Children will benefit from a new direct, dedicated school bus service when Marist College South Hurstville campus opens its doors this year.
Marist Catholic College South Hurstville is a new campus of Marist Catholic College Penshurst and will house 'middle school' students (years 7 and 8).
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said the new service would partially follow the path taken by the existing 943 service between the intersection of Tate Place and Forest Road, Lugarno, and Marist Catholic College Penshurst, before continuing to the school via Mortdale railway station.
The morning service will start at Tate Place at 7:53am, while the afternoon bus will leave the school at 3:07pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and 2:30pm Thursday.
The news is certain to be welcomed by parents, who had been lobbying for a bus service to be introduced before the start of the school year.
A Transport for NSW spokesperson said it was "always looking at ways to improve public transport services for our customers".
"We've listened to the feedback from our stakeholders, including the school, the bus operator and the community, and we're delighted to be able to deliver this new service to get students to-and-from the new Marist College South Hurstville campus safely each day," the spokesperson said.
"The service will travel past the Marist College Penshurst and Georges River College Oatley campuses, meaning those students will also be able to utilise the service on days when their bell time aligns with the departure time from Marist College South Hurstville."
The service, operated under contract by Punchbowl Bus Company, will be labelled S140 in the morning and S141 in the afternoon.
There will be stops at Forest Road (Tate Place), Lugarno Shops, Forest Road (Hugh Avenue) and Mortdale railway station.
The new route will commence on January 29. Customers will be able to plan their trip online from the middle of January.
Lisa Fosse was among parents who lobbied for a new bus route before her daughter Chelsea, 12, starts year 7 at Marist College South Hurstville this year.
She welcomed the announcement of the new bus route, which would provide a direct transport option for students from feeder schools such as St Declan's Primary School, Penshurst.
She said parents were advised about the new route in an email from the school late last year. Two buses will service the new route.
She said the school also advised parents it would run an additional chartered direct bus service between the two campuses each morning and afternoon.
"We are definitely relieved," Ms Fosse said.
"My daughter has been dropped to school every day since Kindergarten. This was the year we were going to loosen the strings a little bit and let her catch the bus, but most of the kids are 12 and 13 and being able to put them on the bus and go straight to school without having to get on and get off and wait around Hurstville is important."
Ms Fosse said she would be able to drop Chelsea at the bus stop knowing she can catch a bus directly to school.
Marist Catholic College Penshurst's Parents & Friends Association formed a transport committee group in 2018 and conducted research on the location of students enrolled for 2020. This data was then shared with Punchbowl Bus Company to explore options of an expanded existing route that would provide access to the new campus.
Principal Raymond Martin also met with Oatley MP Mark Coure and Banks MP David Coleman, who made representations to the bus company on the college's behalf.
