The ACT Government is building the infrastructure our growing city needs with further investment in active travel initiatives in the 2023-24 Budget Review.
In acknowledgement of the importance of this infrastructure, the Government has today released the Active Travel Plan 2024-2030.
The Plan will drive a connected, safe and convenient active travel network. It outlines ways to make it safer, more accessible, convenient and enjoyable to choose walking, cycling or micromobility – whether for transport, recreation or social activities.
The Active Travel Plan and Design Guide outlines our vision to encourage more Canberrans to walk and ride more often across our extensive path network.
The community were invited in 2022 and 2023 to provide their feedback on both the draft Plan and Design Guide. We have released a What We Heard Report summarising feedback received through both engagement process. We used this feedback to update both documents which are being released today.
The first priority in the Plan is safe infrastructure for walking and riding. This was supported by the community as a fundamental barrier to getting more people active, walking and riding in Canberra. The Plan prioritises key walking areas and outlines Canberra's future cycling network. Other actions include providing more secure bike parking and a range of targeted programs to encourage people to use active travel and public transport more often.
Together, the Active Travel Plan and Design Guide will support the design and prioritisation of our city's walking and riding infrastructure and programs.
New funding for active travel infrastructure
Through this Budget Review, a further $4.0 million in funding will be provided to support active travel improvements as part of a 50:50 funding agreement with the Australian Government under the Commonwealth's Road Safety Program. This is in addition to the $29.5 million in funding provided in the 2023-24 ACT Budget to support active travel, and brings total spending across the budget and forward estimates on active travel to over $94 million.
The projects proposed to be delivered as part of the Road Safety Program build on the key principles identified by the Active Travel Plan including the delivery of safe infrastructure for walking and riding as well as building a better connected path network.
A key active travel project proposed to receive funding under the Road Safety Program is the Kingston Cycleway – a new high quality cycleway connecting Kingston and the Inner South through to the City on the C2 cycle route. The Cycleway will be delivered in two stages with the first stage, a pop-up bi-directional protected cycle lane on Bowen Drive between the Kings Avenue underpass and Bowen Park, due to commence construction in the coming weeks. We are trialling this infrastructure in Canberra, with funding also committed to investigate other corridors which may also be suited to pop-up cycle lanes. Detailed design of the second stage connecting Bowen Park with Cunningham Street via Eastlake Parade will start in the coming months.
Additional projects proposed to be delivered are:
- a new pedestrian crossing on New South Wales Crescent improving safe access to Telopea Park
- improvements to the City to Woden C4 cycle route via the Lake Burley Griffin cycling circuit on Alexandrina Drive in Yarralumla including raised crossings, lighting and signage
- improvements to the City to Belconnen C3 cycle route through a new raised crossing on Bauhinia Street in O'Connor
- upgrades to the cycling crossing point on the Adelaide Avenue on-ramp at the Hopetoun Circuit intersection including a pedestrian crossing and cycle lane improvements
- a new raised pedestrian crossing on Bowman Street in Jamison
- pedestrian safety improvements on Beasley Street at the bus stops in front of the Torrens shops including two new kerb ramps to facilitate crossing
These investments build on the significant pipeline of active travel projects already underway including the Garden City Cycle Route, new shared path along Sulwood Drive, William Hovell Drive shared path as well as improvements to paths around Lake Ginninderra and the Tuggeranong Foreshore.
Quotes attributable to ACT Chief Minister, Andrew Barr
"Canberra consistently ranks highly as one of Australia's best destinations for cycling and walking, and we know that by making the right investments now our city will benefit for decades to come.
"Giving people more ways to get around – be it through investing in safer infrastructure, building more links whether it be major cycling routes between town centres and employment hubs or providing better local access or supporting behaviour changes in our community – benefits our entire community and improves our quality of life."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Transport and Planning, Chris Steel
"The release of Canberra's Active Travel Plan and Design Guide is an important day for designing our city as a better place for people.
"More Canberrans will walk and ride if it is safer, more accessible, convenient, and enjoyable. This starts with strategic vision and basic design of our city's streets.
"We've heard from the community that they strongly support the plan and want it implemented now.
"I am pleased to say that the active travel plan and design guide have already started to inform everything from estate development planning, through to public infrastructure projects.
"The Plan has been backed by investment in active travel in the Budget and Budget Review supporting key actions, and I look forward to continuing to working with the community on its implementation."
Quotes attributable to Minister for City Services, Tara Cheyne
"Active travel routes bring together the fabric of our city and their value will only continue to expand as our city grows.
"Creating more and enhancing our existing infrastructure is a fundamental way to encourage more active travel, and the plan's strategic vision provides a practical blueprint for future investment."
"This both strengthens and complements our ongoing program of upgrades and improvements to Canberra's existing 3,190 kilometre strong community path network,with the 2023-24 ACT Budget delivering a $29.5 million investment, including a $5 million boost focusing on path maintenance, and the 2023-24 Budget Review providing further $4 million. I'm pleased this work is already underway, and focusing on safety hotspots identified by the community, in addition to a comprehensive path audit undertaken in 2021.
"I look forward to how the Active Travel Plan and Design Guide will continue to guide investment over the coming years and to sharing how these future budget and construction implementation plans will shape the projects we deliver for our city."
