Transport 2024

Transport networks play a key role in allowing people and goods to get from one place to another. These networks connect us to our work, to services, such as healthcare, and to our families and friends. They fulfil an essential social and economic function by connecting communities and enabling trade.

However, the infrastructure required to create the networks and the vehicles that use them can have negative impacts on the environment and human health. These include:

• extraction and use of non-renewable resources for fuel and vehicle manufacture
• greenhouse gas emissions
• air, water and noise pollution
• land clearing for transport infrastructure and the possible fragmentation of habitat
• increased heat in urban areas.

As populations and economies grow, so too does the need for more housing and transport infrastructure. Without a coordinated approach, this growth can inadvertently worsen these environmental impacts.

Private motor vehicles generally have greater impacts on the environment than public transport. This is because they are less efficient at moving large numbers of people and mostly rely on polluting energy sources across the lifecycle of the vehicle ().

Vehicles with internal combustion engines rely on fossil fuels. Large vehicles such as SUVs have greater impacts than smaller cars due to their higher fuel consumption and the additional resources needed to manufacture them.

Globally, especially in developed countries such as Australia, private vehicles dominate as a mode of transport (). Vehicle ownership and use are influenced by a variety of factors, including reason for journey, travel time, income, access to public transport, fuel prices, ease of parking, health, population density and environmental awareness.

NSW has over 40,000 kilometres (km) of state and regional roads along with more than 180,000km of local and other roads, and over 10,000km of railway lines (). As a geographically large state, we rely heavily on road infrastructure to convey people, services, freight and utilities across the long distances between cities and rural areas.

People living and working in rural and regional NSW are more reliant on private vehicles due to the long distances they may need to travel and more limited transport options (; ). Despite an increase in public transport options and road infrastructure, even some people living in parts of Sydney, such as the South West Growth Area, are also more reliant on private transport ().

In line with global trends, most vehicles in NSW are fuelled by petrol or diesel and there is a strong preference for SUVs, with correspondingly high carbon dioxide emissions as a result.

In 2022 (the most recent available data), transport emissions in NSW accounted for 21% of all greenhouse gas emissions ().

Urban planning and transport strategies and policies that take a long-term view can prevent or mitigate environmental impacts.

Good land use planning reduces the need for private vehicles and can lessen congestion by reducing the distance people need to travel for their daily needs – for example, locating workplaces and essential services near stations and improving public transport services and connections between outer suburbs or country towns and city centres.

Improving the quality and delivery of public transport leads to increased patronage, which in turn reduces fuel consumption and congestion and leads to lower environmental impacts.

Making it easier for people to walk or cycle to their destination (active transport) also helps as these are the most energy-efficient transport modes. Active transport relieves pressure on our roads and public transport networks and is part of a healthy lifestyle for our communities.

Transitioning the transport sector away from fossil fuels is essential. This includes ramping up renewable energy generation for the electrification of public transport, increased uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) and rolling out charging infrastructure.

Recent research suggests that shifting to electric rail for freight and passengers will have the greatest impact on transport emissions, providing reductions of 80% to 90% from 2030 onwards ().

Despite an increasing switch to EVs, the International Energy Agency predicts that in 2030 almost 80% of cars and vans globally will still be powered by internal combustion engines (). Improving fuel and vehicle efficiency is therefore critical to reducing emissions from these vehicles.

Improved design for both car components and road surfaces can reduce air and water pollution by minimising the wear and tear that creates pollutants, such as fine particles.

Strategies to manage the environmental impacts of road and related infrastructure are essential to project planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance. These include:

• minimising the use of non-renewable resources
• diverting waste from landfill during construction
• managing erosion and sediment during construction works
• protecting biodiversity via planning approvals and conditions
• implementing additional wildlife protection features, such as fauna fencing and fauna crossings
• reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions through LED traffic and street lights.

Road design can incorporate vegetation and water treatment to respond to and improve surrounding ecosystems. Through planting, roads can help mitigate urban heat-island effects and contribute to an area’s tree canopy targets ().

Lighter road surface colour and reduced paving areas also mitigate urban heat. Incorporating raingardens into roadside stormwater drainage infrastructure filters pollution before it enters waterways.

Locating freight infrastructure on the outskirts of cities has been common practice globally. This results in negative environmental impacts, such as pollution and congestion, because it increases the distance that freight vehicles need to travel.

Freight-efficient land use planning () can improve the efficiency of freight activity and mitigate these impacts by reducing the distance goods are moved by road. It can also have a positive impact on cost-of living expenses.

Moving freight over long distances (long haul) by rail has significantly lower environmental impacts than transporting it by road. This is mainly due to rail’s greater efficiency in hauling larger volumes of goods. Rail freight produces 16 times less greenhouse gas emissions and is four times more fuel-efficient than road freight ().

A consequence of increased movement of freight by rail is greater noise impacts on communities around rail lines. Noise along freight lines can be addressed by maintaining and improving track conditions, better noise compliance by rolling stock and effective noise monitoring and regulation.

Approaches to mitigate and reduce the impacts of shipping () and air transport () include the development of less polluting fuel sources, improved efficiency and regulation of ports and air traffic ().

Transport for NSW is responsible for setting the strategic direction for transport across NSW including consolidating transport policy, planning, infrastructure, service delivery and non-service delivery functions.

Transport for NSW works with other government agencies according to the key legislation and policies listed in Table P2.1. Some issues, such as fuel efficiency standards and international shipping regulation, are the responsibility of the federal government.

