Are we on the right path?

Public Exhibition 2026

Draft Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Strategy

We have developed a new Draft Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Strategy (formerly named Walking and Cycling Strategy) which aims to deliver a safe, inclusive and accessible network that supports people of all ages and abilities.

It focuses on improving the continuity and connectivity of existing infrastructure, promoting active transport, and aligning with the community’s aspirations.

  • Draft Walking, Wheeling and Cycling Strategy

    View it 

Our vision

An illustration of a group of people walking and cycling on a shared pathway, with text that reads: To connect the Central Coast's beaches, towns, schools and destinations with walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure that is safe, accessible and welc

What we aim to achieve

The strategy is structured around five key outcomes:

Share your feedback

Complete the quick survey below to share your feedback on the draft Strategy.

✍️ How else can I provide feedback?

If you have more to say about the draft Walking, Wheeling & Cycling Strategy, we want to hear it!

You can share any further feedback on the Strategy by:

Submissions close Wednesday 24 June 2026

Central Coast Council collects information on the Your Voice Our Coast website to understand community views and help inform Council decisions. Providing information is voluntary. If you provide feedback anonymously, Council will not be able to contact you further.

Your feedback will be accessed by authorised Council officers and may be shared within Council, and with Council’s agents and contractors, where lawful and necessary to support Council functions and service delivery. Any written feedback may also be de-identified and published in reports.

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You may access, correct or update your personal information by visiting Council’s website, contacting Council's Privacy Contact Officer on 02 4306 7900 or by sending an email to ask@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au.

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What we heard in 2025

We heard from 1,135 people across the Central Coast through an online survey, drop‑in sessions, written submissions and an interactive map. The feedback was consistent across all engagement methods and locations.

Overall, the community told us that using our active transport network is a big part of everyday life, not just recreation, and that improvements need to focus on safety, connection and usability.

Key messages we heard

  • Finish and connect what already exists

    The strongest message was the need to fix missing links. Short gaps in footpaths and cycleways often make whole routes unusable, especially around lakes, peninsulas, bridges and between suburbs.

  • Safety is a basic requirement

    People raised strong concerns about safety from traffic, particularly on busy roads, near schools, at crossings and on bridges. Many said they avoid walking or riding altogether where they don’t feel safe.

  • Footpaths matter

    Footpaths were seen as essential infrastructure, not an optional extra - especially for children, older people and people with disability. Missing footpaths force people onto roads and create daily safety risks.

  • Maintenance is important

    Poor surfaces, debris, flooding, tree roots and lack of lighting were common barriers. Well‑maintained paths were seen as critical to accessibility and confidence.

  • Shared path management in busy areas

    While shared paths work well in quieter locations, people raised concerns about crowding and speed differences in busy areas, particularly with e‑bikes and e‑scooters. Clear rules, design and separation where needed were strongly supported.

  • Everyday destinations matter most

    The highest priorities were safe walking and cycling routes to local shops, town centres, schools and public transport, not just long recreational routes.

  • Comfort creates opportunities for more people

    Shade, trees, seating, water and lighting were seen as important, especially for older people, families and during hot weather.

How is this feedback being used?

All feedback has been reviewed and summarised in the Consultation Report and has directly informed the draft Walking and Cycling Strategy, helping ensure it reflects community priorities and lived experience.

The draft Strategy will go to Council for endorsement before being placed on public exhibition, where the community can review it and let us know if we’ve got it right.

Previous Community Consultation in 2025

Council is developing a new Walking and Cycling Strategy which aims to deliver a safe, inclusive and accessible network that supports people of all ages and abilities. It focuses on improving the continuity and connectivity of existing infrastructure, promoting active transport, and aligning with the community’s aspirations.

The strategy explores a range of opportunities to address the growing need for safer, more effective walking and cycling infrastructure, while also enhancing connections that enable multi-modal transport access throughout the Central Coast region.

The strategy will have five key focus areas:

What's happening now?

In 2019, Central Coast Council undertook comprehensive community consultation to develop its first regional active transport strategies, resulting in the adoption of the Bike Plan and the Pedestrian Access and Mobility Plan.

These plans have helped unlock significant funding opportunities, including NSW Government grants and developer contributions. As we continue to deliver the projects outlined in these plans, we’re now updating the strategy to reflect best practice and ensure it better meets the evolving needs of our community.

The Central Coast Bike Plan and PAMP are now being reviewed and merged into a single, comprehensive Walking and Cycling Strategy that reflects the evolving needs of the community and incorporates current guidelines from Transport for NSW while aligning with the TfNSW’s Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan and the plans of neighbouring Local Government Councils.

Help shape the future of walking and cycling on the Central Coast

You spoke with us in person

We had 15-minute time slots available - which we asked the community to book in for to make sure we were properly resourced and ready to help.

Walk-ins were welcome too, we had people on hand to chat.

You shared your thoughts in the survey

You dropped pins on the interactive map

Where are your priority areas for walking and cycling? You told us where improvements are most needed.

Your contributions will be moderated, as per our Participation Rules & Guidelines.

Fair Use Policy: Where you use the map activity above you agree not to place an unreasonably disproportionate number of map pins and/or comments (when compared to the average number of other users), and we reserve our right to remove pins and comments or contact you if in our view, this fair use policy has been breached.

SEIFA definition: The Index of Relative Socio-economic Disadvantage (IRSD) is a general socio-economic index that summarises a range of information about the economic and social conditions of people and households within an area. Unlike the other indexes, this index includes only measures of relative disadvantage.

Your attention is drawn to the provisions of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 which allows for possible access to certain public and personal documentation. View our privacy statement.

Key Dates

Tuesday 28 October 2025 to Tuesday 23 December 2025

Community Consultation dates