Cllr Wayne Daley came out to defend the free transport, warning that some parents simply do not have the choice but to send their children to faith schools outside of the catchment area.
"At the end of the day it is about individual choice and this is discrimination," he said.
Hampshire County Council is also considering withdrawing the free transport for children attending faith schools, which it has provided since the 1944 Education Act was introduced.
Parents in Rushmoor who send their children across the Hampshire-Surrey border to All Hallows Catholic School in Weybourne decried the plans, warning that the removal of free transport would in effect take away their right to send their children to a Catholic school.
Kairen Harris said the move would force her to find other schools for her two younger children, who currently attend St Bernadette’s Roman Catholic Primary School in Farnborough, because she cannot afford bus fares.
She said: “I believe it is my right as a parent and a Catholic to choose to have my children educated at a Catholic school.
“I chose to send my children to Catholic schools so they could benefit from what I think is a superior education.
“Unfortunately without free transport I would have to seriously consider moving my children to an inferior school, disrupting their education and alienating them from friends that they have been through the school system with.
“As the majority of children attending the school use the bus service many pupils would be moved, putting our school at risk. It would be morally wrong if All Hallows was to close because of a lack of pupils.”
Deputy head of All Hallows, John Bird, told Aldershot News and Mail: “I think our parents have been very, very worried about it. It is not just the present students that it will affect but also their younger brothers and sisters and future parents who aren’t actually being consulted.
“I certainly think it would make a difference to the school if they did withdraw the funding."
With some parents having two or three children at the school, Mr Bird estimated that parents could be left footing a transport bill of around £1,500 just to get their children to their schools.
Mr Bird said: “I’d like to say though that parents are very grateful and the schools are very grateful that the council does support transport to school.
“We know it costs a lot of money but we feel really that it’s a right to be able to have that transport.”
If Northumberland County Council votes in favour of ending the free transport provision parents will be left to foot the bill themselves as of September 2007.
