Cycling Infrastructure

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton) (14:57): My question is for the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure. How is the government providing support for cyclists in South Australia?

The SPEAKER: Minister. God help any member who interrupts. The Speaker is listening to this reply.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:57): Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for his question. The number of cyclists travelling to and from the Adelaide central business district on a typical weekday is now the highest on record. I am advised that in October 2005 a little over 4,800 cyclists were recorded making this journey, but this has since increased to over 10,000 people in October 2016. This year we would expect this number to grow again.

The South Australian government continues to support and invest in cycling infrastructure and educational material to encourage people to take active travel options and in particular increase the number of Adelaide's cyclists. The financial investment the government is making for cyclists is in addition to the legislative changes for the minimum passing distance and footpath cycling laws amended two years ago to enhance safety and convenience for cyclists. In addition to creating shared paths with our major infrastructure projects, the South Australian government is investing more than $20 million in cycling infrastructure, including in the CBD and on greenways and bike boulevards around metropolitan Adelaide.

The $12 million joint fund between the South Australian government and the Adelaide city council will provide a north-south and east-west bikeway through the Adelaide CBD. This is the largest single investment in cycling infrastructure in the City of Adelaide's history. With this investment the City of Adelaide has recently commenced the construction of the next stage of the very popular Frome Street bikeway, extending the separated lanes northwards and announcing the initial consultation for the proposed east-west bikeway on Flinders and Franklin streets.

Further to this investment, each year the State Bicycle Fund provides subsidy funding for councils to deliver cycling infrastructure projects across council areas across South Australia. The competitive fund this year provides $770,000 in funding support for nearly $3 million of cycling projects in the current financial year. The 2017-18 State Bicycle Fund provides funding contributions for 24 cycling infrastructure projects to be delivered by 11 councils across South Australia. Projects vary from the construction of shared use paths, cycle line marking and cycle route improvements in metro areas as well as regional areas.

With the metropolitan area, the 17 projects equate to a total value of $2,468,600 provided through $615,000 of state government support. The seven projects to occur in regional areas are to a total project value of $430,000 with government support of $170,000. In addition to these funding packages, new cycling infrastructure continues to be integrated within DPTI major projects across the state. Earlier this year, I opened a new 78-metre long shared use bridge for cyclists and pedestrians as part of the $160 million O-Bahn City Access Project. While the O-Bahn project will significantly improve travel times and reliability for buses, cars and all vehicles on our inner city ring route, the opportunity was also taken to improve safety and access for pedestrians and cyclists by separating them from road traffic.

Work is underway for cyclists further north with the improvement to access to the Mawson Interchange. The $2.4 million upgrade to the existing shared use path will connect the City of Salisbury's Green Trails to the interchange, and a key link in the Outer Harbor Greenway will be completed through works as part of the $896 million Torrens to Torrens project. This project contained the construction of a new shared cycling and pedestrian path. Encouragement to cycle—

The SPEAKER: Alas, the member's time has expired, but I gather that that path goes from Day Terrace at Croydon to Coglin Street, Brompton.