Land Use and Transport Planning

The Ministry of Transport formulates, develops and coordinates strategic transport policy, administers funding for public transport services and works collaboratively with other agencies in developing and implementing future directions for transport policy, planning and infrastructure development.

The Ministry also provides support to the Minister for Transport through critical analysis of the activities undertaken and proposed by transport portfolio agencies (for example: rail, ports, bus, waterways, etc.). It also deals with a wide range of inquiries and working parties within state and federal government and industry.

The State of NSW has a large and complex transport system. One of the key challenges of the Ministry is to integrate the different modes of transport to create a seamless transport system able to focus on delivering safe, reliable and efficient transport services that meet customer needs and expectations and that ensures an effective contract and regulatory regime.

State Plan

In November 2006, the Government launched the NSW State Plan. The plan has priority targets that promote and has implications for the integration of land use and transport. These targets include public transport mode share for Sydney and to the CBD (S6); cleaner air and progress on greenhouse gas reductions (E3); jobs closer to home (E5); and road efficiency (E7).

More information about the State Plan and transport priorities is available on the State Plan page of the NSW Government website.

Metropolitan Strategy

A focus of the NSW Government's Metropolitan Strategy: City of Cities - A Plan for Sydney's Future (the Metropolitan Strategy) is to integrate land-use and transport planning to reduce the growing number of trips by individual motor vehicles and improve air quality. The strategy also recognises the need to manage the impact of transport emissions at the local level by separating sensitive land uses from significant emission sources, such as industry and arterial roads.

Many of the objectives of the Metropolitan Strategy's "City of Cities" long-term planning have been translated into 10 draft Subregional strategies which cover the entire Sydney Metropolitan area. The 10 sub-regions of Sydney are:

Sydney City Subregion (City of Sydney LGA)
East Subregion (Botany Bay, Randwick, Waverly, Woollahra LGAs)
South Subregion (Kogarah, Hurstville, Canterbury, Rockdale, Sutherland, Marrickville LGAs)
Inner West Subregion (Ashfield, Burwood, Canada Bay, Leichhardt, Strathfield LGAs)
Inner North Subregion (Lane Cove, North Sydney, Ryde, Willoughby, Hunters Hill, Mosman LGAs)
North Subregion (Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai LGAs)
North East Subregion (Pittwater, Warringah, Manly LGAs)
West Central Subregion (Auburn, Bankstown, Fairfield, Holroyd, Parramatta LGAs)
North West Subregion (Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Penrith LGAs)
South West Subregion (Wollondilly, Camden, Campbelltown, Liverpool LGAs)

Each draft Sub-Regional Strategy contains key directions and actions which set the broad planning framework for their respective areas. Once finalised, the draft Sub-Regional Strategies will be subject to to regular monitoring and review to ensure their success in delivering important outcomes.

Urban Transport Statement

To complement the actions in the Metropolitan Strategy, the Government released in November 2006 the Urban Transport Statement - a $660 million package of new and accelerated initiatives to address Sydney's present and future transport needs. The initiatives are designed to improve existing transport systems and connections between centres, thereby facilitating accessibility and promoting sustainable transport.

Integrating land use and transport

The Integrating Land Use and Transport policy package (ILUT) provides a framework for State Government agencies, councils and developers to integrate land use and transport planning at the regional and local levels. Although the package applies to the Greater Metropolitan Region, there are many commonalities between metropolitan and regional and rural centres which are addressed in the policy package. The notion of a liveable community; planning for accessibility; pedestrian and public safety; effective and sustainable management of adjoining land uses; and street and road design standards are all applicable to rural and regional areas. The package contains valuable information relating to:

The Right Place for Business and Services - by locating trip-generating activities near one another and by supporting a network of mixed-use centres to accommodate these activities, people can avoid unnecessary travel.

Parking as a travel demand management tool - by setting maximum parking requirements for developments and by limiting the amount of long-stay parking in destinations which have good alternative access by public transport, walking and cycling.

Designing new residential areas - the location, design and development maximise access to public transport and encourage walking and cycling.

