Why the new regional transport plans won’t make NSW much better for bike riding and how to advocate for better outcomes
The NSW Government is developing their Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plans (SRITPs) for 9 NSW regions.
This major piece of work is hot on the heels of the former government’s incomplete set of Regional Transport Plans. These plans contained projects that NSW Labor wanted to put aside so the decision was made to start again to create documents that align with Government priorities.
The aim is to identify a targeted program of initiatives that respond to each region’s unique needs for transport, now and into the future.
Bicycle NSW wrote very critical submissions on the Hunter and South East Tablelands SRIPTs in early 2025. The draft Central Coast plan followed and it was a little better. Draft SRITPs for the Central West and Orana and the Illawarra-Shoalhaven are on exhibition now.
A seductive vision
The plans all start with very detailed (and rather repetitive) analysis of the context, demographics and transport system. There are many glossy photos of people riding bikes in scenic places, or catching trains, or strolling on boardwalks.
The challenges are clearly identified. Congestion. Rural isolation. Limited walking and cycling networks. Missing road crossings. Rising road trauma. Inadequate public transport. Expensive car dependency. Inequitable access to opportunity. Town centres marred by traffic noise and pollution.
Traffic clogs up Thirroul, near Wollongong (Image: NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure/Dee Kramer)
Each plan has a similar transport vision for a safe, connected, and resilient road and transport network that prioritises sustainable and healthy modes and delivers connected and vibrant communities. Or some such compelling words. There are 7 Objectives and long list of initiatives that are divided into short-term, medium-term and long-term outcomes.
The transport planning approach is led by a vision for the region’s long-term land use (Image: Transport for NSW)
“It sounded fantastic!” says Ed Birt, President of Illawarra Bicycle Users Group (IBUG) who dived into the 160-page draft Illawarra-Shoalhaven SRITP with some excitement. “I thought I was launching into a clear plan for improving active and public transport infrastructure to reduce our unsustainable over-reliance on automobiles.”
But that is not what he found.
“Don't give up your driving licence just yet because when you dig beyond the aspirational language, a concerning pattern emerges: dollars and delivery dates for roads, while public and active transport get studies, investigations, and planning phases,” says Ed.
“It is the same pattern we've seen for 50 years.”
Following the money
Ed calculated that, of the 45 initiatives listed, active transport gets a single concrete funding commitment: $5 million for footpaths across several South Coast locations.
“That's it. Meanwhile, road projects march forward with business cases, construction timelines, and funded delivery schedules.
“The Milton-Ulladulla bypass? $1 billion. Funded, construction commencing. The new Nowra Bridge? $340 million. Completed. Mount Ousley interchange? $500m. Under construction. New ramps at Dapto? $10m. Business case being finalized.
“Nobody's suggesting these projects aren't important,” says Ed. “But the pattern is clear: roads get delivery dates and dollars; active and public transport get ‘investigations’ and ‘planning studies’. Not a commitment to actual delivery.
“Consider initiative #10, a genuinely exciting and much needed proposal for a high-frequency bus network connecting our major centres. This sounds transformational until you read the fine print: ‘commence early planning’. Not build it. Not fund it. Just start thinking about planning for it.”
Illawarra Bicycle Users Group President Ed Birt (kneeling at the front of a group of IBUG members on a Christmas ride) knows that there aren’t many problems which can't be helped by more bike riding (Image: IBUG)
Repeating past mistakes
Invest in driving and you get more driving. The car-first thinking that dominates the actions in the SRITPs will result in wider roads, new slip roads and additional capacity, allowing more cars to travel at faster speeds. There will be numerous intersection ‘upgrades’ which rarely make things better for pedestrians.
Meanwhile, most regions are expected to see significant population increase. The only way to move away from the congestion, poor health, pollution and inequality that results from car-dependency is to ensure that people have viable alternatives to the private car.
A fundamental shift to walking, cycling and public transport is essential to maximise access to work and education, improve the amenity of our towns and suburbs, keep people healthy and reduce emissions on the long road to Net Zero.
Active and public transport investments must be front and centre of the SRITPs. Not only in the words, but also in the budgets. We can’t afford to keep on kicking the can down the road.
How you can help advocate for bikes
The draft Central West and Orana STRIP is open for feedback until Friday 6th February. Consultation on the draft Illawarra Shoalhaven STRIP closes on Monday 9th February.
You can fill in a survey, write a short (or longer!) email or letter, or add comments to an interactive map.
Focus on the issues and projects that matter most to you. Personal stories are powerful. Share your experiences or specific local examples in your submission. Identify projects that you know will make a difference.
A useful trick to cut through over 100 pages of dense text is to use ‘Ctrl F’ and search for key words. Try looking for cycleway, rail trail, e-bike, bike parking, multi-modal, shared path, wide footpath, raised crossing, tree canopy, shade, 30km/h, lower speed limits, bikes on trains, walkable, children, schools, road space reallocation. Do any of the concrete actions and initiatives contain these words? If not, there are significant gaps in the SRITP that you can highlight as part of your feedback.
Consider including some of the following recommendations:
- Fund and build separated cycling infrastructure, beginning with the Strategic Cycleway Corridors and Regional Connected Cycleways planned by Transport for NSW
- Include a transport hierarchy than informs every transport planning decision, putting pedestrians first
- Apply the Road User Space Allocation policy in all projects
- Develop facilities for cycle tourism such as rail trails, rural touring routes and mountain bike parks, supported by active and public transport connections
- Lower speed limits to 80km/h on undivided regional roads, 40km/h in urban areas and 30km/h for all local streets, school zones and town centres. Timeframes for speed reductions should be short term.
- Develop safe, continuous walking and cycling networks within 500m of every school
- Build continuous footpaths across side streets to reinforce pedestrian priority
- Ensure that there is a safe and accessible crossing between every pair of bus stops, and that every bus stop has lighting, a seat and shelter
- Facilitate the transport of unboxed bikes on trains and buses
- Make every residential street a cycle street, with traffic calming and a 30km/h speed limit - creating low traffic, low speed streets for high impact at low cost
- Deliver secure bike parking in all developments and at public transport, town centres and community facilities
- Develop facilities that harness the potential of micromobility. E-bikes and e-scooters are gamechangers in hilly areas with longer distances between destinations
- Ensure that all key active transport routes have good lighting and passive surveillance
- Install consistent high-quality wayfinding across the region for people walking, cycling and using public transport
- Create tree canopy over pathways to ensure that they are comfortable to use in the warmer months
- Establish a proactive approach to behaviour change with a wide range of programs and initiatives to support people to ride and walk
- Interrogate any road projects that will increase capacity and induce more driving, taking inspiration from the Welsh Government’s approach
- Establish clear, numerical targets for infrastructure roll out, mode shift and road trauma reduction
There are four regions where plan development is still in the early phases. Grab 5-minutes to share your thoughts on the transport services and infrastructure across the Riverina Murray, Far West, New England North West and North Coast.
Hopefully, the draft SRITPs for these regions will have much more concrete plans for active and public transport.
Before you go….
Join Bicycle NSW today and be part of a movement dedicated to safer streets and better infrastructure.
Our advocacy team has a seat at the table of all levels of government. For example, we are a key stakeholder for the review of the Road Act, which could make a real difference to the status quo.
If you are not ready to join the Bicycle NSW family, then we would love you to donate to the Australian Bicycle Advocacy Fund.
