Anxious parents worried that their children will be stranded without travel to their new school say they have been left in the dark.
Their dilemma is that year 6 pupils who finish primary school at St Declan's Penshurst this year, have no confirmed transport route to their new campus, where they will begin high school in 2020.
Marist Catholic College South Hurstville is a new site being constructed as a middle school for year 7 and 8 students, and will enable an increase in total enrolments with the existing Marist Penshurst campus.
Lisa Fosse's daughter will be part of the first year 7 class to attend the new school.
"She is very excited to attend this state-of-the-art school," she said.
"But back when she did orientation nearly a year and a half ago, we were told that a bus service would take kids from Penshurst. Now the campus is near completion and we don't know what's going on, and we are no closer to having a service.
"Like many families, at some stage I will have three children in three separate feeder schools at once - including Marist Penshurst. They all start school at 9am and although most days I feel like a superwoman, this will be near impossible to get to all three different drop-offs.
"The closest train station is Hurstville, but kids would have to also catch a bus. A lot of them are only 12 years old."
"It is causing some major concern and stress for parents. We hope to get this resolved before our kids start this new chapter in their schooling lives."
In a letter to parents on August 8, Marist Penshurst principal Raymond Martin stated that the college had been "working for some time" to achieve clarity on the issue of transport between campuses.
In 2018, the Parents & Friends Association formed a transport committee group to gather enrolment information. It conducted research on the location of students enrolled for 2020, and the data was shared with Punchbowl Bus Company, to explore options of an expanded existing route that would provide access to the new campus.
During this time and earlier this year, Mr Martin met with Oatley MP Mark Coure and Banks MP David Coleman to seek support from both members, who made representations to the bus company on the college's behalf.
Sydney Catholic Schools also formed a South Hurstville steering committee to oversee the development of the campus. This committee, which has representation from the college, has had the issue of transport as an "ongoing agenda item", Mr Martin stated.
"Parents' concerns are still being considered by Sydney Catholic Schools," he said.
"Despite these efforts the college cannot provide clarification on any additional services other than the existing public transport options at this point in time.
"It is acknowledged that these current arrangements may not be convenient for some families. In light of this, the college will continue to achieve the best outcome for those families where transport is a significant issue."
He says the college will communicate details regarding transport arrangements when these have been clarified and resolved, in readiness for the 2020 school year.
A spokesman for Punchbowl Bus Company says it is working with Transport NSW to accommodate the travel needs of the new South Hurstville campus.
