OBJECTIVE — Maintain and enhance the ease of getting around

Canberrans currently enjoy a high level of accessibility. This key element of Canberra today is retained within the Spatial Plan and is supported by The Sustainable Transport Plan. The Sustainable Transport Plan identifies the benefits to the community of walking and cycling as a travel mode. This highlights the need to ensure that centres and neighbourhoods support and encourage walking and cycling and that there are good links between walking and cycling and public transport.

Policy response

• New arterial roads will be developed in line with growth but after giving attention to public transport services to new areas. In particular, Gungahlin Drive Extension and Majura Parkway will be provided as Gungahlin continues to develop.
• Reduction of through traffic in Civic, Central Canberra and town centres.
• The development of the Molonglo Valley will necessitate the upgrading of key routes that serve this area, including links with Belconnen and Weston Creek/Woden and Parkes Way and Tuggeranong Parkway.
• Development on the Kowen Plateau will require new road links between Majura Road and the Plateau.
• Improvements to pedestrian safety and amenity and improved cycling and walking access to and around Civic, the town centres and local areas.
• New greenfields development areas, including the Molonglo Valley and the Kowen Plateau, will be oriented around high quality public transport and walking and cycling. These will be linked to existing town centres through transport corridors — public transport and roads (as shown on Map 8 — Transport Connections).

Actions

• Strategies will be introduced to improve pedestrian and cycle access and use of Civic and the town centres and residential areas.
• Transport corridors will be provided or upgraded when appropriate to connect urban areas, including connecting the new residential areas in Molonglo Valley and Kowen Plateau to existing employment and service centres. Future transport connections are shown on Map 8 — Transport Connections.
• Detailed structure planning of new greenfields areas will address transport connections, including roads, public transport, walking and cycling.
• Development of Gungahlin Drive Extension and Majura Parkway to reduce through traffic in Civic and North Canberra.

Outcomes

• Highly accessible city on foot, bicycle and with public transport.
• Easy and quick to get around by private vehicle.

Monitoring indicators

• The proportion of residential dwellings located within a maximum radius of 400 metres from a rapid and frequent public transport service and trunk cycle paths.
• The percentage of trips taken using an alternative mode of transport to the car.
• Public transport patronage as a percentage of total journeys.
• The amount spent on public transport infrastructure improvements, including bus priority measures as proportion of total transport infrastructure budget.
• The amount spent on the creation and maintenance of footpaths or multi-use paths.
• Average trip time (average time spent travelling each day).
• The attractiveness of town centres, commercial centres and local areas for pedestrian and cyclists.