North Shore schoolkids told to ride with public, as 12 school bus routes are slashed

Public buses may be feeling more packed than usual in 2026, as private operator Busways has axed 12 school bus routes across the North Sydney area. 

What happened: As of December 8, 12 school bus routes have been discontinued across the North Shore.

• Affected routes include those travelling between North Sydney and Lane Cove, Mosman, Lindfield, and Chatswood. 

• Public bus routes that will feel the impact of more school kids include the 144 and 114, 230, 115, and more.

Who's behind it: Private bus company Busways has serviced “region 7” — covering the North Shore, Sydney CBD, and North Western suburbs — since 2022. Previously, the region was managed by the state government. 

A spokesperson for Busways told the Lorikeet the routes discontinued were “low-use school services” identified after a “detailed assessment” of North Sydney routes. 

When asked whether additional services would be provided to make up for the loss, they said “other routes already provide an alternative with available capacity”.

Busways has provided schoolkids with a list of suggested public routes they can take instead.

Local pushback: North Sydney Council has rallied against the decision, with Mayor Zoë Baker claiming it would have a “significant adverse impact on students” and “increase demand for space on existing bus services and congestion on local roads”. 

The council voted unanimously to write to the Minister for Transport seeking a review of the decision.

Local Member Felicity Wilson has also criticised the decision, saying “our local students deserve safe, reliable school transport”.

Thumbnail: Busways, Google Maps