Natalie Ward
Shadow Minister for Transport
Mark Coure
Shadow Minister for South Western Sydney
Mark Speakman
Shadow Minister for Education
The Minns Labor Government must urgently improve school bus services across south western Sydney, as rapid population growth and rising school enrolments place increasing pressure on families, local roads and public transport networks.
Independent Schools NSW has called for an urgent review of school bus services before the 2027 school year, warning that inadequate transport is restricting schools' ability to meet growing demand from local families.
South western Sydney's population grew by 15.3 per cent between 2020 and 2025, while student enrolments across government, Catholic and independent schools increased by around 13,000 or 13 per cent, equivalent to the opening of 12 new K-12 schools. Despite this growth, bus services have failed to keep pace, forcing more parents onto already congested roads for daily school drop-offs and pick-ups.
Shadow Minister for Transport Natalie Ward said transport planning must keep up with the needs of growing communities.
"Families should not be spending more time in traffic because school bus services have failed to keep pace with population growth," Ms Ward said.
"The Minns Labor Government must work with schools, councils and local communities to ensure bus routes reflect where students live and learn, rather than waiting for overcrowding and congestion to worsen."
Shadow Minister for South Western Sydney Mark Coure said better school transport options would provide practical relief for families.
"As communities grow, transport infrastructure must grow with them," Mr Coure said.
"More direct routes, increased service frequency and improved connections to train stations would help reduce congestion and give families real transport choices."
Shadow Minister for Education Mark Speakman said the issue reflects the need for better coordination between housing growth, school planning and transport infrastructure.
"When bus services don't adequately cater for local schools, the burden falls on parents to find alternative transport, often at significant cost and inconvenience," Mr Speakman said.
"Schools that have capacity to enrol more students should not be constrained by inadequate transport links.
"The Minns Labor Government must act now to ensure services are planned and delivered ahead of the 2027 school year, rather than leaving students and families stranded."
One example is Al-Faisal College's Liverpool campus at Austral, serving around 1,700 students but supported by just one direct school bus route. The school reports regular overcrowding, while students using alternative services face long walks along roads lacking adequate footpaths and safe crossing points.
Another example is Macarthur Anglican School in Cobbitty. It has also identified limited public transport access as a barrier to growth, with the school operating eight privately funded bus services at significant cost to families.
The NSW Liberals are calling on the Minns Labor Government to urgently review school bus services across south western Sydney, introduce additional direct and frequent routes where needed, improve connections to major train stations and work with councils to deliver safer footpaths and crossings around schools.
