Page 1616 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 7 May 2013
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The government is strongly supportive of this bill. It reflects our commitment to increasing cycling participation rates within the territory. The government’s commitment is reflected in our ongoing investment in improved cycling infrastructure and associated facilities implemented through the transport for Canberra policy. Transport for Canberra has a target of seven per cent of journey-to-work trips being made by bicycle by 2026. This will be achieved through developing a comprehensive commuter cycle network that incorporates shared paths and segregated lanes. This high-quality infrastructure will be supported by improved road safety awareness programs for cyclists, pedestrians and motor vehicle drivers to promote cyclist safety.
The government has already been active in encouraging cycling as part of a broader active transport strategy. Initiatives such as the ride or walk-to-school program, the installation of bike cages at public transport hubs and the rollout of the new ACT and Queanbeyan walking and cycling map have all been well received by Canberrans.
Equally, the recent successful completion of the first two stages of the Civic cycle loop connecting Northbourne Avenue, Bunda Street, Barry Drive and the Lake Burley Griffin cycle path network via Rudd Street and Marcus Clarke Street has given riders better access into and across the city centre. The next stages of the loop will connect western and eastern Civic along Bunda Street and Allara Street.
The government’s efforts to increase cycling and provide high quality cycling infrastructure have been well received by Canberrans. Cycling was the third biggest participation activity for adults in 2011-12 in the ACT according to ABS data, with the ABS estimating that 15.3 per cent of the adult ACT population, or over 44,000 adults, are regular cyclists.
This cycling participation rate for adults has increased from 11.5 per cent in 2009-10 with an extra 12,000 adults now cycling at least once each year. In addition, almost half of all children under the age of 18 in the ACT cycle every week. Not only is the cycling participation rate for the ACT significantly higher than any other state or territory; the adult cycling participation rate in the ACT is double the national participation rate. It is particularly encouraging that the ABS data shows that over a quarter of these cyclists commute to and from work via bicycle. But there is still more to be done to encourage more people onto their bikes more often to maximise the range of benefits and increased cycling rates.
As we know, cycling provides benefits in terms of improved public health, reduced levels of traffic congestion and reduced greenhouse gas emissions as well as reductions in expenditure on transport fuel for households. These benefits accrue most readily when the bicycle is used as a substitute for car journeys. Studies have shown that over half of all car trips in Australian cities are less than five kilometres in length and almost 40 per cent of car journeys are less than three kilometres.
Journeys of these distances are ideally suited to cycling. More than half of Australian adults are not sufficiently physically active to gain health benefits. Physical inactivity has contributed to the deaths of over 16,000 Australians a year and it is estimated to
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