This report uses five indicators to assess the status and trends related to transport in NSW:

• Greenhouse gas emissions from transport – This indicator is assessed as poor because the long-term trend since 1990 shows a continued increase, apart from during COVID restrictions which contributed to a slight downturn (see Transport emissions).
• Access to the 30-minute city – measures the percentage of urban homes within 30 minutes of their nearest metropolitan centre via active or public transport. At around 61%, this is assessed as moderate (see Metropolitan travel).
• Access to regional day return – This indicator measures the extent to which people can easily travel between regional centres using public and on-demand modes of transport within a day. With 90% of people in regional areas having access to these services in 2023, this indicator is assessed as good (see Regional travel).
• Vehicle kilometres travelled – In 2023, vehicles on NSW roads travelled 74.8 billion kilometres (see Distance travelled by road).
• Electric vehicle registrations in NSW – Reported on for the first time in 2021, this indicator is assessed as poor due to the very small number of electric vehicles in use, but getting better thanks to a rapid increase in sales over the past two years (see How vehicles are powered).

The proportion of people using public transport has also been an indicator in previous years. This is not reported for 2024 due to changes in people’s working, shopping and social habits during and since COVID restrictions, which makes trend assessment more complicated than previously.

Transport continues to impact wildlife, but not enough data is available to develop an indicator for these impacts.

Emissions in the transport sector largely result from the combustion of fuels. This includes road transport, domestic aviation, rail, domestic shipping, off-road recreational vehicle activity and gas pipeline transport.

In NSW, the transport sector is the fastest growing producer of greenhouse gas emissions.

See the topic for comparison with other sectors.

Transport emissions have increased from 19 megatonnes (Mt) carbon dioxide-equivalent in 1990 to 23.5Mt in 2022 (most recent data), a rise of 26% since 1990 ().

In 2022 transport emissions in NSW accounted for 21% of all greenhouse gas emissions (). While this is a decrease from 23% in 2019, the quantity of transport emissions has not decreased as much as emissions from other sectors over the past 20 years. In 2004–05, transport was responsible for 23.9Mt of emissions compared to 23.5Mt in 2021–22.

Decoupling (separating) negative environmental trends from population growth is essential for improving sustainable outcomes. Figure P2.1 shows that, while total greenhouse gas emissions per capita have not increased at the same rate as the population, emissions from transport have been outpacing population growth.

The chart shows a dip in per capita emissions from 2019 to 2022 which reflects the impact of COVID restrictions on transport. When available, more recent emissions data will provide a more accurate picture of the trend.

See the and for more information.

Figure P2.2 shows the contribution of different sectors to total transport emissions in 2022, with road transport representing 89% of the NSW transport sector’s greenhouse gas emissions (20.9Mt carbon dioxide-equivalent).

In comparison, other forms of transport, such as railways, domestic aviation, domestic navigation and other transport, emitted only a total of 2.5Mt during this period.

Emissions from all transport sectors are expected to decline in future due to the increased electrification of vehicles.

However, while the NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy () and the introduction of the Commonwealth Government’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard will incentivise the purchase of zero or low-emitting vehicles, transport emissions are projected to fall by only 5% by 2030, compared to the 2004–05 baseline ().

See the topic for more information about emissions projections.

Emission reductions from the uptake of battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are also offset by record sales of new vehicles, a large proportion of which are classified as SUVs or light commercial vehicles, such as utes (). This trend has been encouraged by tax incentives for businesses in recent years, such as the exemption from fringe benefits tax () for vehicles able to carry more than one tonne.

Adding to the transport sector’s emission reduction challenges, fewer accessible zero or low-emission options are available for other forms of transport, such as heavy road vehicles, shipping and aviation transport. Based on 2021 modelling, aviation emissions are projected to more than double to over 2Mt by 2030 (from 0.8Mt in 2021), reflecting a lack of viable options for reducing emissions in the sector ().

In addition to greenhouse gases, petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles are also the main sources of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions in Greater Sydney and the second-largest source of population exposure to fine particles ().

See the topic for information about these and other harmful vehicle emissions.

The transport sector also impacts the environment through collisions with wildlife (roadkill), clearing of vegetation, fragmentation of habitats, and light and noise pollution that interrupts normal patterns of animal behaviour (; ).

One in every 41 crashes on country roads are estimated to result in human injury or death when a vehicle hits an animal (). Between 2017 and 2023, animals were involved in over 900 crashes on NSW roads that resulted in human injury or death ().

While some collisions involved domestic livestock, more than half of all collisions were with kangaroos and wallabies (see Figure P2.3).

Wildlife rehabilitation data also shows the impacts of collisions. Wildlife rescue volunteers across NSW record data about the animals they rescue and care for, which is uploaded to the Wildlife rehabilitation data dashboard.

The dashboard shows that between 2018 and 2023, motor vehicle collisions were the reason for 62,116 wildlife rescues (12%), by far the highest number of rescues where the reason for rescue was identified. With the reason unknown for 53% of all rescues, the proportion due to collisions with motor vehicles may be higher.

Of the animals rescued over this period, 74% (45,803) died, 16% were released and the remaining 11% remained in care or were transferred to another organisation. There was a 32% increase in the number of vehicle collision rescues over this period from 11,335 to 14,934 (Figure P2.4).

Animals are also orphaned due to collisions, but data for this is not collected. Only 4% (20,057) of all rescues were recorded as orphaned or abandoned and 2% (12,046) had parents taken into care.

