A smoother bus ride is on the way to one of Sydney’s busiest CBDs
A $115 million depot for electric buses will be built on a former factory site in Sydney’s north following a cash injection from the federal government, as the state plays catch-up with the rollout of charging stations and upgrades to existing depots.
Construction of the purpose-built depot on Talavera Road in Macquarie Park, one of Sydney’s major business districts, will begin early next year and is due to be completed by 2028.
An artist’s impression of the new depot for 165 electric buses at Macquarie Park.Credit: NSW government
The depot will service bus routes for commuters on the lower north shore and north-western suburbs, stretching across to Ryde and Parramatta once completed.
Located near where the M2 motorway intersects with Lane Cove Road, the new depot will house 165 electric buses. It is part of a transport-oriented development zone at Macquarie Park, which the state government has identified as a priority high-growth area.
About 160 people, including drivers, maintenance workers, and office staff, will be based at the depot, which is part of the state’s wider plan to electrify the 8000-strong bus fleet.
Under the first stage of the scheme, existing bus depots at Brookvale, Willoughby, North Sydney, Randwick, Port Botany, Taren Point, Kingsgrove, Menai, South Granville, Leichhardt and Tempe will also be upgraded to handle electric buses by 2028.
An electric bus charging system at Leichhardt depot in Sydney’s inner west.
Transport Minister Jo Haylen said the government was committed to rolling out electric buses and charging infrastructure because passengers across Sydney wanted a smoother ride on quieter, more sustainable modern vehicles.
“This isn’t just about reducing our carbon footprint – it’s also about creating a more enjoyable passenger experience for everyone,” she said.
In 2019, the then-transport minister Andrew Constance unveiled a goal to electrify the state’s entire bus fleet by 2030, describing it as a way to “scale up our efforts towards tackling climate change”.
However, Transport for NSW later confirmed it would take until 2047 to convert or upgrade all 8000 buses.
Federal Labor MP for Bennelong Jerome Laxale, whose electorate covers Macquarie Park, said there was a need for more investment in charging infrastructure to get electric buses on the roads.
“That’s why this is such an important investment from the Albanese government because our community won’t get electric buses unless the charging infrastructure is ready,” he said.
Under the state’s franchise model for bus services, the government owns the buses, which are operated by private companies. At present, 127 electric buses are running in Greater Sydney, up from about 100 in late 2022.
The latest investment in electric buses comes as Sydney grapples with a driver shortage. The city will be further tested when replacement bus services are put on during the 12-month closure of the T3 rail line in the city’s south-west from as early as July.
About 200 drivers will be needed to operate 100 buses which will run between Bankstown and Sydenham for a year while a 13-kilometre stretch of railway is converted to run driverless trains as part of the final part of the $21.6 billion Metro City and Southwest line.
The latest TfNSW figures showed Sydney had 294 bus driver vacancies in April, down slightly from 303 in March.
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