The City of Sydney has presented a new electric vehicle strategy which intends to make metropolitan travel greener – doubling electric chargers in car parks, placing charge points in apartment buildings, and increasing the capacity of their depots for larger electric vehicles.
It is a promising start towards sustainable travel in the state, and in order to reach net-zero targets, local councils and the NSW government have agreed to combine their efforts to partner up, starting with public transport.
Almost 20,000 public buses in Australia will need to be replaced eventually. Some are coming to the end of their lifespan, others are in need of expensive routine maintenance to keep them in operation, but the majority have a common denominator; they run on diesel.
Paving The Road Towards Net-Zero Emissions
With sustainability at the forefront of government policymaking, it is integral that these buses are replaced in a way that supports the carbon neutral agenda. Transport for New South Wales has committed to introducing 1,200 electric buses and eleven depots through the Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) programme, replacing the existing diesel models.
Those living in metropolitan Sydney will see a zero-emission bus fleet on the roads as soon as next year, and as the first in line, they will be a leading example for the wider state. Local councils, especially those in regional locations, will need to work alongside the NSW Government to align public transport policies. Achieving this and implementing active transport infrastructure will help the state navigate the road to net zero by 2050.
The $3 billion plan to transition NSW’s buses to electric and improve charging infrastructure will create more jobs in both regional and metropolitan areas, improve accessibility for rural communities and, most importantly, cut carbon emissions significantly.
To make this a worthwhile investment, both the state and local governments must have a shared vision in their transport strategy, and they appear to be headed in the right direction.
The City of Sydney’s draft electrification of transport action plan, which is currently in its public consultation stage, offers encouraging signs of aligning strategies. It prioritises reducing the emissions of large vehicles – namely buses, developing active transport infrastructure and increasing charging options.
Though we will not know the outcomes of this consultation until after April this year, Sydneysiders are already reaping the benefits of the new electric buses – with reduced noise, improved air quality, and a smoother ride. Year on year, more electric buses will populate the roads, and a full transition in Greater Sydney expected by 2035.
These are exciting steps forward; a full electric bus fleet being implemented state-wide by 2047, underpinned by an aligned active and public transport strategy, will put NSW as a global leader in sustainable mobility.
Read all about our involvement with the project here.
