Safe Active Streets Program

Safe active streets are cycle routes on quiet local streets, where speeds have been reduced to 30 km/h to allow for a safer shared street space. With lower traffic speeds, the streets are much safer for pedestrians and riders of all ages and abilities, as well as for people driving.

Safe active street routes also form part of wider bicycle networks, connecting to off-road shared paths and linking community amenities such as schools, railway stations or shops.

At major entry points to the safe active streets, blue-and-white Safe Active Street road patches, 30 km/h speed limit signs and raised platforms help to slow traffic and alert people that they are in a bicycle and pedestrian friendly space.

While the design of each safe active street can vary depending on the environment, a range of measures can be incorporated, for example:

• Single-lane slow points, where approaching vehicles should give way to any car or bike already at or passing through the slow point;
• Raised platforms at intersections;
• Narrowing street widths by introducing on-street parking and plantings;
• Changing stop/give-way signs to give priority to movements along the safe active street;
• Using traffic islands and medians to restrict car movements at intersections, while allowing movements in all directions for people on bikes and on foot;
• Introducing new pedestrian or bike crossings;
• Introducing bicycle symbol road markings in the centre of each unmarked lane, to encourage cyclists to take the lane, and;
• Lateral shifts in the carriageway to reduce sightlines (i.e. swapping formalised on-street parking and new tree planting nibs from one side of the street to the other;
• Additional tree planting and landscaping make them more attractive places to walk or ride.

The City of Bayswater Bike Network Plan identifies the need for a local bike route that connects the Swan River foreshore and Morley Town Centre. In 2015, the Department of Transport and City of Bayswater commenced work on the Bayswater to Morley Safe Active Street to help fill this identified gap.

Stage one of the safe active street, which was opened in September 2017, runs along Leake Street and May Street, from the Swan River foreshore to Adelphi Street. This route was chosen because it provides a relatively flat, direct link from bike paths along the Swan River to the Midland line shared path and connects to a number of other local destinations such as schools, parks and public transport.

The route for Stage two of the safe active street is currently under review by the Local Road Safety Trial Reference Group which was established by the City of Bayswater Council in mid-2018.

Whitfield Street in Bassendean recently became a Safe Active Street, promoting a new shared street space. This 2.3km route safely links people from Guildford Road to the Sandy via the Bassendean Town Centre, Palmerston Square Park, Bassendean Primary School. The introduction of a 30km/hr speed limit provides walkers, riders and drivers a safer, quieter space to move, encouraging people to jump on their bikes and or walk to local sites.

This route was identified in the Town of Bassendean’s Local Bike Plan in 2012 and the Long-Term Cycle Network which was endorsed in 2020. Community consultation commenced in 2018, and with local support the route was constructed in 2020, and officially opened in January 2021. 

Residents will notice some other changes along the route including new priorities at intersections allowing for continual movement along the route; additional trees to create a comfortable, shaded space and curb improvements that make connecting from the street to paths easier. A shared path at the southern end of Whitfield Street (cul-de-sac) also joins the Sandy Beach Reserve and the future Nature Play space.

The route also forms important connections to existing shared paths, linking the train stations at Bassendean and Success Hill (on the Midland Rail Line) and green spaces including Ashfield Flats, Sandy Beach Reserve and the Swan River foreshore. 

The route will be enhanced by future improvements by the Town of Bassendean for Palmerston Square Park and surrounds including bike repair stations, water fountains, shaded rest areas and signs to help you find your way around. 

The Town of Bassendean are planning a series of community events in the coming year to promote the route. Visit the events page on the Town of Bassendean website link below. 

Stage 1 of this project route runs along Shakespeare Street from Green Street in Mount Hawthorn and connects to the Scarborough Beach Road separated bike lanes which were installed by the City in early 2015. The second stage continues south of Scarborough Beach Road along Shakespeare Street and Scott Street, through to Richmond Street. It also includes a link to the Mitchell Freeway PSP via Bourke Street.

This safe active street has a very large potential catchment area and provides an alternative to the Principal Shared Path along the Mitchell Freeway. Shakespeare Street was one of several options investigated, and was chosen because it:

• Is direct, relatively flat, has low traffic volumes and is the longest route.
• Is   an established local bicycle route that bike riders already use.
• Connects to the Scarborough Beach Road separated bike lanes.
• Stage 2 offers a connection to Aranmore Catholic College, Leederville Oval, Leederville TAFE, the City of Vincent Library and Loftus Recreation Centre.

This project was funded by the Safe Active Streets Program and constructed by the City of Vincent. The project was delivered in two stages and completed in 2019. Further expansion of the safe active street to the north is under consideration. 

Surrey Road Safe Active Street is a 4.4km link between the Graham Farmer Freeway principal shared path (PSP) and the Leach Highway PSP. The route follows Surrey Road through to Cohn Street and includes upgraded facilities at the Great Eastern Highway underpass. A new path has been constructed at Tomato Lake, linking the route to President Street, Jeffrey Street and connecting to the PSP at Leach Highway.

This route was preferred as it could allow for safe access to local destinations while also providing direct links to the existing cycle network.

The construction of all intersection treatments and the Great Eastern Highway underpass improvement is now complete. Traffic speed has been reduced to 30km/h in this area. The changed road environment is promoted to path and road users with Safe Active Street pavement markers and white and yellow bike symbols painted on the road. 

More information on this project can be found on the City of Belmont website.

Workshop report

A summary report of the workshop can be downloaded below. For copies of the presentations please email cycling@transport.wa.gov.au