Most rescues occurred along the coast, which corresponds with the larger human populations in those regions. See the geographic spread on the dashboard’s interactive map.

Table P2.3 shows the 10 most commonly rescued animals due to motor vehicle collisions between 2018 and 2023 in the following proportions:

• 51.8% kangaroos and wallabies
• 35.9% birds
• 12.2% other marsupials.

During this period, 2% (1,364) of all rescues due to motor collisions were threatened species. Of these, 67% (848) were koalas; 16% (197) were grey-headed flying fox; and 4% (51) were powerful owls. Other threatened species rescued, each at numbers less than 50, included the bush stone-curlew, gang-gang cockatoo and superb parrot.

In-depth personal transport data is collected for the Sydney Greater Capital City Statistical Area (GCCSA) (as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics) and the Hunter and Illawarra regions through the annual Household Travel Survey.

In this section, ‘Sydney’ is used to refer to the GCCSA.

The survey is the most comprehensive source of personal travel data in these regions with its statistics used in long-term planning to reduce impacts on the environment, improve amenity and meet the state’s transport needs.

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns disrupted the collection of data for the survey and sample sizes for 2020 through to 2022 are smaller than previous years.

Metropolitan areas

Between 2012–13 and 2022–23, the total number of trips on an average weekday in the Sydney, Hunter and Illawarra regions by all modes of transport increased by 2.2% from 24.7 million trips to about 25.3 million trips ().

This was lower than the rate of population growth of 12.7% over the same period ().

Most trips taken in 2022–23 (21.3 million or 84.3%) occurred in Sydney. Trips increased in both Sydney and the Hunter, while Illawarra recorded a reduction in annual trips.

Details for the differences between regions are available on an interactive dashboard for the Household Travel Survey.

Figure P2.5 shows that trips taken in Sydney for various purposes on an average weekday in 2022–23 differed from those three years previously.

Social changes, such as online shopping and working from home were likely factors in the reduction of shopping, work-related and commute trips. Online shopping peaked during the COVID-19 pandemic but has remained high, at 16.8% of retail spending across Australia in 2023 ().

It is possible that the increase in social/recreation trips is also related to these changes as people working from home need to go out for weekday social activities rather than add them onto their commute.

The shift to hybrid working that has continued following COVID-19 lockdowns has affected travel trends. Since 2019–20, the number of trips for commuting purposes on an average weekday dropped by 28.2%. The number of trips for work-related business also fell by 21.6%.

The 30-minute city

Making it easier for people in cities to choose public transport can reduce the use of private cars and the environmental impacts associated with them. These choices can be supported by delivering more transport options, such as the new Metro lines, Parramatta light rail and interchanges.

The Greater Sydney Regional Plan sets an objective for locating most city residents within 30 minutes of their nearest metropolitan centre using public and active transport (the ‘30-minute city’). About 61% of homes across Greater Sydney met this objective in December 2023 (Figure P2.6).

Regional NSW

While the Household Travel Survey provides a snapshot of travel in more heavily populated areas of coastal NSW, there is no equivalent study for regional centres.

Public transport options to service those in rural and remote communities include bus services (in 2022–23 approximately 90% of routes were school services), as well as on-demand, point-to-point travel options in some regional centres.

On-demand is a flexible public transport service designed to improve connections to transport hubs and popular destinations like shopping centres and hospitals. There were 168,000 trips on these services in 2022–23, an increase of 34% over 2020–21 and a 367% increase since 2018–19, when most contracts for providing the service began.

Bushfires in late 2019 and COVID-19 from early 2020 impacted regional transport significantly in some areas, leading to a reduction in trips taken from 41.6 million in 2020–21 to 33.8 million in 2021–22. While not quite at pre-COVID levels, patronage in 2022–23 shows a recovery, at 38.8 million trips.

Regional day-return

Providing more transport choices for regional communities will help reduce reliance on private transport. This can be achieved by improving connectivity between regional centres through initiatives such as improved bus and on-demand services and timetables that enable people to travel to and from a local centre on the same day, without needing to stay overnight.

Figure P2.7 shows that the proportion of regional residents with access to regional day-return has trended upwards over the past five years, apart from a dip during the period of COVID-19 restrictions.

How people travel

The Household Travel Survey indicates that private vehicles, such as cars and motorbikes, remain the dominant mode of transport for residents in the surveyed areas.

In this section, ‘Sydney’ is used to refer to the Sydney Greater Capital City Statistical Area.

On an average weekday across all surveyed regions in 2022–23 ():

• 71.9% of trips were by private vehicles
• 8.5% were by public transport
• 2.1% were by other transport modes (mainly taxis and bicycles)
• 17.5% were by walking linked to other transport modes such as train or bus.

Figure P2.8 shows that in Sydney, the proportion of trips on an average weekday for each mode of transport largely remained constant, with private vehicles continuing to be the main form of transport. However, over the 10-year period:

• there was an 8% increase in total trips
• the number of public transport trips fell by 10%
• private vehicle trips for drivers and passengers rose 15%.

These changes are likely related to many people continuing to work from home after the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions lifted.

While Sydney dominates overall trends, trends in the Hunter and Illawarra regions are similar. Explore the differences on the Household Travel Survey website.

Public transport

The Opal smartcard ticketing system, which was rolled out in 2012, is used to pay for travel on public transport in Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, the Hunter and the Illawarra. Opal ticketing data is the main source of information on use of public transport in these regions.

