New walking and cycling guides to help Canberrans ditch the car

Heart Foundation Active Living Coordinator (ACT) Annie Kentwell, Pedal Power ACT CEO Ian Ross and ACT Roads Minister Chris Steel at the recent launch of the new guides. Photos: Supplied.

New guides have been launched for Canberra’s walking and cycling network aimed at helping people discover pleasant ways to get around their communities, without having to go in the car or on road.

ACT Roads Minister Chris Steel launched ‘Your Guide to Cycling in Canberra’ and eight town centre walking and cycling guides at the start of Canberra Walk & Ride Week (1-10 March), with March seen as the best time to walk, ride and wheel in Canberra due to the favourable outdoor conditions.

Statistics from the ACT Government’s bike barometer last year showed that more than 50,700 trips were made in March, while more than 45,600 trips were made in the next most popular month of October.

However, the ACT Government’s household travel survey also showed that most trips within the local community are made by car.

“During Canberra Walk & Ride Week, I encourage all Canberrans to break the habit of reaching for their car keys and swap some car trips for walking and cycling trips, to the shops, to school and friends’ houses,” Mr Steel said.

“We all lead busy lives and sometimes it can feel like it is hard to fit in any extra travel time.

“For small trips, walking or cycling may only take an extra 10-15 minutes over a car trip, but you will get where you need to go while also having achieved most of your daily exercise needs. For longer trips, you can combine walking and cycling with public transport.”

Mr Steel said the Canberra cycling guide and the eight town centre walking/cycling maps replace the old Canberra and Queanbeyan Cycling and Walking map produced in 2012.

Pedal Power ACT CEO Ian Ross and ACT Roads Minister Chris Steel at the launch of the guides.

The updated map, ‘Your guide to cycling in Canberra’ includes:

• 10 principal or main routes, which are colour-coded
• visitor destinations such as the national institutions
• enhancements to the network
• planned and potential future routes such as Molonglo and Horsepark Drive.

Mr Steel said the town centre maps provide more detail about the path network to help people identify the main ways to get in and out of the town centres and to other destinations such as the Parliamentary Zone.

He said the maps complement the Transport Canberra Online Journey Planner which was released late last year.

“The community has made it clear that there is demand for both paper and digital cycling products and I’m pleased to deliver these new and enhanced maps for people to plan their walking and cycling trips,” Mr Steel said.

“New signs and pavement markings will be installed starting in mid-2019 to guide users along the colour-coded main routes.”

The eight town centre guides can be downloaded by clicking here. They include guides for the Belconnen Town Centre, City Town Centre, Gungahlin Town Centre, Lake Burley Griffin, the Parliamentary Zone, Tuggeranong Town Centre, Weston Creek Group Centre and Woden Town Centre.

‘Your Guide to Cycling in Canberra’ can be purchased in person for $5.00 from:

• Canberra and Region Visitors’ Centre (Regatta Point, Barrine Drive, Parkes) between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday and between 9 am and 4 pm, Saturday and Sunday
• Pedal Power ACT (Level 2 Griffin Centre, 20 Genge Street, Canberra City) between 10 am and 2 pm, Monday to Friday.

Alternatively, people can have the guide mailed to them for $7.00 by contacting Pedal Power on office@pedalpower.org.au or 6248 7995.