Improving Transport Choice - by applying the 10 principles of access development, set out in the Step by Step Approach.

The policy package consists of five documents (links are provided to copies of the documents on the Department of Planning website):

Overview of ILUT - also includes an explanatory note on accessibility criteria for including urban land in the Urban Development Program (PDF file)
Right Place for Business and Services Planning Policy (PDF file)
Improving Transport Choice - practice guidelines on how to implement the policy (PDF file)
Draft State Environmental Planning Policy - Integration of Land Use and Transport (PDF file)
Summary of Employment and Journey to Work Patterns in the Greater Metropolitan Region - key statistics that will help land use and transport policy development (PDF file)

Note: The major centres mentioned in the ILUT package are now superseded by the strategic centres identified in the Government's Metropolitan Strategy.

The ILUT policy package is given statutory force in the planning system under Section 117 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act). Section 117 of the EP&A Act allows the Minister for Planning to give directions to councils regarding the principles, aims, objectives or policies to be achieved in the preparation of Local Environmental Plans. The ILUT policy package is represented by Ministerial Direction 3.4 - Integrating Land Use and Transport.

The five objectives of Direction 3.4 are:

Improving access to housing, jobs and services by walking, cycling and public transport
Increasing the choice of available transport and reducing dependence on cars
Reducing travel demand including the number of trips generated by development and the distances travelled, especially by car
Supporting the efficient and viable operation of public transport services
Providing for the efficient movement of freight.

Travel demand management

TravelSmart is a Federal initiative, supported by the Ministry. It's about reducing our reliance on cars and making smart choices about other forms of transport. We can all play a part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving the quality of life for our communities.

Growth centres

The Ministry of Transport is involved in transport planning for the north-west and south-west growth centres. For more information please see the Growth Centres website.

Accessibility planning

More information about compliance with accessible transport legislation is available on the disabled access to transport page on this website.

Walking and cycling

The NSW Government is committed to getting more people cycling, both for their daily commute and for recreational purposes. The Government is currently preparing a new State wide Bike Plan which aims to double the amount of people cycling in NSW over the next 5 to 10 years. This will be achieved through educational programs, infrastructure provision and improvements to cyclist facilities.

Planning Guidelines for Walking and Cycling (DIPNR 2004b) assists councils, communities and the development industry improve planning for more active forms of transport. The guidelines include information, concepts, case studies and illustrations, and add a walking and cycling component to the ILUT package, complementing the RTA's NSW Bicycle Guidelines (RTA 2003) for planning and designing bicycle facilities.

In August 2008, the NSW Government announced the preparation of a new cycling blueprint aimed at encouraging more people across the state to use bikes as a clean and healthy transport choice. Work on the new NSW BikePlan will be completed by a joint project team of the Roads & Traffic Authority and Department of the Environment & Climate Change. The new NSW BikePlan is expected to be ready for release in 2009, updating and replacing the NSW Government's 1999 Action for Bikes: BikePlan 2010. The Premier's Council for Active Living (PCAL) has been commissioned to oversee the preparation of the new NSW BikePlan. The Planning Guidelines for Walking and Cycling is also being reviewed and updated, as part of the preparation of the NSW Bike Plan.

The RTA further supports the provision of cycling infrastructure in NSW by providing detailed cycling maps and through joint funding programs with NSW Council's for the development and integration of cycleway networks.

Healthy planning

There is an increasing awareness of the important role the natural and built environment plays in facilitating active living. The promotion of active living in NSW is championed by the Premier's Council for Active Living (PCAL). PCAL aims to build and strengthen the physical and social environment to encourage communities to engage in active living.

Planning for Healthy living is further supported by the State Plan which contains the following health related priorities and targets:

S3 - Improved health through reduced obesity, smoking, illicit drug use and risk drinking;
E3 - Cleaner air and progress on greenhouse gas reductions;
E8 - More people using parks, sporting and recreational facilities and participating in the arts and cultural activity.

Further information

For more information please phone the Ministry of Transport (02) 9268 2800 and ask for Transport Planning Division.

Alternatively, you can send an email to the Ministry using the feedback form on this website.

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