Under the changes, families will be forced to pay $90 per year for high school students and $45 per year for primary school students for the previously free school student bus passes.

According to NSW Treasurer Eric Roozendaal, the charges, which will be incorporated into the School Student Transport Scheme, will be capped at $180 per family to accommodate households with several children at school.

However, Windsor Downs resident Phillip Gatt, who has two children in school and a third starting primary school next year, said the changes would “push household budgets to the limit”.

“The changes would almost make it easier just to put the kids in the car and drive them to school,” he said. “It will force parents to work longer hours and spend even less time with their kids.

“It is an attack on the family... families are already under pressure due to petrol prices, interest rates and rising rents.”

Mr Gatt said he believed the changes were being made without thinking of those who would be most affected.

“This just shows that you cannot rely on the government to provide basic services,” he said.

Addressing NSW Parliament yesterday, Mr Roozendaal acknowledged that “these measures will be painful for some” but said the State Government had to make the “tough choices” in the mini-budget.

“These are reforms that have been left in the too-hard basket for too long and we can no longer afford them,” he said.

“There will be a cost cap of $180 per family with hardship provisions included.”

Berkshire Park resident Doris Xuereb, who has a daughter in high school, said she was concerned the changes would hit the most vulnerable and worsen pollution and traffic conditions.

“Families are going to find themselves weighing up the cost and deciding whether they should take their kids to school instead,” she said.

Westbus spokeswoman Keri Spina said the company would be investigating how the changes would affect Westbus’ day-to-day operations and acknowledged the changes had created great concern in the community.