Qld Govt Statements etc: Active transport

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Mark Bailey

Queensland setting pace for active transport

26th October 2021

More Queenslanders than ever before are lacing up their runners or pumping the pedals and choosing to get active.

To encourage this, the Palaszczuk Government is making travel by bike or on foot safer and easier across the state.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the 2021 National Walking and Cycling Participation Survey (NWCPS) showed a dramatic increase in walking and cycling.

"We all know I am a big advocate for active transport, so I'm pleased to see the results show that there are a lot of Queenslanders right there beside me," Mr Bailey said.

"These encouraging results reflect the State Government's strong commitment to active transport under the Queensland Cycling and Walking strategies.

"Since 2015, we've invested more than $244 million in bike-riding infrastructure, planning and programs, and into walking initiatives across the state.

"This year we also awarded more than $141,000 to 15 community groups across the state for projects to encourage more bike riding through the first round of the Bike Riding Encouragement Community Grants Program."

Mr Bailey said further grants would be awarded through the popular Cycle Network Local Government Grants program.

"These grants support local government bike-infrastructure projects and help deliver active transport options where they are needed," he said.

"Since 2015, we have awarded close to $114 million for local government bike-infrastructure projects as a part of the program.

"And this year, we're opening up a grant for walking network planning too.

"We are inviting local governments to apply for walking grants to help them prepare Walking Network Plans and Priority Works Programs to guide improvements around everyday destinations like schools, public transport, shops and parks."

Mr Bailey said applications for the grant programs would open today (25 October 2021).

"Local governments with an endorsed principal cycle network plan could apply for the bike infrastructure grants," he said.

"And, the new walking grants are open to all Queensland councils.

"This round of funding also features a new project category for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and very remote local government areas."

Mr Bailey said new Priority Route Maps had also been released this week to assist state and local governments.

"These maps identify priority routes for bike riding infrastructure projects throughout the state," he said. 

"More locations than ever are eligible to apply for funding, including councils at Burke, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Doomadgee, Flinders, McKinlay, Mornington and Richmond now covered in the North West Network Maps.

"We've seen more people taking up active transport during COVID-19 and we want to continue improving infrastructure to keep this momentum going as we continue to recover."

Councils are awarded funding on a 50:50 basis and provide a solid basis for state and local governments to work together.

Applications close on 17 December, with projects expected to start from July 2022.

The Priority Route Maps are available at https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Travel-and-transport/Cycling/Principal-Cycle-Network-Plans

To view the NWCPS survey results, visit https://www.cwanz.com.au/resources/

For more information, visit www.tmr.qld.gov.au/travel-and-transport/cycling and https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Travel-and-transport/Pedestrians-and-walking.

ENDS

[Fares_Fair]

The #SunshineCoast solution..
walk or ride your bike because we sure aren't giving you the trains and rail we promised you over the past 2 decades.

It is a good initiative, local active transport is great.
It doesn't make up for the loss and inability to encourage distance transport.

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2021/1310-2021.pdf

Question on Notice
No. 1310
Asked on 26 October 2021

MS B LAUGA ASKED MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS (HON M BAILEY)

QUESTION:

Will the Minister provide an update on active transport in Central Queensland and how the
Palaszczuk Government is promoting a more active lifestyle for Central Queenslanders?

ANSWER:

I thank the Member for Keppel for the question.

The Palaszczuk Government is committed to getting more people cycling and walking for all types
of journeys, all across the State—including in Central Queensland.

The Palaszczuk Government wants to see more people leave their cars at home and take up
cycling as an active, safe and healthy form of transport. Since 2015, the Palaszczuk Government
has invested over $308 million in bike riding infrastructure, planning and programs, as well as into
walking initiatives across the state.