Figure P2.9 shows the number of trips by mode, based on Opal data, on the network from 2016 to 2023.

The impacts of COVID-19 are apparent with patronage declining during the lockdown period and still not fully recovered in 2023. This is likely due to many people continuing to work from home for at least part of their working week.

This trend is reflected in the Household Travel Survey data, which suggests that the proportion of trips taken by public transport decreased during COVID-19 lock-downs and is now slowly recovering (Figure P2.10).

Regional centres

Outside the metropolitan areas, towns are serviced by regional trains and coaches stopping at 369 transit station locations. Together, these carried more than 1.8 million passengers in 2022–23 ().

Data for train trips in regional NSW also reflect the impacts of COVID-19 restrictions (). In 2022–23, there were on average 64,962 Opal-ticketed passenger trips each day on NSW TrainLink Intercity trains. This was an increase of 83% compared to 2021–22 when the COVID-19 outbreak triggered a lockdown, but a decrease of 43% compared with pre-COVID, 2018–19.

Walking and cycling

It is estimated that more than 1.5 billion trips are made on foot or by bicycle every year in NSW. This includes 600 million walking trips that are linked to a public transport journey ().

A biennial National Walking and Cycling Participation Survey by Cycling and Walking Australia and New Zealand is the main source of information about active transport in NSW, although only a small number of people are surveyed (in 2023, 631 households containing 1,635 individuals). Respondents may submit multiple reasons for walking or cycling.

The most recent survey for NSW () indicates that in a typical week in 2023:

• over 70% of walking trips were for recreation or exercise
• over 60% were for shopping
• 48% were for personal business.

The survey has more detailed information on NSW bike riding habits and participation rates. The survey found that 15% of NSW residents rode a bicycle in a typical week in 2023, the same as the national average of 15% () and the 2021 findings for NSW ().

COVID-19 appears not to have had a significant impact on cycling rates in NSW, with the similar levels of participation in 2021 (36%) and 2023 (38%).

There has been an ongoing increase in the percentage of residents who report riding a bike in NSW, with 38% of people saying they had ridden a bike in the past year (2023) compared to 29% in 2017.

Weekly cycling participation is slightly higher in regional NSW (18%) compared to Greater Sydney (14%). It is also higher for males (17%) than for females (13%) in NSW as a whole ().

The survey asked people to state their reasons for cycling over the past month. Respondents submitted multiple reasons, with 87% of those in NSW indicating that they had cycled for recreation, compared to 28% who had used their bike as a form of transport, for instance to visit friends/relatives, commute, access education or for shopping.

In 2023, vehicles on NSW roads travelled an estimated 74.8 billion kilometres, a 12% increase since 2004.

Figure P2.11 shows that between 2004 and 2018, the distance travelled by NSW vehicles increased on average by 1.2% each year, a similar rate to population growth.

See the topic for more information.

COVID-19 restrictions caused a rapid reduction in distance travelled, but as restrictions eased, this increased sharply. With a 9% increase in vehicle kilometres travelled between 2022 and 2023, it’s not yet clear whether distance travelled will continue to grow or will stabilise at a lower rate.

On 31 March 2024, NSW had 7,309,712 registered vehicles of all types (), 17% more than at the same date in 2016 (). This increase is higher than the rate of population growth over the same period (7.7%) ().

Most (76%) if all new vehicles sold in NSW in 2022 were SUVs (54%) or light commercial vehicles (22%) (). This is similar to national trends, these vehicles combined representing 78.4% of sales in 2023 ().

How vehicles are powered

As at 31 January 2024 ():

• more than 4.3 million vehicles registered in NSW were powered by petrol
• over 1.7 million were diesel-powered
• 163,801 were hybrid electric
• 52,572 were battery electric.

Figure P2.12 shows that most vehicles registered in NSW are powered by petrol or diesel.

Battery electric vehicles (EVs) are considered a better option for reducing emissions because, unlike hybrids, they do not need petrol to operate. However, their impact depends on the source of electricity used to charge the vehicle, as emissions will still be generated if the charger is not powered by renewable energy. In future, the storage capacity of electric vehicle batteries will be a significant contributor to firming the power grid (), further increasing their environmental benefits.

The Electric Vehicles Council estimates that for Australia to achieve its climate targets, EVs will need to make up more than 50% of new car sales in 2030 (). The NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy () aims to increase EV sales to 52% by 2030–31.

Sales of electric vehicles are increasing, with a rapid uptake in recent years. In 2023, about 9% of all new vehicles sold in NSW were EVs, up from about 4% in 2022 (). While promising, this still falls short of the global average of 15.8% annually ().

Sales in Australia for hybrids and EVs were about the same in 2023, with over 98,000 sold in each category. Nationally, new sales for battery EVs are increasing at a much higher rate than for hybrids. In 2023, new EV sales increased at a rate of 161% compared to 2022, while hybrid sales increased only 20% ().

As at January 2024, EVs made up just 0.8% (52,572) of road vehicle registrations in NSW (). While very low, this is an increase of 753% since 2021, when only 6,160 EVs were registered (). Hybrids still far outnumber EVs in terms of total vehicle registrations (Figure P2.13).

EV charging infrastructure

By the end of 2023, there were 229 public EV charging locations in NSW, of which 164 were fast and 65 were ultrafast. The number is rapidly increasing, with 80 new stations added in 2023 (). See the NSW electric vehicle charging map for charging locations.

