The plan, launched in conjunction with an Ipswich National Ride2Work Day event, builds on the work of the recently endorsed iGO City of Ipswich Transport Plan.
It details Council’s aspirations and future initiatives to promote walking and cycling for transport purposes in Ipswich.
Mayor Paul Pisasale said with Ipswich’s population forecast to more than double in the coming decades, it was essential council took steps to encourage more people to embrace active modes of transport.
“One of my top priorities as Mayor is a future transport system for Ipswich that is sustainable.
“That means providing residents with meaningful choices to travel other than the car for all trips,” said the Mayor.
“The more people we can get out from behind the steering wheel and out pounding the pavement or onto a bicycle the less congestion on our roads and the better our city’s health and wellbeing will be.
“To accommodate the growth headed our way we must strike a balance between trips that involve the car and those where cycling or walking are the smarter choice.”
City Infrastructure and Emergency Management Committee Chairperson Councillor Cheryl Bromage said the Active Transport Action Plan set out clear aspirations for promoting cycling and walking as a means of transport in Ipswich.
“There are significant economic, environment and community benefits to be gained by fostering a culture across Ipswich that embraces active transport options,” Cr Bromage said.
“In developing the plan, council considered a range of factors including why people choose to cycle or walk over taking the car, what can be done to encourage more people to choose active transport, the infrastructure needed now and into the future and what support we need from other levels of government to bring initiatives to fruition.
“This plan gives us a solid foundation to take a coordinated approach to addressing these challenges as well as develop new initiatives to promote a higher uptake of active transport in Ipswich.
“Among the goals in the plan is for walking and cycling to account for a combined 14 percent of trips by the time Ipswich’s population reaches 435,000.
“This equates to 210,000 trips per day by active modes. Currently, walking and cycling combined account for nine percent of all trips, this being 58,000 trips per day.”
The Active Transport Action Plan is a key part of the recently released iGo City of Ipswich Transport Plan, which is an initiative of the Advance Ipswich Plan.
The iGo City of Ipswich Transport Plan provides an integrated approach to addressing Ipswich’s future transport needs.
