New Hunter school bus stops and extra services to make student travel safer

newy.com.au – Improved school bus services will roll out across the Hunter Valley after the Minns Labor Government on Monday 1 December 2025 announced route and timetable changes for growing communities around Cessnock, Branxton and surrounding estates.

The changes aim to make school travel safer and more convenient for students in rapidly expanding residential areas, following sustained feedback from parents and carers about overcrowding, stop locations and buses not matching school bell times.

Families in The Vintage Estate at Pokolbin will see one of the most noticeable upgrades, with a new bus stop to be added on Vintage Drive before Claret Ash Drive. The government says this will better serve the growing estate and mean students no longer need to rely on services along McDonalds Road for their daily school trip.

The local service upgrade is designed to cut walking distances for students, reduce the need to cross busy roads and give families more confidence that children can get to and from school safely and on time.

Service improvements are also being introduced in Huntlee, Branxton and Gillieston Heights in response to growing demand. These include new coverage for North Branxton, Radford Estate and Rusty Lane, along with additional services for St Philip’s Christian College and Gillieston Public School.

Timetables for Cessnock High School are being adjusted to better align with peak school travel periods, after feedback that some services were not lining up with bell times and were difficult for students to use reliably.

Students attending Mount View High School, St Patrick’s Primary School, Nulkaba Public School, Cessnock High School, Cessnock Public School, Cessnock East Public School, Cessnock West Public School, St Philip’s Christian College, Gillieston Public School and Hunter Valley Grammar School are all expected to benefit from the changes.

Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said the package was directly shaped by requests from local families. Catley said the improvements were “a win for local kids and families”, adding that “better bus connections mean safer and more reliable travel for students right across the Hunter Valley. It is all about giving regional communities the services they need.”

Minister for Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison said the upgrades delivered on the government’s promise to strengthen public transport in regional areas. “These updates form part of the Minns Government’s ongoing commitment to improving public transport connections for regional communities,” she said. “These changes will make it easier for families to ensure that their children can travel to and from school safely and on time.”

Aitchison said the new timetables and routes were a direct response to what parents had been telling her and local MPs. “We know from community feedback that some previous services didn’t align with school bell times, which created challenges for students and parents. These adjustments will fix that,” she said. “We’ve acted to improve connectivity, convenience, and safety for residents. As the local population grows, our goal is to make travel smoother, safer, and more reliable for everyone.”

Member for Cessnock Clayton Barr welcomed the announcement, saying families had been pushing for change over several years. “This is a terrific outcome for families in Cessnock and our surrounding suburbs,” Barr said. “These changes mean more coverage, better timing and safer options for our kids. Families have been asking for this for years and I am thrilled to see it delivered.”

Transport for NSW and operator Rover Coaches are working with schools and parents to promote the updated services and explain what the changes mean for individual routes. Existing routes and timetables may change, and students and families are being encouraged to check updated information and plan their journeys via the Transport for NSW website.