Our federal election campaign calls for all parties and independents to commit to a national Active Transport Infrastructure Program.

We’re recommending that the Australian Government invest $400 million annually, equivalent to $15 per person, for the duration of the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport, from 2026 to 2035.

With 50:50 matched funding from state governments, the Program will ensure that complete walking and cycling networks are fully delivered in up to twenty cities and towns throughout Australia. Doing this will:

• enable everyday Australians to get healthy and fit

• save money for households struggling with their car costs

• reduce local traffic congestion

• reduce noise and air pollution around schools, shopping centres and other busy areas

• help state and federal governments meet their legislated requirement to cut carbon emissions from transport

• slash billions of dollars from healthcare over the coming decades

• help local businesses to thrive

• support public transport, because most journeys start or end with a walk.

Business cases show that this scale of investment will increase cycling and walking mode share fivefold, resulting in $40 billion in economic benefits by 2050. This represents a higher rate of return than any other transport investment, and provides affordable and equitable local access for communities around Australia.

Our proposed $400 million a year Active Transport Infrastructure Program would fund:

• 15 regional cities to build comprehensive networks of walking and cycling paths, similar to Wagga Wagga, which is building 56km of paths for $15 million over just a few years.

• The four largest capital cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth) to build comprehensive networks of "Cycling Superhighways" and pedestrian crossings. These are already listed on Infrastructure Australia’s Infrastructure Priority List by their respective state governments, but currently remain unfunded:

  • Perth active transport improvements

  • Greater Sydney cycling network improvements

  • Active transport connections across the Brisbane River

  • Cycling access to Melbourne CBD

• User programs like e-bike subsidies, similar hugely popular initiatives in Tasmania and Queensland.

• A dedicated unit within the Department of Infrastructure (DITRDCA) to oversee the ten-year program supporting state, territory and local governments to plan and deliver active transport networks efficiently and effectively.

According to completed business cases, including studies reviewed by Infrastructure Australia and state “i-bodies”, the Australian Active Transport Infrastructure Program would deliver around $40 billion in economic benefits to the national economy.

Between 2008 and 2028, the Australian Government allocated just $1 per person annually to fund active transport. This included the current four year, $100m National Active Transport Fund which will only deliver around 30-50 km of bike paths nationally.

We’re advocating for a modest $15 per person annually, just 1.6% of the federal land transport budget, to be matched by state governments. This modest amount would significantly increase active travel mode share in twenty towns and cities throughout the country.

How do we compare with other countries?

Since 2016, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has recommended at least 20 per cent of transport budgets to be spent on walking and cycling. It’s also what the Australian Institute of Traffic Planning and Management recommends.

Throughout the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport 2026 to 2035, it’s time for us to step up.

Australia’s national investment falls far behind our peers. National governments in nine countries in Europe spend at least AUD $15 per person per year, with Ireland investing $120 per person annually.

In the developing world, Ethiopia allocates 33 per cent of national urban transport funding to active mobility, while the Indian Government allocated 100 cities with AUD$200 million each for street redevelopment focused on walking and cycling.

Countries and cities throughout the world are investing in active transport. It’s time Australia did too.

We invite your organisation to endorse to our Open Letter to parties and candidates across the political spectrum.

By doing so, you’ll join the voices of motoring bodies, professional organisations, peak industry bodies, academia and small businesses, as well as walking, cycling, place, health and climate change NGOs.

We will add your organisation’s name and logo to the Open Letter to be sent to candidates, and presented in person at Parliament House in Canberra in March 2025.

We’ll also send occasional updates on our progress throughout the campaign, to keep you informed.

Better Streets is an alliance of a diverse range of organisations and individuals who share a vision to make our streets more accessible and liveable for everyday life - with safe local streets, supporting local businesses through streetscape upgrades, enabling kids to walk and bike to school, and making it easier for everyone to walk and ride around their neighbourhoods.