Resources

At a glance:

• This document (ATAP Part M4) provides specialist Mode Specific Guidance on active travel. It is supported by a Background Report (M4-BR) in the ATAP Technical Support Library covering detailed and technical material.
• The defining characteristic of active travel is that it is ‘human powered mobility’. In this guidance, we interpret active travel as comprising primarily walking and cycling, but can also include use of e-bikes, skateboards, roller skates, roller blades and non-electric scooters. While e-scooters and e-skateboards are not ‘human-powered’, they are also considered here because they share some of the facilities provided for active travel, and hence experience associated benefits. The term micro-mobility is increasingly used to refer to all of these modes of transport.
• Evidence-based assessment of problems and opportunities is the starting point for considering active travel improvements. Problems include: poor weather; lack of infrastructure or appropriate facilities; poor access and connectivity; physical safety concerns; lack of security; inadequate ancillary infrastructure; and poor knowledge and awareness of available facilities and benefits. Opportunities include: reducing health, environmental and road congestion problems by shifting trips from car to active travel; improving accessibility; and reducing inequity for those too young or old to drive, and other people facing transport access difficulties.
• A wide range of options for addressing a problem or opportunity should be generated and assessed. A full range of options are outlined here. Active travel network design principles are presented: cohesion, directness, safety, comfort, and attractiveness. These assist in the identification of suitable improvement options. A network, and individual improvements, designed with such principles maximises the size of potential mode shifts to active travel.
• Active travel improvement options are assessed using the same approach used elsewhere in the Guidelines, namely: strategic alignment; and appraisal using cost-benefit analysis of monetised benefits and costs, complemented by non-monetised benefits and costs.
• Similar to the assessment of other transport modes, benefits consist of:
  • User benefits to active travellers (safety, travel time, private health benefits from physical activity, walking environment amenity benefits)
  • Any resource cost corrections required for unperceived user costs, and
  • External benefits from reductions in external cost to third parties (road decongestion, reduced emissions and improved air pollution, reduced health system costs).
• The guidance provides explanations of individual benefits, and steps, methodologies and parameter values for their estimation. Appropriate application of the rule-of-a-half to perceived user costs for new active travel trips (diverted from other modes, and newly generated) is also explained.
• The currently available approaches to active travel demand estimation are summarised: a) simpler estimation approaches (comparison studies, sketch planning, aggregate behaviour studies); b) demand elasticities and diversion rates; c) modelling. Also discussed are: influencing factors, active travel data, tools and other considerations. Active travel demand estimation is a fairly under-developed area, and would benefit significantly from further research and development.
• Indicative unit costs are provided for various active transport infrastructure elements.
• Measurement and monitoring of performance of the active travel system is an important final step in the planning and assessment process. It considers whether policies, plans and initiatives are successful in meeting transport system objectives. Performance indicators are required to enable ex-post evaluation and benefit management. The type and timing of monitoring are discussed.
• The guidance concludes with suggestions of areas requiring further active travel research.

On this page:

• Travel behaviour change initiatives
• Encouragement programs and walking groups
• Maps and walking tracks
• Special events

On this page:

• Universal design
• Grades and surface treatments
• Kerb ramps
• Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSIs)
• Audio tactile facilities
• Legislation and guidance

On this page:

• Speed management
• Pedestrian malls and high-volume pedestrian locations
• High Active Transport User Areas (HATUAs)
• School zones
• Local access streets/residential streets

On this page:

• Facility selection tool
• Unsignalised crossings
• Signalised crossings
• Operational treatments at signalised crossings
• Physical treatments at signalised crossings
• Slip lanes
• Roundabouts
• Grade separations
• Railway crossings

On this page

• Footpaths in road reservations
• Shared paths
• Walking tracks and trails
• Pedestrian bridges

On this page:

• Community engagement – for infrastructure projects
• Planning for pedestrians during construction
• Regulatory signage
• Maintenance minimisation

On this page:

• Benefits of street trees
• Types of shade
• Shade in streetscapes
• Shade in public facilities
• Urban forests and canopy cover
• Climate and local environmental factors
• Minimum canopy clearance heights
• Shade and public transport
• Awnings

On this page:

• Managing street furniture
• Wayfinding signage
• Lighting

On this page:

• Planning for walking in new developments (greenfield)
• Urban design and the built environment
• Movement and place
• Tactical urbanism
• Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)

More people will walk when everyday destinations are connected by comfortable, direct, safe and accessible routes. Walking network plans (WNPs) are a first step to creating better places to walk.

