Election Policy Platform 2024
Bustling streets you can walk or ride down while breathing clean air. Thousand more children cycling and walking to school, while their parents ride on to work after. Reduced carbon emissions and lower congestion on our roads. A healthier city, with more people building physical movement into their daily lives. This is our vision for Canberra, but one we won’t see happen unless the Government invests more in active travel. This is one of the cheapest and most effective health and environmental interventions a Government can make, and we know it will be effective. Research shows that more people want to get on their bikes or walk more often, but they don’t feel it is safe or convenient to do so. Active travel is the perfect option in particular for short trips under 5km, although the rise of ebikes is extending the distance people are willing to ride. The ACT Government has made important strides in advancing active travel in the last term of Parliament, including releasing the Active Travel Plan and Design Guide, building important new links such as the Belconnen Cycle Way and Bowen Drive Pop-Up Lane, and investing more money into path maintenance. However, there is a lot more we need to do. Investment into active travel is still far too low, and projects are taking too long to roll out. The next Government needs to step up the ambition, providing a real, practical and forward-thinking plan about how we can encourage thousands more Canberrans into active travel. This is Pedal Power’s plan for the next four years of Government. The policies outlined below are cost effective, fast to deliver and proven to work. They tackle multiple challenges and would help the next government achieve a broad range of important objectives – including tackling climate change, improving public health, boosting the economy and easing congestion