Prevenon Research Collaboraon
Position Paper
ON CYCLING IN NSW
October 2011
Recommendations
1. The NSW Government should fund the State Cycling Plan to a minimum of 1-2% of the roads budget
to improve bicycle infrastructure and provide safe, attractive and enjoyable on and off road bicycle
routes as well as high-quality end-of-trip facilities (eg showers, secure bicycle parking).
2. The NSW Government and local councils should adopt a consistent and pro-active approach to
lowering speed limits to 40 km/hr in areas of high pedestrian and cycling use.
3. The NSW Government should provide local government authorities with substantial, sustained
and targeted funding for cycling promotion, and specifically fund cycling infrastructure and
complementary behavioural programs, such as TravelSmart, Ride to Work, and Ride to School
programs.
4. The NSW Government should support bicycle events that provide a supportive social environment to encourage infrequent and novice cyclists.
5. National and State Governments should implement mass marketing campaigns to promote the
health, environmental, transport, economic and social inclusion benefits of cycling.
6. National and State Government mass marketing campaigns should address perceived barriers
such as safety, required fitness level and road user behaviour.
7. National and State Governments should support bicycle education programs to increase confidence and skill levels in both children and adults.
8. Governments and the private sector should consider urban design issues to create a physical
environment more conducive to cycling, such as higher density, mixed use development and
shorter trip distances.
9. Government funding should be drawn not just from the transport sector, but from health, sport
and the environment, with support from all levels of government, to reflect the role and value of
cycling.
Position Paper
ON CYCLING IN NSW
Policy context
The Australian National Cycling Strategy aims to double the number of people cycling by 2016.(1)
However, it is unfunded and is managed by Austroads, whose primary interest is in roads and motor
transport.
Most Australian States have a cycling plan, including NSW(2). The NSW State Cycling Plan has set a target to increase the proportion of trips in the Greater Sydney region made by bicycle to 5% by 2016,(3)
and has published a BikePlan which outlines how this target can be achieved [10](2).
Most local government areas also have a policy or plan to increase levels of cycling or make cycling
safer, including the City of Sydney, which has set a target of 10% of trips to be made by bicycle by
2016.(4)
Active travel, including cycling, is now being encouraged by new policies at the federal level, particularly through the Major Cities Unit, Department of Infrastructure and Transport.(5) This group may
take on responsibility for the National Cycling Strategy.
Active transport can reduce the energy demands of the transport sector, moving trips away from cars.
Individual car travel is a considerable individual and national expense, the cost of which will continue
to grow as conflict in oil-producing countries and declining production affect availability. Such a price
burden can form an important incentive for active transport, but this incentive can only be effective if
there has been sufficient prior public investment in alternative transport, such as walking and cycling
infrastructure.
A number of Australian organisations have called for a national approach to encouraging active travel.
These include the Australian Local Government Association, Bus Industry Confederation, Cycling
Promotion Fund, National Heart Foundation of Australia, and the International Association of Public
Transport.(6)
Research evidence
Cycling can contribute to total physical activity levels, is accessible by all ages and population groups,
and is independently associated with improved health outcomes.(7)
Surveillance data show that approximately half of the Australian population is not sufficiently physically active to meet minimum health guidelines.(8) New strategies are needed to increase population
levels of physical activity; and active travel (walking, cycling or using public transport) has the potential to achieve this goal.(9, 10) Walking, cycling and public transport options need to be available to
accommodate different trip distances and purposes. A small proportion of commuters cycle regularly.
(1)
Physical activity achieved through active travel is more likely to be cost-effective and sustainable over
the longer term than gym-based activities.(11) Economic benefit models of active travel indicate
strongly positive benefit ratios, especially when all co-benefits are taken into account.(12, 13)
Strategies to increase population levels of cycling are well understood(14) and include higher density
Position Paper
ON CYCLING IN NSW
and mixed use zoning policies to increase destinations of interest within shorter distances,(15) investment in cycling infrastructure such as bike paths and on-road bike lanes which are connected,(16) and
‘invisible infrastructure’ such as traffic calming strategies which lower speed limits and close roads to
through traffic to increase bicycle friendliness. (17)
Behavioural programs to encourage more cycling have also been effective. Cycling skills courses for
children and adults,(18) ride-to-work programs(19) and public cycling events (20) all encourage cycling.
Positive news stories and social marketing strategies which endorse and legitimate cycling are also
necessary to create a positive social environment.(21, 22)
End-of-trip facilities, such as showers, changing rooms and bicycle storage in workplaces make active
transport to work more feasible(23).
