Transport and Physical Connectivity

The design and management of the built environment shapes our transport choices, as well as the transport options available to us.

Relevance to Checklist

Studies indicate that trips by walking and cycling grow with increased housing density and mix of land uses.

Reducing the kilometres travelled by private vehicle and encouraging more active forms of transport, including public transport, is an important objective for healthy urban development and environmental sustainability.

Grid street patterns are considered to help create greater connectivity, slow traffic speeds and decrease distances between destinations – factors that can encourage more walking and cycling. However, a range of design features must be considered in creating built environments that are conducive to walking and cycling – such as street surfaces, street widths, the existence of separate pedestrian and bicycle paths, and the quality of streetscapes.

It is equally important to address the connectivity between the different transport modes, e.g. having pedestrian and bicycle paths efficiently linked to train and bus stops with the provision of adequate bicycle parking.

Transport & Physical Connectivity key questions to ask

How does the policy, plan or development proposal –

• Improve public transport services?
• Reduce car dependency and encourage active transport?
• Encourage infill development and/or integration of new development with existing development (including existing key destinations and active transport infrastructure)?
• Encourage telephone and internet connectivity (in order to help reduce kilometres travelled by private car)?

Snapshots of key evidence and leading practice

For an overview of the key evidence and leading practice relating to the issue of Transport and Physical Connectivity click here

Related chapters

Environment and Health; Social Infrastructure; Physical Activity; Social Cohesion and Connectivity. Quality Employment; Community Safety and Security

Links to more resources

• TravelSmart Australia
• Landcom – Street Design Guidelines, Open Space Guidelines and Street Tree Design Guidelines
• NSW Transport – Planner’s Toolkit
• NSW RTA – Travel Demand Management
• Western Australia – The Street Layout, Design and Traffic Management Guidelines
• Victoria Transport Policy Institute – Online TDM Encyclopaedia
• Healthy Transport, Healthy People
• Transport and health: en route to a healthier Australia?
• Brisbane – Public Bike System Tender
• City of Sydney – Car Sharing
• Car-Sharing: Where and How it Succeeds
• Walking School Bus: A Guide for Parents and Teachers
• Vision Australia – Accessible Design for Public Buildings (including links to Australian Standards and Australian Building Codes)
• SEPP (Infrastructure) 2007
• Draft SEPP No. 66 – Integration of Land Use and Transport
• Healthy Built Environments Program at UNSW
• PCAL - Draft walking strategy
• PCAL - Workplace Travel plan resource
• NSW Department of Planning – Planning Guidelines for Walking and Cycling
• NSW Department of Planning – Transport planning