By volume, most freight in NSW is transported by road (). However, significant amounts of coal and grain are moved by rail and some fuel is moved by pipeline.

Coal exports are by far the largest single commodity by volume transported in NSW, accounting for about one-third of total NSW freight. Grain is the largest agricultural commodity moved around the State.

Some sectors rely more heavily on road transport than others. For example, construction is heavily dependent on roads for the delivery of crude materials (such as sand, gravel and cement). Retail products and waste are also mostly moved by road.

The volume of freight in NSW is forecast to increase from 455 million tonnes in 2021 to 609 million tonnes in 2061, a 34% increase. The volume is expected to increase by 56% between 2021 and 2061 in Greater Sydney and by 14% in regional NSW ().

The mix of freight is likely to change in future, as coal exports decline and other commodities, such as grain, beef and steel increase. Emerging industries, such as renewable energy and waste management, will also contribute to changes in the flow of freight from regional areas to ports and cities ().

Population growth, rising per capita income, changing consumer trends (including online consumerism), global demand for commodities and the State’s high output will continue to drive an increasing demand for goods and services that will require freight services.

Zero emissions freight transition

There are significant challenges in transitioning heavy vehicles and rollingstock to low and zero emissions vehicles. These include regulatory barriers, technology limitations, range and high upfront costs.

Zero emission freight vehicles tend to be heavier and have greater impacts on impacts pavements and sensitive infrastructure, such as bridges. This can make it harder to access some roads and properties and increases the cost of maintaining the road network.

Infrastructure for charging and refuelling, especially for long-haul routes, is also limited and work to understand grid capacity needs to be undertaken.

Population growth, rising per capita income, global demand for commodities and the State’s high output will continue to drive an increasing demand for freight.

The number of heavy vehicles transitioning to electric or hybrid power sources is increasing slowly, with most change occurring over the year to June 2024 (Table P2.4). Greater use of low and zero emission heavy vehicles will have positive impacts on air quality and noise ().

The NSW population is expected to grow to 9.8 million people by 2041 (). An expanding population is associated with economic growth as more people consume more goods and need more housing and services.

The 2023 Sydney housing supply forecast estimates that 172,000 new homes will be built in Greater Sydney between 2022–23 and 2028–29 (). Of these about 24% will be located on previously undeveloped ’greenfield’ sites, such as bush or farmland.

Historically in NSW, population growth has resulted in urban sprawl, as new housing is often built on greenfield areas on the outskirts of cities. Sometimes bush needs to be cleared to make way for these developments, which can result in loss or fragmentation of native vegetation and habitat. See the topic for more information.

Greenfield areas often have little in the way of existing transport infrastructure. If public transport services and options for active transport are not built into these new suburbs from the start, people living there may need to rely on private vehicles for transport.

Growth also brings an increased demand for transport, with more goods moving around the State and through our ports and airports. More roads and transport infrastructure, such as ports, will be built or expanded to meet this demand. This may require further extraction of non-renewable resources and the generation of greenhouse gases during construction.

If current trends continue, population and economic growth will lead to an increasing number of private and freight vehicles on NSW roads, many of them powered by non-renewable fossil fuels. These additional vehicles contribute to road congestion, slowing travel times, reducing vehicle fuel efficiency and increasing traffic heat and emissions. Congestion will affect the quality of the urban environment and therefore its liveability.

Growth and development must be carefully planned, managed and regulated to prevent and mitigate harmful impacts on our land, air, climate, water, native animals and plants, and to human health and wellbeing.

The global climate trend is for increasing temperatures, with the last 10 years being the warmest on record (). Hot days are projected to become more frequent and hotter. See the topic for more information.

The NSW flood events of 2022 were preceded by intense storms and flooding in February and March 2021, the 2019–20 NSW bushfires, and the extreme 2017–19 drought. The severity of these weather events has had devastating effects on NSW communities and the economy.

See the topic for more information.

The transport sector is particularly vulnerable to climate change, as extreme weather and climate shifts will compromise the network and services.

Floods and fire can cause damage to roads, bridges and railways. Extreme heat buckles rail lines. These events slow and disrupt transport services and the need to rebuild results in further resources being committed to transport infrastructure.

Extreme weather conditions brought about by climate change will put greater pressure on the freight transport network’s capacity to recover from a disruption. Recent weather events of this kind have already caused significant disruption to both the State and national rail networks.

Such disruptions can lead to a lack of confidence in the reliability of the rail network and affect the choice of rail as a mode of transportation, despite it being a more sustainable transport option to move freight, particularly over long distances.

Climate change will exacerbate the urban heat island effect created where new developments cause an increase in hard and dark-coloured surfaces and the loss of mature trees and canopy (; ).

Climate change will make active transport a less attractive option if cycleways and footpaths are not protected from the effects of higher temperatures.

See the topic for more information.

Construction of new roads and transport infrastructure, if not planned and managed carefully, can have damaging effects on wildlife and vegetation (; ).

Roads and railway lines are obstacles that prevent animals from moving through the landscape to find food, water and mates. This is known as ‘habitat fragmentation’ and can lead to local extinctions and a decline in genetic diversity.

The significant and cumulative impacts of road and railway lines on wildlife and ecosystems are well documented globally (). Plants are destroyed and animal habitat is lost or further fragmented when land is cleared for construction or road-widening.

Collisions with large animals can cause damage to vehicles and sometimes result in human fatalities. Many animals also lose their lives on roads and railway lines.

