NSW will be crisscrossed by a network of new bike-paths and walking tracks under a state government plan to more than double its $950 million spend on so-called active transport.
Active Transport Minister Rob Stokes announced the funding boost for walking and bike paths across the state after a surge in residents using them during the pandemic.
Mr Stokes said while about $950 million was earmarked for active transport projects over the next five years, it was nowhere near enough as bike rider numbers soared across Sydney and many bike retailers ran out of stock amid a COVID-19-inspired spike in cycling.
"It's my view that we should see that investment more than double over the next few years.
"It's time to start rebalancing our infrastructure priorities," he told the Committee for Sydney's Sydney Summit conference on Monday.
"If we can find $23 billion to benefit 5.9 million registered vehicles in NSW, then we need to spend more than a fraction of this amount on the active mobility paths, shared paths, and cycleways that can benefit the 9.1 million pedestrians in NSW."
A priority for the extra funding would be building an "ambitious and monumental" track linking Sydney's CBD to Parramatta.
The minister likened the proposed western Sydney pathway to the Great North Road of Sydney's colonial days, or the Great West Walk connecting Parramatta to the foothills of the Blue Mountains.
"It's exactly the type of infrastructure we must strive for," he said, adding that there was great potential for more bike and walking paths in greater Sydney, not just the inner city."
