Cycling and Cycle Parking in the City of Adelaide

Adelaide faces the challenge of managing urban mobility while promoting sustainable transport options. Bicycle transport presents a viable solution due to its low environmental impact, health benefits, and space efficiency.

  • More people cycling results in improved community health and wellbeing, economic and environmental benefits. This is recognised in City of Adelaide (CoA) and State Government policies for future transport investment.
  • Community and government support for cycling for people of all ages and abilities is growing across South Australia and Adelaide.
  • Cycling has recently surged in popularity, especially recreational riding.

    • Adelaide is well positioned to be a city for cycling:

    Adelaide is well positioned to be a city for cycling:

    Adelaide has some of the best weather for cyclin in Australia, with comfortable summer and winter temperatures, and few rainy days.

    Over 130,000 people work in the City of Adelaide. Of this, 5.3% also live in the area, around 6,800 people. Around 43% of workers live in suburbs directly surrounding the City, equating to over 55,000 people


    The number of households in South Australia with at least one working bicycle has been increasing steadily since 2015.[1]

    Cycling participation has increased to 38.3% in SA, up 8.5% from the previous year. The main motivator to ride was for recreation.

    Adelaide’s relatively flat topography is ideal for cycling.

    Journeys to work in the CoA are shorter than in many other Australian cities, so there is potential for more cycling to work.




    Cycling for journey to work travel represented 2.8% of trips into the city in 2021. [2]



    1. [1] The National Walking and Cycling Participation Survey (2021) South Australia
    2. [2] Method of Travel to Work, Census 2021, Australian Bureau of Statistics

    Benefits

    Providing improved cycling facilities will give people safer and more equitable choices about how they travel to, from, and within Adelaide. It will contribute to improving the overall liveability for our city for everyone.

    More people cycling more often in Adelaide will create numerous benefits:

    Public health and wellbeing[3]

    Better physical health and reduced risk of serious illness

    Improved mental health and wellbeing

    Transport and urban liveability

    Lower travel costs and shorter travel times

    Reduced network congestion

    Safer streets

    Environmental

    Decreased carbon emissions

    Improved air quality

    Equity, access and inclusion

    Increased social participation

    Improved transport options for those unable to drive, such as children, the vision impaired, and the elderly

    Economic[4]

    Increased economic output per capita

    Reduced infrastructure maintenance

    Reduced public health system costs


    Figure 2 Modal filters in Melbourne Source: Streets Alive Yarra

    [3] Healthy Streets Framework, Lucy Saunders

    [4] Economic Benefits of Cycling in Urban Environments, Urban Future Exchange SA (2019)

  • The cycling network in Adelaide is predominantly on-road unprotected lanes and shared paths or trails in the Adelaide Park Lands.
  • There are minimal complete routes, creating a disconnected network that best caters to confident riders. This reduces the appeal of cycling to, from and within the city and is a primary reason why cycling rates remain quite low and there is a large participation gender gap.
  • User confidence remains the primary concern and deters many from cycling, especially women, children, and older adults: not feeling safe is a key barrier to greater cycling participation. [7] [8]
  • Perceived barriers to cycling uptake: safety, security, need to carry items, weather, distance and topography (hills), and social and cultural factors. [9]


    • Only 6% of people say they feel confident riding in mixed traffic.

    Figure 3 Cycling attitudes in South Australia[1]


    Figure 4 Bicycle user confidence[11]


    [7]L. Pearson, B. Gabbe, S. Reeder & B. Beck (2023) Barriers and enablers of bike riding for transport and recreational purposes in Australia
    [8] City of Adelaide (2023), Gender & Safety Focus Groups Summary Report

    [9] Austroads (2024), Prioritising Active Transport

    [10] Department of Infrastructure & Transport, 2022, Cycling Strategy for South Australia

    [11] City of Melbourne (2017), Bicycle User Confidence Study.

    Opportunities

    Many people would like to cycle, but don’t feel safe enough to do so.[12] There is a large proportion of people who are interested in cycling10. Research indicates that people demonstrate a strong preference for protected cycle lanes that provide continuous protection and safety throughout their journey.11 The CoA recognises the criticality of reducing carbon emissions by creating healthier streets so more people choose to cycle rather than drive. There is an aim to triple the number of workers who cycle to work.[13]

    Three key strategic moves have been identified to achieve this goal and support a mode shift to cycling:

    Optimising our streets to create appealing corridors for cycling movement, rest, and to improve safety for all users.

    Creating healthy residential streets, with safe speeds and measures such as traffic calming and modal filters to cost-effectively and quickly increase the 'cycle network'.

    The City of Adelaide owns and maintains all CBD roads and can allocate road space to provide dedicated space for cycling.

    Upgrading infrastructure to create a network of low stress cycling lanes, intersection priority upgrades, and safe and secure parking for bikes and e-bikes, accessible for people of all ages and abilities. Connect the network with infrastructure in adjoining suburbs and within the Adelaide Park Lands.

    Improving cycling culture by building on existing travel behaviour change programs that encourage trying new modes, and by creating opportunities for trip integration between modes.


    [10] Department of Infrastructure & Transport, 2022, Cycling Strategy for South Australia

    [11] City of Melbourne (2017), Bicycle User Confidence Study.
    [12] L.Pearson, B. Gabbe, S. Reeder & B. Beck (2023) Barriers and enablers of bike riding for transport and recreational purposes in Australia
    [13] City of Adelaide (2024), Integrated Climate
    Strategy

    This investment is already having a significant impact on ridership – October 2023 recorded double as many bicycle riders as the same month in 2022. About 30% of all trips in Paris are now being made by bicycle.[5] A 71% increase in cycling infrastructure use was recorded between 2019-2022.[6]


    [5] Pettitt, B. (2024, June 3). Paris doubled its cycling numbers in one year. Here's how. Brad Pettitt.

    [6] Apur. (2023, October). Cycling infrastructures in the Greater Paris - Grand Paris Metropolis. Apur.