New roads in regional and fringe urban areas can take a particularly heavy toll on vegetation and wildlife unless properly planned. Roads aid the dispersal and movement of weeds and invasive species which can displace native species, degrade habitat and change genetic populations through interbreeding.

New roads or road improvements increase human access which can increase impacts to ecosystems from activities such as firewood and bush-rock removal, littering, trailbikes and horse-riding and the spread of pathogens.

Seeds and spores can travel on vehicles in mud deposits and colonise new areas, while feral animals (such as cats, dogs and foxes) use the roads as a corridor to move into new areas ().

Off-road vehicles, which expand access to remote areas, can disturb wildlife and increase erosion and damage to native plants.

Petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles emit air pollutants, such as oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and fine particles, which can have serious health impacts. In the Greater Sydney Region, transport emissions continue to be the main source of NOx.

Air pollutants from traffic also include particulate matter, carcinogens, volatile organic carbons (VOCs), carbon monoxide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). VOCs and NOx react on warm, sunny days to form ground-level ozone.

On-road motor vehicles are the second highest human-made source of population exposure to fine particle pollution.

A systematic review of research into traffic-related air pollution () found there was sufficient evidence to conclude that exposure to this kind of pollution can make asthma worse.

The evidence linking exposure from traffic-related air pollution to other health outcomes was weaker, but suggestive of a causal relationship. These outcomes were the onset of childhood asthma, non-asthma respiratory symptoms, impaired lung function, total and cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular morbidity.

A more recent systematic review that specifically examined studies of traffic-related air pollution and asthma from birth until 18 years of age supports traffic-related air pollution exposure being associated with the development of asthma in children ().

Reducing exposure to traffic-related air pollution will provide public health benefits, including improved cardiovascular and respiratory health and reduced rates of some cancers ().

See the topic for more information.

Urban sprawl in cities increases the area of hard surfaces, such as concrete, that cannot absorb water when it rains. This leads to increased runoff into local waterways, as less water soaks into the ground. Increased runoff has been linked to rising pollution levels in local waterways ().

Vehicles contribute to this pollution through the build-up of deposits from emissions and from mechanical parts wearing out. Tyres and brake linings, petrol and oil deposits are a source of metals, such as copper and zinc, and heavy metals, such as cadmium, lead and nickel (). These are all potentially harmful to humans, animals and many plants.

Vehicles deposit small amounts of these contaminants as they travel and, the more vehicles on the roads, the more the deposits build up. When it rains, the deposits can be washed into stormwater systems, eventually polluting waterways, estuaries and beaches, where the stormwater is released.

Road and track construction can also impact the local natural environment, by changing an area’s water flows and increasing erosion and sedimentation in local waterways. This in turn affects the composition of species, often favouring weeds. See the and topics for more information.

Transport infrastructure construction projects may introduce increased sediment loads to local waterways if not well managed. Developers are required to prepare and implement erosion and sediment control plans to mitigate these potential impacts.

Australia’s coastal environment is threatened by our heavy dependence on international and coastal shipping. Ballast water, bilge water, sewage, wastes from vessel maintenance and anti-fouling paints can have environmental impacts if not well managed.

Ballast water, used to stabilise empty ships when travelling to pick up cargoes, may contain invasive non-native organisms, diseases, toxins and parasites that can affect humans and impact local environments.

The Australian Government estimates that up to 30% of invasive marine species have been introduced through ballast water discharge (). Find out more about invasive species on the NSW coast on the marine pests map.

Anti-fouling paints are used on vessels to stop organisms growing on hulls. These paints contain toxic chemicals that are regulated so they do not leach into the surrounding water when vessels are cleaned, polluting harbours and waterways.

Noise pollution is unwanted, disturbing or excessive noise. It can be caused by road traffic, heavy rail and aircraft, especially in urban areas, as well as industrial, construction and agricultural works.

Noise pollution can impact human health and wellbeing in various ways, including sleep disturbance, annoyance, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, anxiety and depression, as well as hearing loss (particularly in the workplace) (; ).

There is a lack of systematic data on the extent of the NSW population’s exposure to unhealthy noise levels. Noise monitoring and mapping conducted overseas has shown that many people live in areas where noise levels are harmful to health, for example, at least 20% of the population of Europe ().

Like light pollution, noise pollution can affect the ability of wildlife to navigate and find food, as well as hindering communication, generating physiological stress and jeopardising breeding (; ).

The NSW Government is committed to delivering a transport system that is environmentally, economically and socially sustainable. This approach aligns with Australia’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which cover areas such as:

• developing quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure
• providing access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport
• taking action to reduce emissions, support climate change science research, build resilience and reduce additional pressures on systems affected by climate change.

Details on the government’s delivery of sustainability outcomes related to the pressures and impacts of transport are available on the Transport for NSW website.

Reducing emissions

As the second-largest generator of greenhouse gas emissions, it is essential the transport sector helps to meet the State’s goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Sustainable transport networks will reduce our carbon footprint by adopting technologies, such as electrification, that reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

Transport for NSW’s Net Zero and Climate Change Policy sets out a plan for transitioning the NSW transport sector to net zero emissions. This includes:

• continued transitioning of the public transport bus fleet to zero emission buses
• electrifying ferries
• supporting rollout of electric vehicle charging
• investing in green energy technologies based at Transport for NSW sites
• collaborating with the freight sector to support the uptake of zero emission technologies
• supporting the creation of a sustainable aviation industry in NSW.

