Onya bike! Have your say on preferred path for active transport on Far South Coast

A Far South Coast council is asking for people’s thoughts on how they want to get around – but they’ll need to leave the car at home.

The draft Active Transport Strategy is looking at infrastructure and opportunities for active transport (where physical activity is used as a means of transport) within the Bega Shire.

Bega Valley Shire Council (BVSC) assets and operations director Ian Macfarlane said the strategy was intended to encourage and support active forms of travel in the shire.

“The draft strategy outlines a proposed roadmap for developing and maintaining infrastructure designed to get people safely from one place to another by their own steam and encourages people of all ages to participate in healthy exercise,” he said.

“This could be a shared pathway linking a residential area with a shopping zone, or ramped paved areas allowing safe access for people with prams or wheelchairs to a park, for example.”

The strategy was developed by consultancy PSA and involved liaison with the community, stakeholders and BVSC staff.

It examined the shire itself and also used the major centres of Bermagui, Bega, Tathra, Merimbula, Pambula, Eden and Wolumla as case studies.

An online survey carried out in November and December 2023 as part of the strategy’s development found private vehicles were the most common form of transport within Bega Valley Shire, with limited take-up of other forms of transport.

More than 80 per cent of respondents said their primary purpose for walking or riding was for exercise or recreation, according to the strategy.

Additionally, the majority of respondents had not travelled by bus (92 per cent) or taxi (95 per cent) in the past year, while 40 per cent of respondents had not travelled by bike or another wheeled device.

“Drafting the strategy involved an extensive review of the existing network, including a review of current transport and land use in the shire, and surveying residents online and in person,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“The review and feedback helped us to shape a draft action plan suited to the shire’s active transport needs.

“Based on this, we have identified a set of recommended actions which are now available for the community to provide feedback on.”

In the strategy, actions are proposed in the short term (present to two years from now), medium term (in the next two to four years) and the long term (four to seven years).

Across the shire, the strategy proposes running an educational campaign to make motorists more aware of on-road cyclists, undertaking an audit of ”black spots” (where crashes are occurring or are at risk of occurring), improving the visibility of off-road recreational trials with more signage and investigating the potential of “e-mobility” (electricity-powered devices being used for transport).

Additionally, according to the strategy, the Bega Valley Cycleway set out in the original 2014 Bike Plan identifies 19 route sections that connect the various townships – however, the majority of those do not have dedicated infrastructure for cyclists or pedestrians.

For the major areas studied, the report proposes investigating widening the Lamont Street bridge footpath to a shared path (Bermagui), formalising the Imlay Street pedestrian crossings between Mitchell Street and Chandos Street (Eden), and improving connectivity between Bega Street and Andy Poole Drive (Tathra).

“We invite the community to read the draft strategy and recommendations and provide feedback by taking the short survey,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“All responses will be reviewed and carefully considered by the project team.”

BVSC would need to find external funding to cover many of these projects, according to the strategy, such as NSW and Federal Government sources.

“The next step will be for a final report to go back to council for consideration and determination,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“If adopted, the strategy will guide planning and investment opportunities for improvements to the active transport network as funds become available.”

The draft Active Transport Strategy is open for feedback via the council’s Have Your Say webpage until 11:59 pm on 10 July.