The Queensland Government is committed to achieving the Queensland Walking Strategy 2019–2029 vision of walking becoming 'an easy choice for everyone, every day'. When we talk about walking, we also include running and moving with the help of a mobility device (such as a wheelchair, mobility cane or a walking frame).

The following guidance supports practitioners to prepare WNPs and a prioritised works program to make the plan a reality.

The intent of this document is to provide guidance to practitioners to forecast demand for pedestrians
for new infrastructure such as:

• footpaths or shared paths, including 'missing links' in an existing path network
• unsignalised road crossings such as pedestrian refuges, zebra or wombat crossings or grade separated infrastructure, and/or
• signalised road crossings, including mid-block pedestrian operated signals and pedestrian crossings at signalised intersections. This guidance does not consider pedestrian simulation modelling; that is, the modelling of crowd dynamics for purposes such as typical and emergency egress from train stations or sports stadiums.

Getting to and from public transport is integral to every public transport journey. 

All passengers must make their way to a public transport stop to board public transport, then make their way from where they disembark to their final destination. Often referred to as the ‘first and last mile’, the actual length of these trips can range from less than 100m to many kilometres. 

First and last mile connections are critical to a viable and enjoyable public transport journey experience.

Key issues relating to the quality and ease of access to and from a public transport stop include:

• The distance between the origin/ destination and the public transport station or stop. This largely determines whether passengers choose to walk or cycle, or use a car, motorbike, or bus to access public transport.
• The level of comfort and universal access along the connecting route. Even short distances can be perceived as unattractive or inaccessible if they involve long or convoluted road crossings, extensive exposure to inclement weather or lack of appropriate infrastructure.
• The availability and attractiveness of options including taxi/ rideshare or feeder bus services, as well as facilities for Kiss and Ride or Park and Ride.
• A person’s level of perceived or actual safety and security accessing public transport. 

It is important that those involved in public transport planning consider the whole of the passengers' journey. When planning for public transport journeys, the following questions should be considered:

• How will people get to and from their public transport services?
• Is the whole journey accessible for all people?
• Is the whole journey safe?
• Is the whole journey attractive, convenient, relatively seamless, and intuitive?
• Is the whole journey affordable?

Key design parameters for accessibility such as kerb arrangements, access ramps, tactile ground surface indicators, and pedestrian movement.

A guide to identifying and implementing 40 km/h speed limits in high volume pedestrian areas.

Bike riders are customers who choose to arrive by bike. There’s a big opportunity for businesses to achieve growth by becoming bike-friendly.

More than ever, bike riders want to go from A to Business. There’s growing demand to stop, shop and spend at bike-friendly businesses of all different types, from local cafes right through to tourism destinations.

Being bike-friendly can be a point of difference for a business. It means the business can offer more customers more choice and freedom.

The Speed management guide: Road to Zero edition supports regional transport committees, regional councils and road controlling authorities
to develop high-quality speed management plans that will deliver safe and appropriate speed limits in line with Te Ara ki te Ora – Road to Zero
(New Zealand’s road safety strategy to 2030) and the Land Transport Rule: Setting of Speed Limits 2022.

The Queensland Guide to Traffic Management (QGTM) is issued under the authority of Section 166 of the Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995. The contents of QGTM are issued as 'approved notices' under Section 166(2) of said Act.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads has adopted Austroads' Guide to Traffic Management (AGTM) 2020 as part of national harmonisation. As a result, the QGTM will only provide requirements and recommendations specific to Queensland and has precedence over the equivalent Austroads Part.

The links provide different guides to developing programme/project logic models.

This guidance is to help transport planners, business case writers and anyone involved in transport investment understand the Land Transport Benefits Framework and how to use benefits management in their work.

The draft Tactical Urbanism Handbook has been developed as a tool to help councils and communities deliver tactical urbanism projects to a high standard, using a collaborative best-practice approach.

This guide is designed for technical experts, communicators and advocates working to deliver urban mobility solutions that grow the share of travel by public transport, walking and cycling. Its purpose is to help us use more effective strategies to: improve people’s understanding, based on best evidence, of why a shift in transport modalities away from cars and towards active and public transport is needed; help people designing and leading the shift to have better conversations with the public; motivate people to act in support of these shifts. This guide is based on a literature review conducted by The Workshop on behalf of Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.

The purpose of this technical note is to provide some high-level recommended practice to contractors carrying out the installation of tactile pavers as requested in an industry survey in 2018. This is a supplementary publication aimed at roading and utility contractors to provide a simple guide for reinstating tactile pavers affected by their works.

