Advocacy
Pedal Power ACT’s Advocacy Plan 2025-2030 sets out clear priorities for supporting delivery of the ACT Government’s Active Travel Plan 2024–30 and strengthening Canberra as a cycling city.
The Government’s plan provides a strong policy foundation but it lacks timeframes and funding. Over the next five years, Pedal Power’s plan is designed to make active travel the preferred easy choice for travel. We will advocate for active travel to be prioritised, properly resourced and implemented to a standard that materially improves safety and connectivity.
This Advocacy Plan sets out our priorities for the next five years.
Why this action is needed
Canberra has strong foundations for active travel, but gaps, inconsistent standards, missing links and ageing assets continue to limit safe, comfortable, connected riding. Many Canberrans want to ride more but do not feel the current network supports regular use, particularly where riders must mix with traffic or navigate inadequate intersections, crossings or paths that are not fit for purpose.
The Active Travel Plan 2024–30 provides the overarching policy direction, but sustained advocacy and collaboration are required to turn this into tangible outcomes for people who ride. Pedal Power’s Advocacy Plan sets out how we will support and influence this work, informed by community insight, technical expertise and our five decades of advocacy experience.
We work with Government, planners, designers, MLAs, the NCA, community groups and industry partners to ensure infrastructure, policies and maintenance programmes keep pace with Canberra’s growth and address long-standing gaps.
Our Priorities
Deliver and maintain a connected, safe cycling network
Support people-centred neighbourhoods and safer suburban streets.
Strengthen recreational cycling and protect Canberra’s status as Australia’s Cycling Capital
Promote connected, accessible communities supported by public transport
See the drop-down below for full detail on each of these points.
Our approach: Collaboration and accountability
Pedal Power will continue to work constructively with the ACT Government and the National Capital Authority to support delivery of active travel commitments.
Our focus is on:
Evidence-based advocacy
Community consultation and feedback
Coordinated early and ongoing engagement with government, planners and designers
Monitoring progress against commitments
Celebrating progress when milestones are achieved
Advocating for adequate funding to deliver the Active Travel Plan
Working together, we aim to improve safety for all people who ride bikes and ensure active travel receives the priority it requires.
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A continuous, safe and coherent off-road network is essential to increasing the number of Canberrans who ride for transport and recreation. Canberra has many excellent shared paths, but missing links, inconsistent standards, deteriorating surfaces and sections requiring on-road riding continue to reduce confidence and accessibility.
The Active Travel Plan sets the strategic direction for improving active travel, while the Active Travel Practitioners’ Tool identifies priority cycling routes and maps the Principal Cycle Network, including Main Community Routes and Principal Community Routes. However, neither document commits to delivery timelines or funding.
Pedal Power will advocate for:
• Investment in the Principal Cycle Network and staged delivery of priority corridors
• High-quality design and separated cycling facilities where riders must travel on-road
• Adoption of consistent infrastructure standards, prioritised at known safety problem locations
• Maintenance programmes that improve shared path quality, lighting and vegetation management
• Safer intersections and mid-block crossing treatments
• Increased secure bike parking at town centres, group centres, schools and transport interchanges
• Fixing missing links and completing a safe comfortable and convenient off-road shared path network
• Implementation of Active Travel Streets where appropriateOur aim is a predictable, intuitive network that enables more people to ride for more trips.
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The Active Travel Plan emphasises safer streets and improved access around schools. Suburban streets should provide low-speed environments where people walking and riding feel safe.
Pedal Power will advocate for:
• Traffic-calming and speed-management measures
• Stronger school-based active travel programmes and safer school precincts
• Better lighting, crossings and wayfinding
• Delivery of local initiatives that support short trips
• Implementation of neighbourhood street models, including Active Travel Streets, particularly where communities have identified safety concernsThese measures help children, older riders and new riders travel safely and confidently.
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Recreational cycling is a major contributor to health, wellbeing and tourism. Canberra’s lakeside loops, scenic routes and mountain biking facilities are widely valued but require ongoing investment to remain high quality and accessible and to remain competitive with facilities interstate.
Pedal Power will advocate for ongoing investment in:
• Recreational cycling facilities such as mountain biking areas and major recreational sites
• Improved access for families, older riders and people with disabilities
• Partnerships that promote Canberra as a leading cycling destinationSupporting recreational riding reinforces Canberra’s reputation as a city where active, healthy living is easy and enjoyable.
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Integrated transport systems to increase mobility options and constrain congestion, reducing the need for expensive road network expansion and reducing car dependence.
Pedal Power will advocate for:
• Seamless off-road cycling access to shops and bus and light rail interchanges
• Secure bike parking and high-quality end-of-trip facilities
• Preservation and expansion of bicycle carriage on all buses and trams
• High-quality walking and cycling connections in new suburbs and renewal areasThese improvements support genuine mode-shift and reduce congestion.