Supplementary Agenda of General Meeting

Question With Notice No. QWN5/26

Date of Meeting: 8/07/2026

ITEM 4

QWN5/26 - Active Transport Strategy for Hornsby

ASKED BY COUNCILLOR MCINTOSH

TO THE General Manager:

In September 2021, a Notice of Motion regarding Road Cycling & Mountain Biking in Hornsby Shire (NoM 09/21 McIntosh / Browne) was endorsed by Council, which led to the adoption of the Walking & Cycling Strategy in November 2021 (IM4/20 McIntosh / Browne ). As part of the motion to endorse this Strategy, and in response to the earlier Notice of Motion, the adoption included that Council "Authorise consideration of the preparation and funding of an Active Transport Plan as part of the development of the 2022-26 Delivery Program to address the full gambit of walking and cycling activity along with the associated benefits and supporting infrastructure and promotion opportunities outlined in Deputy General Manager’s Report No. IM4/20."

Sometime has now passed since this resolution and an Active Transport Plan is now regularly mentioned by our residents as a key priority. Additionally, there are many requests to address "missing links" in our pedestrian / cycling networks and a demonstrated need for there to be synergy between our Footpath Strategy, Walking & Cycling Strategy and works that are undertaken annually in our playgrounds, parks and sports fields as part of the Annual Delivery Plan.

Councillors have been made aware that Council has recently appointed an Active Transport Officer and that Councillors will shortly be briefed on the work undertaken to date and what is proposed to address this resolution.

Questions

Could the General Manager advise:

1. What steps have been undertaken to develop an Active Transport Plan as outlined in the 2021 resolution and as discussed in subsequent Councillor workshops?

2. When will the broader community have the opportunity to participate in developing the plan?

3. How will the voices of specific groups and demographics such as cycling and mountain bike groups, seniors, families and people living with a disability have the opportunity to contribute to these plans?

Response

1. What steps have been undertaken to develop an Active Transport Plan as outlined in the 2021 resolution and as discussed in subsequent Councillor workshops?

Since the adoption of the Walking and Cycling Strategy in November 2021, Council has continued to progress active transport outcomes through the delivery of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure projects, integration of active transport considerations into major capital works programs, and the establishment of dedicated internal capability. It was this adopted strategy that formed part of the SRV submission to IPART in 2022 to enable more shared path funding ($13.930M over 10 years), for projects prioritised under the Strategy. In addition, Council Officers have continued to work closely with Bike North and Bicycle NSW on cycleway issues and priorities and participate in Active Transport Surveys and grant applications that promote shared user pathways and pedestrian linkages across the Shire.

As previously discussed with Councillors, Council has recently established an Active Transport Officer position in early 2026 to strengthen Council’s capacity to plan, coordinate and embed walking and cycling outcomes across the organisation. The role is focused on integrating active transport opportunities into existing infrastructure projects, coordinating initiatives across Infrastructure, Traffic, Parks, and Bushland teams, and undertaking analysis and preparatory work to inform future strategic options and reporting to Council.

Recent and current initiatives supporting this work include the delivery of footpath and shared path projects across the Shire, including Bellamy Street, Ida Street, Willowtree Road, Campbell Avenue, Purchase Road and other priority locations identified through Council’s walking and cycling planning frameworks. Council has also continued to improve active transport connectivity through major projects such as the Brooklyn Boardwalk and public domain improvement programs.

A Councillor information session focused on Active Transport has also been scheduled to provide Councillors with a detailed update on work undertaken to date and future directions towards the end of August 2026.

2. When will the broader community have the opportunity to participate in developing the plan?

Community consultation will form a key component of any future Active Transport Strategy/Plan or network development process. As active transport planning progresses, Council intends to undertake engagement with the broader community to identify priorities, network gaps, barriers to walking and cycling, and opportunities for improved connectivity.

Any future strategy or network development will be reported to Councillors and will be accompanied by appropriate community engagement processes in accordance with Council’s engagement framework.

Council recognises that different user groups experience the active transport network in different ways and that targeted engagement is essential to developing an effective and inclusive plan.

As part of future consultation, Council proposes to combine broad community engagement with targeted stakeholder engagement involving representative groups, including:

· Road cycling and mountain bike user groups.

· Seniors and older residents.

· Families and school communities.

· People living with disability and accessibility advocacy groups.

· Public transport users and pedestrian advocacy groups.

· Sporting, recreation and bushland user groups.

This approach would assist Council to understand a broad range of travel needs, accessibility requirements, recreation opportunities, safety concerns and local knowledge. It would also ensure that future active transport planning is informed by both technical analysis and lived experience. Following the Councillor briefing, Council will be in a position to confirm the proposed scope, timing and engagement process for the Active Transport Strategy and supporting Action Plan.

Targeted engagement will also complement feedback gathered through Council’s broader community consultation channels, including Your Say Hornsby and project-specific engagement activities.

Fiona Leatham

Director, Infrastructure & Major Projects

Infrastructure and Major Projects Division

Attachments:

There are no attachments for this report.

File Reference: F2014/00505-002

Document Number: D09554498