Sydney To Get First Purpose-Built Electric Bus Depot By 2028
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Macquarie Park will become home to Sydney’s first purpose-built electric bus depot, marking an important milestone in New South Wales’ pursuit of fossil fuel-free public transport.
The project comes as part of the Minns Labor Government plan to switch from the 8000-strong diesel and gas fleet, to battery electric buses over the next two decades.
Funded equally by the NSW and Commonwealth governments, the $145 million dollar project is expected to begin early in the New Year and become operational in 2028.
The new depot will employ 160 staff, including drivers, maintenance workers and administration personnel, and will operate about 150 buses that servicing areas from the northwest suburbs to Ryde, Parramatta and the lower north shore.
Each electric bus can travel up to 300 kilometres on a single charge, providing quieter, smoother and cleaner public transport that will progressively replace the entire diesel and gas fleet in Sydney over the coming decade.
Fulton Hogan Construction Pty Ltd was this week awarded the design and construct contract to build the depot, which will feature both standard (75kW) and fast (150kW) plug-in chargers to suit operational requirements.
Transport Minister John Graham said passengers could look forward to a smoother ride as the older buses were phased out.
“Building a new bus depot in such a centrally located part of Sydney is a rare occurrence and an important milestone in this massive transition to cleaner and quieter buses powered by renewable energy.”
An electric future for Sydney
In September, Brookvale became the first of Sydney’s 11 bus depots to be fitted out for the electric change, with Leichhardt and Kingsgrove expected to have electric bus charging technology installed by 2027.
The NSW Government’s Zero Emissions Bus Program will see more than 1,200 new electric buses delivered by 2028, with up to 300 hitting the road in the upcoming months.
The direct link between Parramatta and the Sydney CBD through the Ryde area is also set to return with the expansion of the 500X route to Parramatta, after the former Liberal-National government cut the connection after the M52 bus was axed.
“Our neighbourhoods are changing, so it’s fantastic to see new public transport infrastructure being delivered to support it,” said Ryde Councillor Lyndal Howison.
“Zero emissions buses are different, they are clean and quiet, so this depot will be a real community asset not only today but into the future.”
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