On Monday night, City of Wollongong Councillors unanimously supported a bright bike riding future for Wollongong by approving a $4 million budget and agreeing to exhibit the draft Cycling Plan 2030.
Photo Credit Matt Loft
Increase in Cycling Budget
Over the next three years, the council will spend $1.8 million (including $875,000 from a government grant) on designing and constructing 15 new cycleway projects. A new pump track will be built at Cringila Hills ($650,000) and along with a multi-use criterium track ($1.6 million) with the location yet to be decided.
Draft Cycling Strategy 2030
The draft Cycling Strategy 2030, has laid the groundwork to increase weekly participation in bike riding from 12.9% to 20% over the next 10 years.
This includes expanding their cycling network from 120km to 215km by adding 50km of on road and 35km of off road. NSW Government is providing additional funds for cycleways along the Princes Highway, Crown Street and Lawrence Hargrave Drive, plus connecting residential areas to city centres.
Find out more exhibition details here and we encourage everyone to have their say.
2022 Road Cycling World Championships Legal Partnership Program
Excitingly, these are not the only projects for the region. As a part of the Wollongong 2022 Legacy Partnership Program, six other projects across the Illawarra region will benefit from NSW Government funding. This includes:
- Southlake BMX - Resurface and seal the BMX track at Croome Sporting Complex
- Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation - Develop an lllawarra Shoalhaven Cycling Prospectus
- Shoalhaven City Council - Upgrade the bicycle pump-track at Kangaroo Valley
- Illawarra Cycling Club - Upgrade of facilities at Unanderra Velodrome
- The Council of the Municipality of Kiama - Procure a modular pump Track for active recreation in various locations
- Cycling NSW - Traffic Management Training and Education for volunteers
“We are pleased to see the council and the government investing in a better future for bike riders in Wollongong. This will not only benefit locals but also boost bike riding tourism for the region,” commented Kim Lavender, Bicycle NSW Communications Manager.
Bicycle NSW encourages all councils across NSW to capitalise on the current movement for bike infrastructure to help deliver a safe connected cycling network for their region.
