Active transport plan to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety

CITY of Coffs Harbour has outlined steps to make it easier for people to move around under their own steam in a new, 10-year plan.

The “big picture” view is to improve opportunities for pedestrians, bike riders and the growing wave of users of electric mobility devices, including e-bikes.

Council adopted the Active Transport Plan on February 26th, which received almost 200 submissions when the draft went on public exhibition.

Seventy-three percent of submissions note that the biggest challenge for active transport within the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area (LGA) is pedestrian and cyclist safety.

In particular, safety issues associated with strategic paths and the lack of lighting along active transport routes.

Suggestions for improvements identified by submissions include improving shared paths and providing safer off-road bike paths for cyclists.

A number of submissions express concerns about the use of e-scooters and e-bikes on shared paths.

Significant gaps within the existing active transport network and a lack of safe crossings, including associated infrastructure such as kerb ramps, were identified by 26 percent of respondents.

Mayor Nikki Williams said, “The feedback was generally supportive of the plan, however concerns were raised about safety for walkers and cyclists, and a desire for better lighting along active transport routes.”

“The City has taken that onboard and will look to audit and improve the lighting on our strategic paths.

“There’s also the opportunity to use off-road paths – like creek corridor networks – when delivering active transport projects.”

The Active Transport Plan is an investment on infrastructure of between $600,000 to $1.5m per annum, which equates to $6m to $15m over the next 10 years.

City Planning and Communities Director Ian Fitzgibbon said, “To put this in context, Copenhagen – regarded as the world’s best city for bike riding – has spent about $30 per person per year, for the past decade, on active transport infrastructure.

“We are significantly increasing our commitment, with planned investment rising to around $17 per person per year over the next 10 years,”

“The Plan’s three key focus areas are making it easier, safer and fun for kids to walk and ride to school with new active transport links and associated infrastructure (e.g. safer crossings), delivering connected and continuous strategic paths to link our centres, precincts and places and addressing missing active transport links for key walking corridors and bike paths located along busy roads with high speeds.

“Filling in the gaps in our existing network of key active transport routes – particularly on busy roads and intersections – is one of our core objectives.”

Cr Williams said the plan identifies a number of quick wins to improve safety for bike riders.

“Line marking the outer edge of vehicle travel lanes on key routes can encourage drivers to keep to the middle of the road, creating a clear space for riders,” she said.

“We want to improve the network so people have the option to walk or ride for those shorter trips to access the shops, places of education, work and health, or aged care services.”

By Andrew VIVIAN