The Department of Transport has now released all of the Interim Evaluation Reports for its Safe Active Streets Pilot Program (transport.wa.gov.au).
Developed in partnership with Local Government, safe active streets are active travel routes on quiet local streets, where speeds have been reduced to 30 km/hr to allow for a safer shared street space for people walking, wheeling, riding and driving.
Eight projects are included in the evaluation, with the final and full evaluation report scheduled for release in 2024. The eight interim reports available online are for Geraldton, Bassendean, Bayswater, Belmont, Melville, Nedlands, Stirling and Vincent.
The introduction of safe active streets in WA was driven from research which showed a fear of sharing the road with motor vehicles was a key barrier to many people riding more often. With construction complete on the final pilot project, attention is now on the ongoing evaluation phase, testing the correlation between vehicle speed reduction and increased active transport use.
The evaluation is designed to collect and analyse data on the differing treatments applied for each project, user behaviour (including drivers and riders) and community perceptions. It also considers impacts, cost effectiveness and comparability between projects which will guide ongoing design and delivery of future safe active streets.
The Department has worked with 19 different local governments to progress 23 safe active streets through various phases of feasibility, consultation, design, construction, activation and evaluation.
To check out the Interim Evaluation Reports go to: Safe Active Streets Pilot Program (transport.wa.gov.au).
To find out more about safe active streets please contact activetransport@transport.wa.gov.au
Acknowledgement of Country
WALGA acknowledges the continuing connection of Aboriginal people to Country, culture and community. We embrace the vast Aboriginal cultural diversity throughout Western Australia, including Boorloo (Perth), on the land of the Whadjuk Nyoongar People, where WALGA is located and we acknowledge and pay respect to Elders past and present.