Successful Places
Building on Australia’s first net zero train fleet
Building on the NSW Government’s net zero targets, Transport for NSW has developed a subsidiary target with a commitment to net zero transport operations by 2035.
Transport for NSW will achieve this by procuring 100 per cent renewable energy for all electricity and implementing innovations that will improve energy efficiency and reduce our energy demand.
We will electrify our buses, ferries, corporate vehicles, and non-passenger vehicle fleets. We’ll continue to identify opportunities for rail electrification and support the use of green hydrogen.
Sydney Metro, Sydney Trains and urban NSW TrainLink services are already powered by 100 per cent green electricity. Transport for NSW has begun to transition the State’s bus fleet of more than 8,000 diesel and gas buses to zero emissions technology.
Supporting electric vehicles
Electric vehicles are essential to help reduce the transport sector’s emissions. Transport for NSW is working in partnership across Government and with industry to encourage motorists and fleet owners to use electric vehicles. We’re rolling out charging stations right across NSW. The NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy will help reduce light vehicle emissions by 12.6 million tonnes annually.
The NSW Government will continue to work with the Commonwealth Government, and other states and territories to transition the transport sector towards a net zero emissions future.
Transport for NSW is working with the freight industry to decarbonise by accelerating the uptake of zero and low-emission vehicles.
Protecting biodiversity
Transport infrastructure in NSW has a large physical footprint, including 185,000 kilometres of public roads and 9,400 kilometres of rail infrastructure. Some of this includes vegetated sections of road, rail, drainage lines and waterways that contain important native flora and fauna. They can be important places of refuge and sometimes the last remaining source of habitat connectivity in the landscape.
Transport has an opportunity to protect and enhance biodiversity by carefully managing our assets. Transport will aim for no net loss in biodiversity in all our activities. This includes the protection of all living species.
Transport will aim for a net increase in native and amenity trees, where trees are permanently removed. This will provide greater urban amenity, cleaner air and reduce urban heat.
We will also improve opportunities for local Aboriginal people to care for and connect to Country through conservation programs as a condition of project approvals.
Design out waste and keep materials in use
To develop a circular economy and reduce waste, we need to look at the entire transport’s production value chain. Transport for NSW will develop a circular economy that keeps products and materials in use. We will avoid unnecessary material consumption, reduce the embodied energy, and carbon in our materials, and design out waste.