Walk & Ride - Help us to map out a pedestrian and cycling-friendly Kingston
Thanks to all of you who contributed feedback to this community consultation. The Walking and Cycling Plan 2023-2028 has now been adopted. Read more here or watch the following video for more details:
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Original consultation post was as follows:
Tell us how we can make cycling and walking your preferred transportation methods in Kingston
We’d like to know what we can do, to make zero-emission transport options (such as walking and cycling), your first choice for short trips around Kingston?
This feedback will be used to inform the city's next Cycling and Walking Plan.
Passive exercise is not only good for our health and well-being, it's great for the planet
Kingston Council has declared a 'Climate and Ecological Emergency' and is committed to doing what we can to reduce emissions.
The provision of safe cycling and walking routes enable more people to get around easily and provides an appealing alternative to driving for short journeys. This all helps to slow growth in traffic congestion and reduces demands car parking at major destinations.
Walking and cycling are inexpensive and healthy modes of travel – particularly for short local trips. Many local journeys in the municipality are relatively short - less than 5km. However, most cycle trips in Kingston are made for recreation rather than to/from work or accessing other destinations such as shops, schools, and public transport. We want to make getting around without a car the best option for those trips too.
The City of Kingston has great potential for increasing cycling and walking options as is it relatively flat and has a ‘spine’ of activity centres and destinations that are well connected by transport networks such as the Nepean Highway and the railway corridors.
Walking or riding to work or the shops is also one of the most effective ways to combine regular exercise with your everyday routine. They are activities that can be done by almost anyone, regardless of fitness.
Although we are specifically naming 'walking and cycling' in this campaign, really we want to hear how we can make getting around better for anyone who uses shared paths/trails - or simply needs better access to make short trips around Kingston. If you use a skateboard, run with a pram, use a wheelchair, motorised scooter or any other transport methods we haven't specifically named - we'd love to hear from you too.
We want YOUR FEEDBACK before we draft Kingston's next Cycling and Walking Plan
Kingston Council's plans to create a five-year Cycling and Walking Plan, which will include recommendations on infrastructure and funding, for pedestrian and cycling projects.
But before we start work on this important document, we want to make sure we take on board your ideas/feedback and experiences of walking and cycling in our city, to get it right.
We would like you to share your ideas about what would make you choose walking and cycling over every other form of transport around Kingston, on a digital mapping tool (below), where you can also post comments about other community suggestions.
Let us know any/everything that should be considered for improvements, from outlining where there are gaps on paths along rail corridors, to improved lighting, better parking access to user paths, etc.
You can also share your views by:
- Taking part in our online survey via the link below.
- Make a further submission by emailing info@kingston.vic.gov.au or mailing PO Box 1000, Mentone 3194.
This consutlation will open from Monday 20 September until 11.59pm on Sunday 24 October.
Policy context
In 2020, Council adopted the Kingston Integrated Transport Strategy (KITS). The KITS is a high-level umbrella document that sets the direction for the management of transport and under which additional transport plans (such as the Cycling and Walking Plan) are positioned.
The vision of the KITS is “Kingston is a city with a connected, integrated, and sustainable transport network that is safe, healthy, accessible, reliable, and efficient.”
OBJECTIVE #1 of the KITS Strategy is: to make walking and cycling the preferred transport choice, particularly for short local trips. One of the actions in the KITS to create an updated version of the Council’s Cycling and Walking Plan (2009-2013).
In early 2020 the World Health Organisation announced COVID-19 as a Pandemic. COVID-19 restrictions in 2021 have had profound impacts on how we travel, which has brought about an increase in walking and cycling.