Tackling the embodied emissions in new infrastructure (for example, in concrete, vehicles and buildings) is an important step in properly accounting for emission reductions. Transport for NSW has set a target for net zero in the agency’s annual embodied emissions by 2045.

Zero Emission buses and ferries

The Transport for NSW Zero Emission Buses program will transition the state’s 8,000+ diesel and natural gas public transport buses to zero emissions technology. The program will be delivered in stages to allow local industry time to prepare, and technology advancements to be assessed and adopted along the way.

The first stage of the program is expected to be complete by 2028, with around 1,700 zero emission buses expected to be operating on Sydney roads by the end of 2028.

The full transition is expected to be complete in Greater Sydney by 2035, in Outer Metropolitan regions by 2040 and in Regional NSW by 2047.

With buses accounting for 69% of emissions from Transport for NSW’s operations in 2023–23, (), this transition has potential to make a significant dent in public transport emissions.

The NSW Government has set a requirement that new ferries are zero emissions. Ferries are responsible for 6% of Transport for NSW emissions ().

Transport for NSW operations and fleet

Building on the NSW Government’s net zero targets, Transport for NSW has committed to achieving net zero emissions from its operations and fleet by 2035.

Significant progress has been made in achieving this target with all of Sydney Metro trains stations and operational facilities being powered entirely by renewable electricity since mid-2019.

The Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink electrified network have been powered by 100% renewable electricity since mid-2021.

Regional Rail fleet

The NSW Government’s Regional Rail project is replacing the ageing NSW regional rail fleet with 29 new trains that will operate with an Australian first – bi-mode technology.

Bi-mode technology enables the train to run using either diesel engines or electric power from the overhead wire when operating on the electrified train network. This technology will significantly reduce carbon emissions and diesel particulates, compared to the current regional fleet.

Find out more about bi-mode technology in this fact sheet (PDF 234KB).

Freight

Towards Net Zero Emissions – Freight Policy () sets out the strategic direction and actions to support emission reductions across the road and rail freight transport sector. It is framed around short-term actions (0–2 years), medium-term actions (3–5 years) and long-term actions (5+ years).

The Freight Policy Reform program is addressed decarbonisation as part of its review and consultation. Proposed actions include identifying:

• how emissions data can be made more widely available
• actions and incentives that will encourage the transition to zero- and low-emissions vehicles
• incentives for switching from road to rail.

Electric vehicles

The NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy () aims to increase EV sales to 52% by 2030–31 and help NSW achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Through the strategy, the NSW Government has prioritised investment in charging infrastructure across metropolitan and regional areas to make EV ownership easier regardless of where someone lives.

The NSW Government has invested $209 million in critical charging infrastructure including ultra-fast charging, destination charging, and kerbside charging.

An additional $263 million will underpin the rollout of a new EV strategy with a focus on boosting investment in critical infrastructure and ensuring charging is deployed equitably across NSW.

See the topic for more information.

Technology

The NSW Transport Technology Strategy () sets out a vision for optimising the use of technologies to provide a safe, reliable, equitable, sustainable and electric transport network for NSW.

Planning for resilience

When damaging events occur, we need to reduce the risk and impact on communities and build back to a more resilient standard.

As part of the NSW Government’s response to recent severe weather events, several priority resilience programs have been implemented to provide assistance for extreme weather and natural disasters and prepare for future events, including:

• Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package (jointly funded with the Australian Government)
• Regional and Outer Metropolitan – Network Resilience Program (including Bushfire Corridor Resilience, Customer Journey Resilience Plans and the Aboriginal Cultural Landscapes Management Project)
• the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley Flood Evacuation Road Resilience Program
• the Regional Transport Resilience Fund as part of the Central West Recovery and Resilience Package (jointly funded with the Australian Government).

Transport for NSW provides assessment and reporting tools to help projects identify and mitigate their climate risk and reduce carbon impacts.

Transport agencies around the world are building fences to prevent wildlife from accessing roads and railways, and installing underpasses and overpasses to allow safe crossings, connect habitats, support gene flow and allow animals to repopulate after floods and fire.

Fencing, however, cannot be practically installed on many roads. Emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) assisted cameras linked to road signs or cars, have the potential to radically improve driver awareness of animals on roads and road verges. Other technologies offer innovative ways to deter animals from entering the road corridor at all.

Wildlife vehicle collisions are a significant risk to human safety, a threat to wildlife conservation and an animal welfare concern.

In May 2024, Transport for NSW hosted a symposium to investigate the potential role of emerging technologies in reducing wildlife vehicle strike. The symposium brought together a global network of ecologists, technologists, road safety experts, wildlife carers and government to hear about the current state of the science of wildlife vehicle strike reduction.

A report on the outcomes of the symposium will be available in late 2024. The report will set the direction for trials of the most promising new technologies in hope of making a substantial contribution to reducing wildlife vehicle strike on our roads and railways. See highlights from the symposium.

In addition to its Biodiversity Policy (), Transport for NSW has developed the Biodiversity Management Guideline (), which provides guidance for protecting and managing biodiversity on the agency’s projects. This includes information about matters such as:

• pre-clearing processes
• re-establishing native vegetation
• weed and pathogen management
• artificial hollows.

Cities with high population densities generally have higher rates of public and active transport use. Clustering new development (including housing, employment and services) around public transport nodes, such as stations, wharves and rapid bus hubs, facilitates walking and encourages public transport use, achieving substantial shifts in favour of more sustainable modes.