Central Queensland residents are benefiting from an investment of almost $35 million for active
transport since 2015, including:
 $16 million in grant funding to local governments to support the delivery of 68 bike riding
projects in the region such as:
 Stages 1–2 of the Alpha, Aramac and Barcaldine networks with Barcaldine Regional
Council
 Capricorn Street separated cycle track with Isaac Regional Council
 Kemp Beach shared path with Livingstone Shire Council
 North Street bike lanes with Rockhampton Regional Council
 Pioneer North Back shared path with Mackay Regional Council
 nearly $18 million for projects on the State network including on and off-road facilities along
sections of the Bruce Highway in Rockhampton, Dawson Highway in Biloela, and shared
paths across Mackay including Mackay–Slade Point Road and Blue Water Trail to Cross
City link
 $1 million in grant funding to local governments for planning rail trails for the Yeppoon
pineapple trail, Boyne Burnett inland trail, Mount Morgan trail, Barcoo Way rail trail and
Aramac to Barcaldine trial.

Looking ahead, the Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program 2021–22 to 2024–25
(QTRIP) is the sixth record transport and roads infrastructure program in a row, outlining
$27.5 billion in investment over the next four years and estimated to support an average of 24,000
direct jobs over the life of the program. This record investment includes $252 million for bike riding
infrastructure which prioritises infrastructure that physically separates bike riders from motor
vehicles, planning and programs, and walking initiatives to encourage more people to ride bikes
and walk more often.

Some key projects for Central Queensland included in the new QTRIP are:
 Western Yeppoon–Emu Park Road, Taranganba Road to Yeppoon Road, upgrade cycling
facilities in Yeppoon
 Tannum Sands Road, shared path construction in Gladstone
 Blue Water Trail–Cross City Link shared path in Mackay.

With the pandemic impacting Queensland businesses and communities, significant road
upgrades will be delivered to help stimulate the economy as part of Queensland's COVID-19
Economic Recovery Plan. These upgrades provide immediate economic benefits, support more
jobs and deliver ongoing benefits of vital infrastructure for years to come.
This also has an active transport benefit because road upgrades which are on the principal cycle
network also deliver cycling infrastructure. This infrastructure is being well used. The latest
National Walking and Cycling Participation Survey 2021 results for Queensland show an increase
in the proportion of residents riding in a typical weekup from 13.5 per cent in 2019 to 19.2 per
cent in 2021.

The Palaszczuk Government will continue to invest in active transport in Central Queensland,
guided by the priority route maps for the Central Queensland Principal Cycle Network Plan, which
were recently updated by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) in partnership with
local governments.

The Palaszczuk Government has also established a new statewide grant program for local
governments to assist in developing plans to improve walking environments. Whether on foot,
moving with the help of a mobility device like a wheelchair, or pushing a child in a pram, walking is
also an important part of life for everyone.

The new Walking Local Government Grants are initially targeted at developing walking network
plans and priority works programs around primary destinations such as public transport, schools
and town centres.

Gladstone Regional Council (GRC) in Central Queensland Region was one of three local
governments that very ably assisted in piloting the new Walking Network Planning guidance in
2020–21. GRC has now constructed a shared path along Tank Street, from Central Lane to
Glenlyon Road and other walking improvements in central Gladstone with a $150,000 grant from
TMR.

The Palaszczuk Government is proud to be providing the people of Central Queensland with
more options to walk and ride bikes and enjoy the many health and economic benefits this brings.

[ozbob]

Government Statement

https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/100657

Budget backs active transport with $315 million investment

21st June 2024

To encourage more Queenslanders to leave their cars at home, the Miles Government has committed $315 million over the next four years to expand the network of cycling and walking paths across Queensland.

This investment in active transport is part of the record $37.4 billion Queensland Transport and Roads Investment Program 2024-25 to 2027-28 (QTRIP), announced following the State Budget.

Every dollar invested in bike riding infrastructure returns nearly five dollars in economic benefits to Queensland, through improved health outcomes, reduced traffic congestion, and lower transport costs.

Investment in walking infrastructure is even more beneficial, with a return of 13 dollars for every dollar spent. ...

More > https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/100657