RTS 14 is the official guide that ensures that design and operation of roads and paths caters for blind and vision impaired pedestrians. It also takes into account the needs of people with impaired mobility.

It provides detailed requirements for a continuous accessible path, tactile ground surface indicators and audible tactile traffic signal features.

The guidelines seek to improve the understanding of what good urban design means in a transport project. The guidelines are intended for consultants, contractors, project managers, stakeholders and the community who participate in the planning, design, construction and maintenance of our transport networks. They are also intended for other Transport Agency staff whose work and actions affect urban design outcomes.

The Pedestrian planning and design guide is New Zealand's comprehensive official guide to planning and design for walking. It sets out ways to improve New Zealand’s walking environment

There is a range of low-powered devices that New Zealanders use for travel or recreation. While these vehicles and devices offer the benefit of increased mobility, they can also increase your safety risks on and around the road.

Provides users with best practice guidance, either directly or through links to appropriate sources for all stages of design, from concept stage through to detailed design

Provides users with best practice guidance, either directly or through links to appropriate sources for all stages of planning a cycle network

Guidance on the design of buffered cycle lanes for varying carriageway widths

This updated guidance covers how to design a priority-controlled cycle crossing of a side road or driveway

Provides a treatment solution for advance stop boxes to improve visibility of cyclists from heavy vehicles and decrease the level of vehicle encroachment

Guidance on the design, installation and management of access control devices on facilities where cyclists are permitted to be present.

The draft Handbook for tactical urbanism has been developed as a tool to help councils and communities deliver tactical urbanism projects to a high standard, using a collaborative best-practice approach.

The draft Handbook for tactical urbanism has been developed as a tool to help councils and communities deliver tactical urbanism projects to a high standard, using a collaborative best-practice approach.

This document provides practitioners with guidance surrounding the planning and design of shared and separated paths in Western Australia to enable the safe and efficient movement of bicycle riders of all ages and abilities. It is intended to be a convenient and practical reference guide aimed at practitioners with varying levels of experience.

A supplement to the Handbook for tactical urbanism provides draft guidance on compliant application of using road artwork effectively and safely in New Zealand.

Provides a treatment solution for commercial and high-use access points on cycleways and shared paths.

This guidance summarises best practice provision of parking and end-of-trip facilities for people who cycle.

Guidance on where and how to use markings and/or signs that designate paths for pedestrians and/or cyclists.

Guidance on the implementation of shared lane markings (‘sharrows’).

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and KiwiRail have been leading the development of a design guide for pedestrian and cycleway treatment at level crossings. The guide will improve safety, usability, compliance, consistency and will simplify the design process.

Cycling network guidance – planning and design (CNG) framework aims to promote a consistent, best-practice approach to cycling network and route planning throughout New Zealand.

Outlines the national monitoring and reporting requirements for the Urban Cycleways Programme (UCP) projects. Includes best practice methodologies for measuring the success of new cycle infrastructure as well as wider network monitoring.

A description of the monitoring required, particularly once the implementation of the cycle network plan has started.

Cycling network guidance – planning and design (CNG) framework aims to promote a consistent, best-practice approach to cycling network and route planning throughout New Zealand.

This online guide provides all the key information to help your workplace better provide for people on bikes.

Employer e-bike purchase support schemes are helping many more people to purchase e-bikes by addressing the key barrier of the upfront cost. They work through employers negotiating a discount from an e-bike supplier and then providing a wage advance or loan to staff, paid back through salary deductions over a set period.

A few simple tips to stay safe when sharing the road.

These guidelines outline the priority weighting system that will be used to assess walking and cycling proposals submitted to the NSW Government for funding.

This document recommends economic parameter values for common benefits and costs in transport economic appraisals. By providing best-practice approaches and economic parameter values, this document supports the consistent application of cost-benefit analysis (CBA) across the NSW Transport cluster.

This spreadheet provides all tables in the Transport for NSW Economic Parameter Values.

Information on bikes and the public transport network.

Riding a bike is part of Queensland life. With a few tips and a bit of advice, it’s easy to get rolling.

The Walking Space Guide (Guide) provides a set of standards and tools to assist those responsible for Walking Spaces on streets, to ensure that sufficient space is provided to achieve comfortable environments which encourage people to walk.

The Guide offers a clear, consistent set of standards and processes to be applied in designing, planning and implementing the amount of space to be provided according to the intensity of use. It is intended that designs are appropriate to the number of people using footpaths.

This guide contains the method for carrying out a Walking Space assessment and offers guidance on how to understand the results. The guide includes an accompanying spreadsheet for recording data and calculating results.