worried about their children’s safety. Some 60 children from the town attend the special school in Waalwijk a few kilometres away.

Their route passes a holiday village where up to 1,200 refugees will eventually live for up to three months.