Active Transport LABOR’S NEW APPROACH TO CYCLING

Cycling is good for the environment and encourages a healthy and active lifestyle. Cycling is part of tackling congestion in our cities.

Labor understands that people are purchasing bikes at record numbers. The number of New South Wales households with access to at least one bike is growing steadily, and we know that in about half of all households now have at least two bikes.

Labor wants to encourage more people to use their bikes to create a healthier, more sustainable NSW. Labor will also invest in regional economies to develop bicycle related tourism to bring new visitors, and jobs, to regional NSW.

Labor will build and maintain cycling infrastructure

Labor will:

• Invest $37 million and work with local councils to build the Greenway along the Light Rail;

• Invest in bicycle related regional tourism through our new Rail Trails Strategy;

• Commit to work with the City of Sydney to maintain the College Street Cycleway and make the cycleways in the city full time while working with the City of Sydney to manage loading zones; and

• Continue working with the Federal Government and local councils to progress the Inner Sydney Regional Bike Network.

Improving governance to get NSW cycling moving

Labor will:

• Task the Greater Sydney Commission to review current cycling plans and make recommendations in relation to planning, investment and infrastructure to build a cycling friendly city;

• Set up a committee including NSW Health, Transport for NSW, Planning and Environment, Roads and Maritime Services and local Councils to report to the Greater Sydney Commission and be part of building a shared vision for Active Transport as a path to a more liveable and attractive cities, a healthy population and less congested roads.

anewapproach.com.au Active Transport LABOR’S NEW APPROACH TO CYCLING Promoting cycle safety

Labor will:

• Have Transport for NSW review safety rules in relation to cyclists including incorporating more questions in relation to cycling and sharing the road as part of the drivers licence test; and

• Support education campaigns that focus on sharing the road.

Labor will invest $37 million and work with local councils to build the Greenway

The inner west GreenWay corridor would provide a safe cycling route connecting Cooks River in Dulwich Hill with Sydney Harbour at in Leichhardt. It would include the disused -Dulwich Hill goods railway corridor and the valley.

The inner west GreenWay is a grassroots community vision to provide a tree-lined cycling and walking trail and wildlife corridor linking the sub-catchments of two of Sydney’s most important waterways.

In July 2010 the previous Labor Government announced that the GreenWay would be included in the Inner City light rail extension project. It was a win for the community and a win for Sydney, with the first environmentally sustainable, integrated transport corridor providing an active transport alternative for the community.

But in 2011, the transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian, cancelled the GreenWay. The proposed GreenWay corridor was integrated with the light rail, and it would have made sense to build both those projects together. The GreenWay will provide:

• safe and pleasant walking and cycling to schools, shops and parks in the area;

• access to popular pathways and open space at Cooks River and the Bay Run;

• a ribbon of native vegetation between the two waterways with fewer weeds;

• safe crossings under busy roads such as Parramatta and New Canterbury roads; and

• a model for better coordination of environmental initiatives in the catchment areas surrounding the corridor.

The GreenWay would connect the community to all these resources in an environmentally sustainable way and provide a safe route to schools, parks and community facilities.

The GreenWay is a blueprint for active transport integrated with public transport. It would also provide urban bushland regeneration and preservation zones, allow for natural habitats in a densely populated suburban location and provide a green corridor for animals to migrate between isolated pockets of natural habitat within the city. anewapproach.com.au Active Transport LABOR’S NEW APPROACH TO CYCLING Supporting bicycle travel and related tourism – Labor’s Rail Trails Strategy

Regional NSW has some of the most spectacular scenery and countryside in Australia, with countless small and large country towns and sights to see, as well as a wealth of land and wilderness to explore – and more of it could be unlocked for all.

Spread out across regional NSW are a number of dormant rail corridors that are currently unused and deserted, yet still well-preserved. These corridors have the potential to generate vital income for regional economies and contribute to the health and wellbeing of local residents and visitors alike, as rail trails.

Rail trails are shared-use paths established by transforming abandoned railway corridors into tracks or roads, with the rails replaced by a smooth surface; for example, a sealed road, dirt or gravel. They can be used for walking, cycling and horse riding, while also presenting an opportunity for many attractions, businesses, and hospitality services along the way.

Rail trails represent a golden opportunity to stimulate regional economies. They have the capacity to unlock economic and social opportunity for rural and regional communities. Importantly, rail trails also bring the potential benefits of physical and mental health for all NSW residents.

However, NSW remains the only state in Australia without a strategy encouraging the development of rail trails, and without a single public rail trail.

Already, numerous regional councils have begun conducting feasibility studies for rail trails in their areas, and there are currently a number of viable and well progressed rail trails proposals in NSW.

In Victoria, data shows that rail trails generate, at a conservative estimate, $10 million per year for each of the regional communities with a rail trail. For example, Victoria’s Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail generates $472.96 per person per day and creates 22 full-time jobs.

In South Australia, the Riesling Trail generates $1 million annually for the local economy.

There are opportunities across the State to stimulate regional and rural economies and Labor is committed to making this a reality.

Importantly, under Labor this land would not be sold off and lost to the people of NSW. Labor would investigate the creation of rail-trail agreements, where ownership of the land would be maintained with Transport for NSW. In this way, should the rail corridor be needed for freight again in the distant future, the rail trail can be converted back to a railway line as a public asset.

A Labor Government will develop a state-wide Rail Trails Strategy and ensure implementation of the Strategy with construction commencing on viable projects during the first term of Government. anewapproach.com.au Active Transport LABOR’S NEW APPROACH TO CYCLING This policy will provide direction and structure to the development of this new tourism and recreation opportunity for regional NSW at a recurrent cost of $3 million per year, with further capital funding to be decided through the Government’s program of state infrastructure spending.

Improve governance to get NSW cycling moving

Public transport users on trains, buses, ferries, light rail and taxis are expert about their own journey experience. So are cyclists.

Beyond customer satisfaction surveys and formal complaints mechanisms there are very few outlets for public transport users and cyclists to provide formal advice to government and within Transport for NSW.

With each journey, commuters can report what is working well and what is causing barriers and what changes could improve our public transport system.

We need a system that is commuter focused from start to finish.

Labor believes that the knowledge accumulated from every day and occasional users of public transport is a valuable resource that can help drive innovation, accessibility and improve ease of use of the public transport and cycling.

The Baird Government has made much of saying that they put the customer first in all decisions about transport planning, however it is clear from a number of decisions that commuters and cyclists are rarely asked for their input into critical decision making.

Labor believes that commuters and cyclists should have a strong voice within the planning, policy development and community NSW.

That’s why Labor will establish a Public Transport Users and Cyclists Advisory Board within Transport for NSW.

The Advisory Board will be established in legislation through the Transport Administration Act 1988 and will sit alongside the Transport Advisory Board. Its role will be to:

• provide advice to the Minister on public transport and cycling matters from a user perspective;

• provide advice to TfNSW on public transport and cycling matters from a user perspective;

• conduct public consultation and other public transport and cyclists groups with the approval of TfNSW or the Minister; and

• establish subcommittees based on specific issues as it deems appropriate, such as accessibility. anewapproach.com.au Active Transport LABOR’S NEW APPROACH TO CYCLING The Public Transport Users and Cyclist Advisory Board will consist of up to 7 members. Members will be appointed by the Minister for a period of up to three years. The operation of the Board will follow the same rules as the Transport Advisory Board.

An annual report from the Public Transport Users and Cyclist Advisory Board will be included in the TfNSW annual report.

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