2020-09-19
The ACT Greens have committed today to build a world-class walking and cycling network, kickstarting a cycling revolution in Canberra and creating a walkable Canberra.
This includes a commitment to:
- Building seven large-scale cycling corridors
- Over 100 small upgrades to connect the gaps in our existing walking and cycling network, based on extensive community feedback
- Allocating a minimum 20% of the roads and parking capital upgrade budget to walking and cycling infrastructure (with a minimum $20 million per year)
Canberrans clearly want better walking and cycling options. As the COVID crisis continues, Canberra cycle shops have reported a surge in bike sales in recent months.
Hundreds of Canberrans recently responded to a Greens call to help map out the gaps in Canberra’s cycling network, identifying over 100 potential areas of improvement across the city. Recent research also showed that women and families with children are more likely to walk or ride on a safer, more connected walking and cycling network.
Following this community consultation and consultation with community advocates Pedal Power, the Greens have committed to major investments in cycling corridors in seven priority areas:
- Woden to City
- Molonglo Valley to Civic
- Northern Molonglo Valley, Belconnen and Civic
- Improving connections to the Belconnen Town Centre
- Upgrading the existing shared path on Gungahlin Drive
- Improving the cycling connection between the Tuggeranong Town Centre and Chisholm
- Improving cycling access to the City from Ainslie, Hackett, and Watson, and make Ainslie safer.
Over the next four years, the Greens will also:
- Establish an Access Committee for people with disabilities to guide government on active travel, urban planning and transport design proposal issues
- Develop a ten year ACT-wide infrastructure priority plan for walking and cycling
- Ensure that the community has a real say in the upgrades to their local walking and cycling infrastructure
- Continue to roll out age-friendly suburbs
- Adopt world’s best-practice cycling and walking infrastructure standards
- Improve end of trip facilities
The Greens’ commitment to Canberrans follows a $50 million pledge from the Canberra Liberals overnight for an extra 2,500 extra “green” car spaces for Canberra (their words, not ours!) that would, and we quote, “stop potholes and puddles”.
Comments attributable to Emma Davidson, ACT Greens Transport Spokesperson:
“Canberra has the foundation of an excellent walking and cycling network, but there are many missing links in the path network, and many neighbourhoods have missed out. This patchy network means many people are driving cars when they would rather walk or ride.
“We need an ACT-wide walking and cycling network that gives everyone the option to easily walk or ride, no matter where they live or how far they need to go.
“The Greens are calling for 20% of the roads budget to be set aside for walking and cycling, which will allow the government to catch up on the hundreds of overdue path links and upgrades, which people have talked to me about all year. If the roads budget increases, we think it's reasonable that a proportionate amount is spent on healthier forms of transport.
“Now is the time to deliver large-scale infrastructure investments that will help transform Canberra into a sustainable, 21st Century city for all of us.”
“Canberrans love walking and riding around our city - the current path network is busy and growing in popularity, especially since COVID-19. This was particularly evident when we asked the community to help map out Canberra’s cycling revolution, and hundreds of Canberrans responded, with their in-depth knowledge of their local areas.”
Read the full package → greens.org.au/act/walking-and-cycling