The South Australian Government has appointed two global engineering professional services companies, Mott MacDonald and WSP, to assist with developing detailed business cases to plan towards a transition to zero emission operations across its passenger rail and bus networks.
A release from the government said Mott MacDonald, a global engineering, management and development consultancy, and WSP in Australia, a leading professional services firm, have been selected based on their technical expertise and their experience in helping governments globally transition their public transport networks towards zero emissions operation.
The State Government has committed to an emissions reduction target of at least 60 percent of 2005 levels by 2030 and net zero by 2050.
Transportation is the largest single source of emissions in South Australia, with the operation of public transport vehicles being a major contributor to emissions generated by the South Australian Government.
The work to be undertaken by Mott MacDonald and WSP will consolidate the large body of planning and feasibility analysis already completed by the State Government into a detailed business case for achieving zero emissions operation across Adelaide’s passenger rail and bus networks.
It also follows a series of high-level meetings held by Infrastructure and Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis with some of the world’s biggest rail companies at the world’s largest trade fair for transport technology, InnoTrans 2024, in Berlin last year, with discussions focussed on the Government’s priority to progress the rollout of battery electric trains more broadly in South Australia.
The Adelaide Metro bus fleet currently consists of just over 1000 vehicles powered by a mix of diesel, hybrid, battery electric, and natural gas powertrains, with two hydrogen buses currently on trial. As of September 2022, procurement of new diesel-only buses has ceased, and all new vehicles are now either diesel-electric hybrids or battery electric.
The Adelaide Metro railway network is already partially decarbonised. The Gawler and Seaford Lines, including the Flinders spur line, have been electrified. However, the Belair and Outer Harbor line, including the Grange and Port Dock spurs, are operated by hybrid-diesel railcars.
The business cases are expected to be completed in early 2026.
