Throwing more money at roads and parking is not the solution to getting people to move around better and minimising congestion. We need to rethink the way we travel in South Australia.
Not only would this improve the health of our communities, it would also free up parks in the city as commuters turn to cycling instead of cars. At this time of climate crisis, it is vitally important that we promote active transport.
Throughout the world, people ride and walk in snow and sleet, yet in Australia, we are a nation of car drivers. There are numerous health and wellbeing benefits to being an active traveller and for many people, if there was infrastructure available, they might choose to ride or walk.
Adelaide is in danger of becoming a car park. It seems ludicrous that South Australia is the lowest spending state in Australia on cycling infrastructure, spending just $4 million in 2015-16. Meanwhile spending $569 million on roads, which means that 0.6 per cent of transport funding is dedicated to cycling.
Adelaide is no longer the 20-minute city, with commuters spending up to 60 per cent of their morning commute in congested traffic. We also have more car parks per capita than any other capital city.
The Greens will:
- Establish an Active Transport Commissioner
- Invest $100 million over 4 years in cycle and walking paths, including a cycle trail in the Adelaide Hills
- Mandate that a safe and accessible fully separated cycle and walking path be included in all new major road projects
- Integrate cycling and public transport infrastructure – including bike lockers and racks at all train stations and bus interchanges.
- Build publicly available cycle hubs in the city of Adelaide, and Mount Barker
- Keep Adelaide a city of parklands rather than a city of car parks
Explore Our Plan
- Active Transport Commissioner
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At a time when places around the world are rapidly investing in cycling infrastructure and incentivising active transport, South Australia is lagging behind. In London and Manchester, where walking and cycling commissioners have been appointed, there are plans to transition from passive to active transport and create sustainable cities of the future.
London has had a walking and cycling commissioner in place since 2016. Bold targets, such as 80 per cent of all trips into London to be walking, cycling or public transport by 2041, are being set and, similarly, in Greater Manchester there is a goal of 50 per cent by 2040.
We will establish a walking and cycling commissioner will encourage walking and cycling as modes of travel by promoting the health, environmental, social and economic benefits and prepare and promote strategies to make walking and cycling inclusive for everybody in South Australia.
- Invest $100 million over 4 years in cycling and walking paths
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There is a constant tug-of-war each time a new cycleway is proposed and then built. After a protracted and painful fight over the Frome Street cycleway in Adelaide, now Adelaide City Council is failing to implement the east-west bikeway, despite years of discussion and despite the commitment of state government funding.
This has failed the 2,000 cyclists who enter the east and west sides of the city each workday.
Currently, around a third of people ride at least once a year, and 44 per cent of people told us they want to cycle and walk more often. Safety is the number one barrier to people cycling more. We can improve the health and wellbeing of our community by providing attractive and safe cycle routes to get people where they need to go1.
The Greens are committed to fully funding cycleways and providing extensive funding to do so. In some cases, it might require declaring major cycleway projects that cross multiple councils as state significant projects. The ineptitude and resistance by councils demonstrates a lack of vision and directives from local government.
1. https://www.cwanz.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/NWCPS-SA-2023.pdf
- Bike hub for Adelaide City
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The Greens will build two cycle hubs, in Adelaide City and in Mount Barker. These would include an end-of-journey cycle hub with parking, showers and lockers, similar to the Cycle2City hub in Brisbane2 and another in Sydney. These fully integrated bike centres will also be well connected to public transport for commuters needing to continue their journey. The Greens would fund a pilot of these cycling hubs including staff, secure bike storage and end-of-trip facility with showers and lockers, available to members 24/7, at a cost of $7 million.
- Mandate cycle and walking paths in all new major road projects
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Our cities and towns should focus on moving people, not just cars. If more people feel safe walking and cycling, we’ll have cleaner, quieter and safer streets.
The State Government spent $3.3 billion on road projects in 2025-26. The Greens will mandate that all new major road projects include plans for cycle and walking paths to prioritise active transport.
- Integrate active transport facilities with public transport
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All train stations and bus hubs need fully secure bike parking and cameras for people to be able to use active transport. The Greens will commit $10 million over 4 years for better bike parking and facilities at all Adelaide train stations and major bus hubs, including those in the regions.