Simon Copland | Investing in infrastructure for active travel and cyclists is the solution to Canberra's pothole chaos

This has things the wrong way round. If we want to deal with this issue in the long term, we need to move funds away from roads, directing them instead into more active travel.

Potholes form when rain lands on asphalt and flows to lower points on a road. When vehicles drive over these points, this water is driven into crevices. Over time, this pressure breaks off small bits of asphalt, creating holes in the road. Potholes are therefore the result of water and pressure from vehicles, two things we are seeing a lot of at the moment.

With a heating world and more extreme weather, Canberra will continue to see intense rain, making this sort of pressure on our roads a common occurrence. Even when La Nia finally ends our roads are not safe. Extreme heat also has an impact, buckling and melting roads, making them unusable.

While many are calling for mass investment in our roads as a response, this is painfully short-sighted. Instead, we need to get off our roads and get more active.

The benefits of active transport - people travelling either via cycling, e-bikes, or walking - are very clear.

Cycling increases cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength and flexibility, strengthens bones, improves joint mobility, and decreases stress levels. All of this reduces costs on the health system. Cycling is also great for the environment, reducing pollution levels and cutting carbon emissions.

More walkers and cyclists will fix the potholes too. Active travel takes cars off roads, reducing congestion and getting rid of the ongoing pressure that make potholes appear in the first place.

Canberra is already doing OK in promoting these sorts of active alternatives. We have a pretty well-developed network of cycle paths, and a recent report from the Climate Council shows us as the most progressive city when it comes to reducing emissions from transport. But when compared to global cities such as Paris, Amsterdam or New York, Canberra's uptake of active travel is still low.

If we want to deal with the pressures of global heating, we need change and we need it now. Research shows there is a large cohort of people who want to get on their bikes but are concerned about making the change.

They are worried riding is neither safe nor convenient. And they are right to be concerned.

While Canberra has a network of cycle paths, they are often poorly maintained. In 2021 the Planning, Transport and City Services Committee recommended that the ACT government set a target that at least 90 percent of shared paths and footpaths should be maintained in 'good' condition, like the target the government has for our roads. This target has never been implemented, with a lack of funding creating a very long list of paths that need urgent repair.

In addition, around the world cities have seen mass uptake of cycling through building a connected system of separated cycle lanes on major roads. We do not have this in Canberra, with most bike lanes being some paint on the road. This is not good enough. We should be rolling out separated cycle lanes on all our arterial roads as fast as possible, giving cyclists safe, direct routes from their home to work.

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But it's not just about cycling-specific infrastructure. Active travel needs to be integrated with a strong public transport system, such as the light rail network. With facilities allowing people to easily take their bikes on and off a vehicle, light rail makes it much easier for people to use multiple methods of transport to get where they need. And while some dedicated cyclists will ride long distances every day, most are more likely to use active travel for shorter trips. We need to be building our city up rather than out, creating denser suburbs that allow people to live close to their work, shops, restaurants, and other key services.

All of this will take pressure off our roads - and save money. In the 2022-23 budget the ACT government directed $315 million of base funding into road transport, in addition to hundreds of millions of dollars for 'capital works' projects to do things such as duplicating William Hovell Drive and Gundaroo Drive. Active travel only gets a tiny proportion of this money. Even a relatively small shift of funds would see significant benefits that will have a long-term impact.

The equation is clear. The more people we get off roads, the healthier and more sustainable Canberra will be. It will also be cheaper, reduce congestion, and make potholes much less common. Many Canberrans want to ride or walk more, but they are concerned about doing so. In a heating world, it's time to make active travel safer and more convenient for all.