For the past few months the PortBUG has been working with staff from PAE Council on a new Walking & Cycling Plan, with a revised draft soon to go to Council for ratification. One of our priorities for this new Plan was making the Port CBD much more accessible for pedestrians, cyclists & those dependent on mobility devices. 

We see this enhanced accessibility as having multiple benefits & outcomes:

• improving access & equity for surrounding communities as well as… 
• making transition through the Port’s Waterfront & CBD areas much easier for those using the major bikeways converging here, notably the Outer Harbour Greenway, the Port River Expressway, the Parks Connector & the Coast Park.

We have approached this enhanced accessibility in two ways, first by looking at opportunities for better ‘gateway’ access into the CBD from all points of the compass and then by looking for opportunities to improve access, movement & security within the CBD itself.

improving access, movement & security within the CBD itself.We have recently put a set of proposals to the Council & hope to report on a draft ‘Access Concept Plan’ soon. 

A key component of our proposals has been turning the wide pedestrian pavement along Quebec Street (between the junctions with Robe Street & Dale Street & adjacent to the Port Mall Car Park) into an accessible & disability-compliant ‘active transport corridor’ (see below). 

This ‘corridor’ – while only a couple of hundred metres in length – would form the ‘backbone’ of an accessibility network within the Port’s CBD & is an important initiative, providing connections to other points & destinations within the area. 

As a first step towards creating this corridor Council will construct much improved road crossings, first at the Quebec/Robe Street junction (near Farmer Joes Market) & then at the Quebec/Cannon Street junction opposite the Port Mall car park (next to Cheap as Chips). Council will be undertaking major stormwater works on Quebec Street later this year with the new crossings likely to be built early in 2023.

PortBUG has been encouraged by the positive response to all of our proposals from Council staff. They are obviously keen to work with the BUG (& broader community) to improve conditions for walking, cycling & active transport generally, & we look forward to interesting & exciting outcomes over 2022-23!