City of Unley Walking and Cycling Plan 2016-2021

A walking and cycling friendly city is one with less noise, cleaner air, healthier citizens and a stronger economy. It’s a city that is a nicer place to be in, where individuals have a higher quality of life, accessibility is high and there is a simple route from thought to action to participate in social, cultural, work / leisure activities or buy locally. Active transport is therefore not a singular goal but rather an effective tool to use when creating a vibrant city with space for diversity and development. Active transport supports liveability status by taking pressure off public transport, reducing congestion and noise and supporting a zero carbon future. The purpose of this Walking and Cycling Plan is to outline actions that will assist people of all ages and abilities to choose active transport more often. Cyclists and pedestrians need to feel legitimate, safe and supported. Cyclists are particularly vulnerable where they share the road with moving vehicles. Research shows that in most cities, over half of the population is interested in cycling, but have some reservations about doing so. Many local and international studies have defined the benefits gained when people walk or ride. Personal gains include health and fitness as well as less money spent on transport and parking, while overall economic benefits include a healthier community, less traffic congestion, reduced infrastructure costs, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, better air quality and noise reduction. The City of Unley can be proud of its significant network of designated cycling routes, high quality infrastructure, traffic calmed streets and 40km/h local street speeds, all of which contribute to a great walking and cycling environment. While there has been a considerable effort to improve the walking and cycling environment, further work is needed for them to become more locally dominant modes of travel.
The latest Census data from 2011 indicates that the percentage of Unley residents walking and cycling to work is higher than other Adelaide Metropolitan Council areas. Unley has a significant proportion of its population in the key cycling age bracket of 10-64 (higher than the State average), which combined with its near city location, is likely to contribute to more people cycling. Increasing the number of walking and cycling trips to, from and within the City of Unley is achievable. For round-trips less than two kilometres, walking is the preferred mode of transport although bikes can easily be used for short trips. For trips longer than two kilometres, cycling is ideal as it reduces congestion and pollution and takes pressure off motorised transport networks. Given Unley’s proximity to the Adelaide CBD, the average round-trip length to and from the City of Adelaide is about eight kilometres. Trips within the municipality average around three kilometres. The challenges that community faces include balancing the regional through traffic with a safe local walking and cycling network for users of all ages, confidence levels and abilities and finding ways to move people from cars and public transport to bicycles for longer trips.