Better integrated transport and land use planning can support more sustainable travel and reduce urban sprawl. The Transport Oriented Development (TOD) Program () aims to support car-free, active, sustainable transport options, including providing customer-centric design for public transport hubs and more efficient end-to-end journeys.

Planning for the movement and delivery of freight is also an important part of successful urban planning for our cities. Land use planning and zoning of land needs to consider freight as it is a critical service for communities.

With careful design, the renewal of existing sites could also support other uses, such as education or childcare, giving people easier access to jobs, education and recreation. By planning for multiple uses, infrastructure can adapt to the changing and maturing of neighbourhoods.

Supporting growth around public transport can reduce peak congestion on our roads and offer more diversity and affordability in housing and other uses. It can even spur renewal in locations with the potential for high-quality housing, local jobs and community infrastructure and result in improvements that make precincts greener and more liveable.

Under Transport’s Road User Space Allocation Policy, roads are used to support the creation of better places and ensure road space is optimised to encourage walking, cycling and efficient public transport. The Providing for Walking and Cycling in Transport Projects Policy requires all transport projects funded by Transport for NSW to include provision for walking and cycling.

Other programs and policies that support walking and cycling include:

• the Active Transport Strategy
• the Get NSW Active program
• the Strategic cycleway corridors for Greater Sydney program
• the Movement and Place framework and Design of Roads and Streets.

The best-practice approach for provision of landscape and green infrastructure on roads and streets as part of Transport for NSW projects, including the need for shade along footpaths and cycleways in urban settings, is addressed in Transport’s Landscape Design Guideline.

The NSW Government has committed to address urban heat through a range of initiatives, such as mapping tree canopy and grants for new tree planting projects in Greater Sydney.

Transport for NSW has developed a range of guidelines for preventing and managing land and water contamination related to the construction, maintenance and use of transport infrastructure. The guidelines are for use by both Transport for NSW staff and contractors and address issues, such as erosion and sediment control, runoff from construction site and acid sulfate materials that may be exposed during construction.

The NSW Government has also developed a risk-based framework that can be used to manage the impacts of urban development on NSW waterways.

The Australian Biosecurity Act 2015 and related legislation collectively prescribe how ballast water should be managed in Australian waters. The discharge of unmanaged ballast water or ballast tank sediments is an offence.

The Australian Ballast Water Management Requirements explain how to comply with the legislation while operating a vessel in Australian waters.

Since September 2019, all vessels that use ballast water have been required to meet the regulation D-2 discharge standard of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments at their next renewal survey.

Visit the Australian government’s ballast water webpage for more information.

In NSW, the Pesticides Act 1999 and Pesticides Regulation 2017 set out requirements for the approval and safe use and disposal of anti-fouling products to prevent water pollution.

Review of the national freight and supply chain strategy

The 2023 review of the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy recommends that decarbonising the freight and supply chain sector should be a new strategic goal and key priority in the refreshed strategy.

The review states that this will support coordination of a more consistent approach across all states and territories and businesses. Decarbonisation can be encouraged through a range of measures, such as:

• regulatory consistency across jurisdictions
• policies to encourage adoption of low-emission vehicles
• shifting more freight to rail
• smart technology for route-planning.

Efficiency standards

The Australian Government is introducing a new vehicle efficiency standard in 2025. This aims to increase the supply of energy-efficient vehicles, including EVs, and boost NSW efforts to increase EV uptake.

The Commonwealth is also introducing improvements to fuel quality in December 2025 that will reduce noxious emissions from vehicles that rely on fossil fuels.

See the topic for more information about these initiatives.

Data gaps and opportunities

Although wildlife rescue data provides some information about the impacts of motor vehicles on our wildlife, no data is available on animals hit by vehicles but not rescued. This means that available data is likely to be significantly lower than the actual death toll.

Information about the potential fragmentation of habitat due to construction is not available but is also not easy to measure.

There is a lack of systematic data on the extent of the NSW population’s exposure to unhealthy noise levels, including road noise. Data on the impacts of transport-related noise and light on NSW wildlife is also lacking.

Smart technologies

There are opportunities to increase the efficiency of our roads, rail and ports through data sharing, and new technologies and travel modes.

The Transport Technology Strategy () outlines ways in which smart technologies can improve environmental outcomes. These include:

• encouraging walking, cycling and other active transport, for example apps that identify the nearest ride-share bicycle, improvements to trip planning apps and making it possible to pay for bike lockers with Opal cards
• encouraging the adoption of EVs by increasing the rollout of new infrastructure technologies, such as smart charging stations (perhaps fuelled by green hydrogen)
• monitoring factors such as energy consumption and the carbon footprint of the transport sector’s supply chain.

Feeding the energy grid

Electric vehicles that are fitted with bidirectional chargers can feed power back into the electricity grid, homes or other electric devices, depending on the type of charger that is fitted. This means that vehicles can be used as storage devices, with their owners able to reduce electricity bills (especially if charging with rooftop solar), charge appliances while travelling and sell energy back to the grid. There is also scope to use such vehicles to supply power during power outages, for example, during emergencies.

Only a limited number of vehicles in Australia are fitted with bidirectional chargers and none are currently able to feed back to the grid, but this technology offers opportunities for increased energy storage, efficiency and security. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has published a report on the opportunities, challenges and policy changes needed to adopt the technology in Australia ().

This technology can also be used for scooters and bicycles. An enterprise in Vietnam, for example, is exploring the use of e-bikes to supply power to small businesses during power blackouts.