The Andrews Labor Government is ramping up its transition towards a cleaner and more sustainable bus fleet, with funding in this year's budget for the Zero Emissions Bus roll out - backing Footscray's first zero emission buses.
Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll and Minister for Climate Action Lily D'Ambrosio today visited the Transit Systems depot in West Footscray - now running nine new electric buses to service popular routes across Melbourne's west, including Williamstown, Moonee Ponds, Footscray and Sunshine.
The depot has been upgraded to be the base for the fleet of the nine electric buses, which forms part of the Labor Government's $20 million Zero Emissions Bus Trial.
Transit Systems is one of six operators across Victoria taking part in trial, which will see 52 zero emission buses - 50 electric and two Victorian-first hydrogen buses - rolled out across Melbourne, Traralgon and Seymour.
From 2025, all new buses on Victoria's public transport routes will be zero emissions - and this trial will inform the transition of around 4,000 diesel buses in the state's public fleet, including around 2,200 in regional Victoria.
The Victorian Budget 2023/24 includes fundingto support the roll out of zero emission buses as part of new 10-year metropolitan bus contracts, putting more clean transport on the network by 2035.
This rollout joins other zero emission buses already operating around the state's network - including in Melbourne's west, with Kinetic delivering electric buses on various routes operating out of Sunshine.
Data collected from the trial will provide practical information like how zero emission buses perform, and energy and charging requirements for different types of routes. It will also give insight into how the buses can improve financial and environmental sustainability.
The trial is also fostering vital local industry partnerships - such as with energy providers and manufacturers - that will be needed to achieve the transition across the state.
The Labor Government has set world-leading emissions reduction targets of 75 - 80 per cent by 2035 and net zero by 2045. To achieve this, the Government is taking strong action across Victoria - helping farmers cut emissions, storing carbon in our landscape and driving down emissions in the waste sector through the circular economy.
Decarbonising public transport through zero emissions busses and running all metropolitan trains and trams on 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025 is also key to the Government's ambitious climate action agenda.
Creating a cleaner fleet is part of Victoria's Bus Plan to develop a modern and reliable network that attracts more passengers, with the new buses critical to the Labor Government's plans to reduce emissions in the transport sector and reach net zero emissions by 2045.
As stated by Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll
"We're investing in cleaner technologies, supporting local manufacturing and delivering a more modern, efficient and reliable bus network that gets passengers where they need to go."
As stated by Minister for Climate Action Lily D'Ambrosio
"The Zero Emissions Bus Trial is one of the key parts of Victoria's ambitious climate action agenda and will help us meet our world leading emissions reduction targets of 75-80 per cent by 2035 and net zero by 2045."
As stated by Member for Footscray Katie Hall
"This is a huge benefit for passengers in Footscray as we fast track our transition to a clean bus fleet - with these new zero emissions buses to create smoother journeys and quiet buses in our streets."
