Shared cycle paths in Wagga offer more transport and exercise options

Wagga City Council's third and final shared pathway's survey has been released to collect views and usage information.

The survey is a result of Council's partnership with Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD), the University of Sydney, iMOVE Australia and Transport for NSW in a research project assessing the community health and wellbeing impacts of the city-wide active travel infrastructure rollout.

Andrew Treloar is an avid local cyclist, and manager of the Wagga Cycle Centre. He said although the shared pathways have encouraged more people to take up recreational cycling, he is asked almost every day about when links to Forest Hill will be completed.

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"That's something people tell me they really want to happen, and something that was well touted in the original development," Mr Trealor said.

"A lot of people ask me - 'have you heard anything - how's that going to get fixed up?'

"We already have some good bones in place, but we really want to build on that. There's a lot of people out in Forest Hill now, but recreational cyclists also want it for a bit more variety."

According to Wagga Council, work on the Forest Hill link began in September 2022, and is 5 per cent complete.

Mr Trealor said he would also like to see more shared and bike paths on the western side of Wagga in sprawling suburbs like Glenfield Park and Ashmont, through to Central, to make commuting a more viable option for residents.

"In my mind, a spiderweb with the CBD in the centre is the ultimate goal," he said.

Senior research fellow Margaret Thomas, who has worked with council on the project, said the previous survey in March 2022 showed many respondents were enthusiastic about the new shared pathways.

"Community members reported a range of benefits for themselves and the community since the infrastructure was built, with some saying they were engaging in more physical activity due to the increased convenience and safety afforded by the pathways," Dr Thomas said.

Mr Trealor said he has also noticed the difference in his customers, with new and returning cyclists citing the pathways as one of the reasons they are buying a bike, or having one repaired.

"People know they're not going to encounter traffic, so they don't have to raise that questions with us. It's [safety] one less thing for us to worry about," he said.

"The confidence for families and individuals has just skyrocketed since the paths were put in."

The shared pathways community survey is now open, closing at 5pm on March 31.

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