Draft Integrated Transport Strategy 2045

An integrated transport strategy (ITS) is a strategic plan for transport. It is like a road map that defines a high-level, long-term vision for how we want transport to look like in the future. An ITS is integrated in three ways:

1. Transport and land use planning – An ITS integrates transport planning with land use planning to ensure that urban growth and development is supported by transport and that negative outcomes such as traffic congestion are minimised.
2. Transport modes – An ITS integrates planning across the different transport modes – active, public, freight, shared and private transport modes.
3. Transport stakeholders – An ITS unites all stakeholders in the transport system on a shared future vision. These stakeholders include the different levels of government, community and transport operators.

City of Ryde plays a crucial role in transport planning and management. We are responsible for the planning, construction and maintenance of essential transport infrastructure such as local roads, footpaths, cycleways, bus shelters, signage and Council car parks.

We also manage the Ryde Resident Parking Scheme and enforce parking regulations. We ensure that this infrastructure, facilities and management of policies are safe, equitable and fit for purpose as our community grows and changes.

Many significant changes have occurred since the ITS 2041 was adopted in 2022. This includes:

• Significant new housing targets under the National Housing Accord
• Changes to planning legislation by the NSW government
• Population growth
• Shifts in travel behaviour
• Technological advancements
• New transport projects
• Evolving environmental and economic conditions.

Council recognised that we needed to be proactive and future focused in the face of such changes. This draft ITS 2045 has thus been developed to position us at the forefront of best practice transport planning. A refreshed ITS means we can:

• remain relevant and effective
• manage growth and change
• plan with new research, trends and technology
• respond to changing community needs
• build resilience into the transport network
• support sustainable development, economic growth and community wellbeing.

The purpose of draft ITS 2045 will be to provide the framework for long-term integrated transport planning in the Ryde local government area. It will serve as a platform for advocacy to other levels of government, the private sector and broader community, defining our vision, guiding principles, outcomes and objectives for transport.

This ITS will be used to support our ongoing work with the community and other stakeholders to improve the way transport serves our community. It will serve as a resource to support our bids for grant funding, investment and initiatives with the federal and NSW governments, as well as the private sector and research institutions. It will be a tool we can use to leverage opportunities presented by major transport projects such as new Sydney Metro lines and Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2.

Council’s existing ITS 2041 is a very detailed document, however it is both a transport strategy and a transport plan:

• A transport strategy is a high-level, long-term vision for how transport should evolve. Its purpose is to guide decision-making and future planning.
• A transport plan is a detailed, action-focused document that shows how a strategy will be delivered. Its purpose is to turn a strategy into an action.

The Draft ITS 2045 refocuses the purpose of this ITS solely as a strategic document. The vision statement, guiding principles, outcomes and objectives are clearer and more succinct. This means Council and other stakeholders can refer to them in a wider range of contexts e.g. project planning, assessing development applications or when applying for grant funding.

It is intended that the final ITS 2045 will be supported by an ITS Action Plan, which is currently under development. The ITS Action Plan will include specific projects and be reviewed annually as part of Council's operational planning process. This will be done in consultation with stakeholders to ensure the actions are achievable and supported by any necessary funding commitments.

The draft ITS 2045 document is structured as follows:

1. Introduction – An introduction to the document
2. City Profile – An overview of the City of Ryde including demographics, land use, vehicle ownership and travel patterns
3. State of Transport – A summary of the existing state of transport (active, public, freight, shared and private transport modes)
4. Our Strategy – The core part of the document defining the:
   • Vision statement
   • Guiding principles
   • Outcomes
   • Objectives
   • Key measures of success
5. References – A list of sources cited in the document

The Draft ITS 2045 aligns with ‘Our Connected and Liveable City’, one of the seven strategic outcomes in Ryde to 2035 - Community Strategic Plan (CSP). The CSP is City of Ryde’s highest level plan and guides all other Council plans and strategies.

Draft ITS 2045 has been created to align with the structure of other recent Council strategies and plans, such as the 2024-28 Economic Development Strategy and Social Strategy 2025-2030.

It is intended that the final ITS 2045 will sit at the top of the hierarchy of Council’s transport strategies and plans. It will guide the refresh of future documents such as Council’s Sustainable Transport Strategy.

Active transport is a transport mode using only the physical activity of a human being for movement. It most commonly refers to walking and cycling.

Micromobility refers to small, lightweight vehicles that can be used for transport; examples include bicycles, e-bikes, cargo bikes, kick scooters, e-scooters and skateboards.

These and other terms are defined in the Glossary on page two of the draft ITS 2045 document.