Transport for NSW (Transport) will establish Sydney’s first purpose-built battery electric bus depot under the Zero Emission Buses Program initiative by the NSW Government.
The depot, to be built in the busy Sydney centre of Macquarie Park, involves a $115 million investment in a zero-emissions depot.
The concept design is now underway to transform the former factory site into a state-of-the-art depot for 165 electric buses. This will support public transport services to the lower North Shore and Northwest suburbs of Sydney, stretching to Chatswood and Parramatta, operated by Busways.
Construction will begin early next year and be completed by 2027, with Busways actively contributing to the project development and operation of the depot once live.
Busways will operate features such as robust battery charging infrastructure and an underground car park with around 150 spaces for employees, with a widening of Pittwater Road allowing bus access to and from the depot.
The depot will house a fleet of roughly 165 electric buses, improving public transport services to the lower North Shore and north-western suburbs of Sydney, extending to Chatswood and Parramatta.
Busways head of the ZEB transition program Chris Wolf says Busways is working closely with Transport to support design and development.
“We’ve already designed and built five brand new bus depots in Sydney and are operating 18 ZEBs in our Penrith depot, plus running a ZEB testing program and contributing to the development of Australian-built charging optimisation technology,” Wolf says.
“We’re inputting our knowledge from these projects to ensure the new depot’s design is ultra-efficient and has strong amenities to support and attract employees to deliver robust zero emissions services to the community.
“The new Macquarie Park electric bus depot will set a new benchmark for ZEB adoption in Australia. It will be Transport’s first purpose built electric depot, with plans to convert more depots to electric fleets in the coming years.”
The plan highlights the NSW government’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and promoting a cleaner, sustainable future for public transport.
NSW transport minister Jo Haylen told the Sydney Morning Herald that the state government is committed to introducing electric buses and charging infrastructure.
“This isn’t just about reducing our carbon footprint – it’s also about creating a more enjoyable passenger experience for everyone,” she says.
The move is part of the NSW government’s Zero Emission Buses Program aimed at transitioning the state’s 8,000 plus diesel and compressed natural gas buses to zero emissions technology by 2047. This project represents a major step toward sustainable public transport.