Introduction
This report provides an assessment of whether there is suitable infrastructure and support to enable cycling to be a safe and viable mode of transport in the Perth metropolitan area.
Our focus was on the planning and management of the Perth metropolitan cycle network by the Department of Transport (DoT) and Main Roads Western Australia (Main Roads), to determine whether it covers the main transport routes and is well-connected and maintained. We also examined actions by these agencies and the Road Safety Commission (RSC) to ensure cycling is safe, convenient and viable. We used an open public survey to obtain community views on the issues we examined.
Overview
Around a quarter of Western Australians ride a bicycle in a typical week, and almost half ride at least once a year[1]. Bicycle sales have exceeded car sales for more than a decade in Australia, with over 1.3 million bicycle imports reported in 2013‑14[2].
People cycle for many reasons, including commuting, shopping, errands, recreation and training. Related benefits include reductions in demand for parking, transport cost, greenhouse gases, and noise, and improvements in air quality and health. Cycling is also relatively inexpensive and can form a significant component of an integrated transport system.
Perth’s dry climate and flat terrain make cycling an ideal transport option. These advantages are reflected in the rate of cycling in WA, which the Australian Bicycle Council found to be 5.6 percentage points higher than the national rate of 17 per cent of people cycling at least once per week. However, this is much lower than many European countries where cycling is a mainstream form of travel. For instance, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark have cycling participation rates of up to 38 per cent[3] of all trips in some municipalities.
The priority given to cycling in Europe is evident from a combination of policy measures endorsed by the European Parliament that have resulted in increases in cycling[4]. These include: well-designed cycling infrastructure, safety education and promotion programs, widespread traffic calming, and improved connections with public transport systems.
Safety concerns are one of the reasons cycling remains a minor form of transport in WA. In a Royal Automobile Club of WA (RAC WA) community survey in 2015, safety was one of the main reasons people gave for not cycling more often. Cyclists have a wide range of ages and skills and therefore need a variety of facilities to ensure cycling is a safe, convenient and viable mode of transport.
Cyclists are one of the most vulnerable road users, having little or no physical protection. Thirty-eight cyclists died on WA roads in the ten years from 2005 to 2014 and the number of cyclist fatalities rose from three in 2012 to eight in 2014. People make only two per cent of trips by bicycle, but cyclists constitute around four per cent of the total road deaths. The Road Safety Commission (RSC) reported a further 1 099 were seriously injured between 2004 and 2013. The Commonwealth Government Bureau of Infrastructure Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE), estimated that the social cost to the community of road trauma was $3 million per death, and $264 000 per hospitalised injury[5].
Perth’s cycle network is a series of routes on roads and paths. Principal Shared Paths (PSPs) are the arterial paths along railway lines, freeways and highways owned by the State Government. The majority of the cycle network belongs to Local Government Authorities (LGAs).
LGAs are responsible for 94 per cent of the road network and provide almost 3 000 km of Recreational Shared Paths (RSPs). These are often along beachfronts and river foreshores. There are also small sections of dedicated cycle paths, such as along the South Perth river foreshore. LGAs provide over 7 000 km of footpaths as well as local bicycle routes on local roads and paths.
A number of strategies, plans and policies have supported the development of cycling networks and infrastructure in WA since the 1970s. DoT released the most recent, the Western Australian Bicycle Network Plan 2014-2031 (WABN Plan), in March 2014. Similar to previous plans, the WABN Plan aims to make cycling in WA ‘safe, connected, convenient and a widely-accepted form of transport’[6].
For cycling to be a safe, convenient and viable mode of transport a well-constructed and maintained arterial and local scale network should connect to key community facilities and employment centres. Connected means a cyclist can get from point A to point B in a safe and convenient manner on any kind of path or route.
The WABN Plan has a vision to double cycle trips in Perth, prioritises the finishing of bike paths for cyclists within 15 km of central Perth and encourages LGAs to implement bike plans. In 2014-15, the state spent $11.2 million on the Western Australian bicycle network. This represents 1.1 per cent of the total $1 045 million[7] spent on expanding and improving the efficiency of the road network in WA.
DoT coordinates the activities of agencies in delivering cycling facilities. Main Roads expands, constructs and maintains the PSP network and provides standards and guidelines for local cycling infrastructure constructed by LGAs. The Public Transport Authority (PTA) constructs PSPs in conjunction with railway extensions and facility upgrades, such as car and bike parking and the RSC works with these agencies to coordinate the state’s road safety efforts.
[1] Australian Bicycle Council (2015). National Cycling Participation Survey 2015.
[2] Bicycle Industries Australia and Cycling Promotion Fund (2014). Annual Report 2013-2014.
[3] Ministerie van Verkeer en Waterstaat (2009). Cycling in the Netherlands.
[4] European Parliament Directorate-General for Internal Policies (2010). The Promotion of Cycling.
[5] BITRE (2014). Impact of Road Trauma and Measures to Improve Outcomes. Report 140.
[6] Department of Transport (2014). Western Australian Bicycle Network Plan 2012.
[7] Department of Transport audited financial statements 2014-15 and Main Roads audited financial statements 2014-15.