Design Principles

Perth Cyclepath
Source: Planning Institute of Australia

Active transport includes non-motorised forms of transport involving physical activity, such as walking and cycling.  It also includes public transport for longer distance trips, as public transport trips generally include walking or cycling components as part of the whole journey.

Active transport provides tangible benefits by increasing daily physical activity levels and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a reduction in cars on the road. Other benefits include improved social well-being and a greater sense of community.

How to Achieve

Active transport requires the urban structure to be designed so that walking and cycling trips are convenient, pleasant and safe.  In order to make walking and cycling the preferred modes for many people there needs to be:

• high levels of amenity, especially to key destinations such as workplaces, schools and shops
• mixed land uses and densities to support active transport,  and
• choices of destinations.

• Guiding the structure planning process around the needs of active transport at the regional and local level to ensure active transport is the base from which the access and movement strategy is built.
• New growth areas that have a variety of destinations (such as schools and shops) within walking or cycling distance, and high residential densities (such as over 30 dwellings per hectare) to support these.
• A movement network with a highly interconnected cycling/walking path network and a coordinated network of streets with bike lanes, pedestrian priority at intersections and pedestrian links from the end of cul de sacs.
• Major public transport nodes or interchanges located within activity centres, and these activity centres located ‘on the way’ to somewhere else
• Bicycle storage facilities at public transport stations to enable users to cycle and then connect with public transport.

Click here for more detailed information on design and planning for Active Transport