The Prevention Research Collaboration (PRC) is a specialised research group within the School of Public
Health, University of Sydney. The PRC has expertise in public health nutrition, physical activity, obesity
prevention, epidemiology and health promotion research, as well as other aspects of primary prevention. PRC seeks to achieve excellence and policy-relevance in its research, and to actively disseminate
and communicate research findings.
This policy position statement was prepared by Professor Chris Rissel.
For further information contact: [email protected]
References
1. Austroads. The Australian National Cycling Strategy 2011-2016. Canberra Austroads2010 Contract No.: Austroads Publication No. AP-C85/10.
2. New South Wales Government. New South Wales BikePlan. . Sydney: Sydney: Premier’s Council of Active Living (www.shapeyourstate.nsw.gov.au) 2010.
3. New South Wales Government. NSW State Plan: investing in a better future. Sydney: Department of Premier
and Cabinet, NSW Government 2010.
4. City of Sydney. Cycle Strategy and Action Plan 2007-2017. Sydney: City of Sydney2007.
5. Australian Government. Our Cities - – building a productive, sustainable and liveable future. Discussion Paper. Sydney: Major Cities Unit, Infrastructure Australia2010.
6. Australian Local Government Association, Bus Industry Confederation, Cycling Promotion Fund, National
Heart Foundation of Australia, International Association of Public Transport. An Australian vision for active
transport. Canberra: Australian Local Government Association, Bus Industry Confederation, Cycling Promotion Fund, National Heart Foundation of Australia and International Association of Public Transport2010.
7. Bauman AE, Rissel C. Cycling and health: an opportunity for positive change? Med J Aust. 2009 Apr
6;190(7):347-8.
8. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australia’s health 2010. Canberra AIHW 2010.
9. Rissel C. Ride your bike: healthy policy for Australians. Health Promotion Journal of Australia 2003;14(3):151-3.
Position Paper
ON CYCLING IN NSW
10. Shephard RJ. Is active commuting the answer to population health? Sports Med. 2008;38(9):751-8.
11. Sevick MA, Dunn AL, Morrow MS, Marcus BH, Chen GJ, Blair SN. Cost-effectiveness of lifestyle and structured
exercise interventions in sedentary adults: results of project ACTIVE. Am J Prev Med. 2000;19(1):1-8.
12. PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Evaluation of the costs and benefits to the community of financial investment
in cycling programs and projects in New South Wales - Final Report. Sydney: Roads and Traffic Authority of
NSW and Department of Environment and Climate Change 2009.
13. AECOM. Inner Sydney Regional Bicycle Network - Demand Assessment and Economic Appraisal. Sydney: City
of Sydney 2010.
14. Rissel C, Garrard J. Cycling for active transport and recreation in Australia: status review and future directions. World Transport Policy and Practice. 2006;13(1):49-63.
15. Miskell S, Xu W, Rissel C. Encouraging community cycling and physical activity: a user survey of a community
bicycle loan scheme. Health Promot J Austr. 2010 Aug;21(2):153-4.
16. Pucher J, Dill J, Handy SL. Infrastructure, programs and policies to increase bicycling: an international review.
Preventive Medicine. 2010;48:S106–S25.
17. Morrison D, Thomson H, Pett icrew H. Evaluation of the health eff ects of a neighbourhood traffi c calming
scheme. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. 2004;58:837-40.
18. Telfer B, Rissel C, Bindon J, Bosch T. Encouraging cycling through a pilot cycling proficiency training program
among adults in central Sydney. J Sci Med Sport. 2006 May;9(1-2):151-6.
19. Rose G, Marfut H. Travel behaviour change impacts of a major ride to work day event. Transportation Research Part A. 2007;41:351–64.
20. Bowles HR, Rissel C, Bauman A. Mass community cycling events: who participates and is their behaviour
influenced by participation? Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2006;3:39.
21. Wen LM, van der Ploeg HP, Kite J, Cashmore A, Rissel C. A validation study of assessing physical activity and
sedentary behavior in children aged 3 to 5 years. Pediatr Exerc Sci. 2010 Aug;22(3):408-20.
22. Daley M, Rissel C. Perspectives and images of cycling as a barrier or facilitator of cycling. Transport Policy.
2010;18:211-6.
23. Bauman A, Rissel C, Garrard J, Kerr I, Speidel R, Fishman E. Cycling: Getting Australia Moving – Barriers,
facilitators and interventions to get more Australians physically active through cycling Melbourne: Cycling
Promotion Fund 2008.