Letters, Submissions & Responses

Our focus is on getting more people walking for transport, and more people walking for recreation.

To achieve this we need to be a strong vocal advocate, and respond to current walking issues raised by our supporters, members and partners.

We contribute to change through submissions, letters, media, meetings, projects, partnerships, presentations, and encouraging others to take up our asks and to make a change. Walking SA is invited onto government and non-government advisory groups and working groups and contributes our expertise around walking in many different forums.

Listed below are some examples of our recent advocacy work through submissions and letters.

We also develop Position Statements on a range of issues affecting people walking for recreation, health, or transport.


SA Election: Vote with your feet

Today we are pleased to launch our 2022 State Election submission. Walking SA is calling on the next South Australian Government to invest in Safe Streets to Schools. All children should feel safe to walk to school, without risking being injured by vehicles. It is completely unacceptable to have poor walking conditions that do not considers children’s needs within a 2km catchment of our primary schools.


Election 2022: Safe Streets to School

Walking SA is calling on the next South Australian Government to invest in Safe Streets to Schools. All children should feel safe to walk to school and we want to work with the Government to see more children walk to school.


Submission on South Australia’s Draft Road Safety Strategy to 2031

Walking SA is the peak body for walking in South Australia, and pedestrian safety is a key focus of our strategy. South Australia’s Road Safety Strategy update is an important opportunity to improve road safety for all road users, to encourage modal shift and to implement policy that creates a safer environment for our most […]


Super Tuesday 2021 Pedestrian Counts

On the assumption that “what is counted, counts”, Walking SA has been looking for ways to measure the amount of walking done, both on hiking trails and in our urban areas. Every year Bike Adelaide manages the Super Tuesday counts.  Volunteers count cyclists as they ride past particular points from 7am to 9am on the […]


Our Response to Green Adelaide Draft Regional Landscape Plan 2021-26

Heart Foundation and Walking SA teamed up to write to the Government of South Australia to reaffirm that green streets, parks and urban environments have an important role to play in getting people walking. Trees in the street are critical in creating an environment that people want to walk in. The benefits for walkers are both aesthetic and practical, with street trees providing shelter from the sun and, to some extent, rain. FACT - Trees are under threat in our city – greater Adelaide is losing a phenomenal number of trees. We call on the government to to keep mature trees in new developments and establish guidelines for suitable trees to ensure canopy for our streets.


Advocating for improved walking and mobility conditions in Mannum

We recently sent a letter to Mid Murray Council about works on an access ramp and footpath that has resulted in a steep incline which is not suitable for those with mobility impairments. We applaud the works to improve walking and mobility within the towns and settlements in the council’s area but draw attention to an example of a ramp that does not meet Australian Standards (AS1428 Design for access and mobility.)


Children have the right to walk and ride safely to school

In conjunction with Bike Adelaide and the Heart Foundation we here at Walking SA are urging all levels of government to radically rethink school precincts to prioritise children’s physical and mental health and safety by providing safe, enjoyable walking and cycling routes to school. We're calling for a consistent decrease in speed to a maximum speed limit of 40km/h in local streets and school precincts, with lower speed limits in all dedicated school zones and streets where pedestrians and cars are forced to share space (including streets with narrow footpaths, carparks, and laneways); an immediate increase in funding to local governments to install a network of planned separated bikeways, safe road crossings, and other supporting infrastructure to create safe travel routes to schools; and to move school drop-off zones away from the front gate to decrease the high traffic volumes immediately in front of schools and thereby decrease the risk of collision with a child.


Draft Pastoral Lands Bill up for review – access for bushwalking

Twelve months ago the State Government commenced consultation around revising the Pastoral Act. We encouraged people to submit input to preserve access to these remote locations for bushwalking. The Draft Pastoral Lands Bill 2020 is now up for public review. We've read through the bill, and are pleased to see that the rights to access pastoral lands to undertake bushwalking activities has been retained, and indeed improved. Public consultation closes Sunday 18th October 2020.


Turn the school run into a walk

This Walk to School Safely Day (Friday September 11), the Heart Foundation and Walking SA are urging children and parents to change their habits and get more active as they travel to and from school.


Super Tuesday – Ten years of collecting cycling and (now) walking data in the City of Adelaide

For a decade now volunteers have counted cyclists at key locations in an around the City of Adelaide for two hours on the first Tuesday in March – known as Super Tuesday. Adopting the belief that “what is counted counts”, Walking SA is always looking for data on the amount of walking being done, and this year counted pedestrians, undertaking a similar count as that of the cyclists. This year we counted pedestrians at 14 locations, and helps us so we can start observing trends.


We’re calling on all local governments to prioritise projects that enable walking and cycling

COVID-19 has created a huge increase in walking activity. Walking SA, together with BISA, Bike SA and the Heart Foundation, calls on all local governments to prioritise projects that enable walking and cycling. During COVID-19, more people have chosen to be active every day in local neighbourhoods. Participation in walking and cycling has significantly increased. The provision of footpaths and safe crossings, open space and access to roads in our neighbourhoods is more important than ever. Walking SA encourages prioritisation of projects that enable active, safe and connected communities.


Pedestrian safety in the Adelaide CBD – why are there no 25km/h school zones?

The map displays the Adelaide CBD and road network within 200 metres of a school. Is it so important to move traffic quickly on the City’s streets that normal safety standards protecting our children should not apply?


Walking SA response to Portrush and Magill Road Intersection Upgrade

Walking SA strongly opposes the intersection upgrade at Portrush Rd and Magill Rd because (a) DPTI (Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure) continues to focus on expensive road projects that offer short-term solutions (b) DPTI offers very little investment or focus on safer, greener, active transport options (c) It is irresponsible to acquire and demolish homes and businesses during a pandemic.


Walking SA and the Heart Foundation commend the upgrade to automated pedestrian crossings

The City of Adelaide recently automated signalised pedestrian crossings throughout the city in response to COVID-19. Research shows that automated pedestrian crossings lead to a significant reduction in vehicle-pedestrian conflicts and Walking SA and the Heart Foundation have received a lot of positive feedback from members of the public who are enjoying the results of this initiative. Given the support of this ‘pilot’ implementation of automated signalised pedestrian crossings, the Heart Foundation and Walking SA call for the City of Adelaide to make this change permanent.


We’ve contacted every local government in South Australia calling for national funding to improve walking paths and trails

As the not-for-profit peak body that leads, promotes and supports all forms of walking in South Australia, Walking SA advocates for improvements to walking infrastructure at all levels. Most recently, Walking SA contacted every local government in South Australia calling for national funding to improve walking paths and trails, through the National Assembly of Local Governments 2020. This action was undertaken in collaboration with our national counterparts in each state and territory, through Bushwalking Australia.


Tragedy, Sadness and Healing

When the news that two climbers had died at Moonarie Gap, on the escarpments of Wilpena Pound, our immediate thoughts were with the families and friends of the two young men. The effect on the traditional custodians of the land, the Adnyamathanha, the indigenous nation of the northern Flinders Ranges, was a wake-up call for the climbing and the walking communities alike. It was immediately evident that an impact on climbing and walking in, around and beyond the Wilpena Pound was a distinct possibility. I wrestled considerably with my thoughts, and the thoughts of others, until I came to three words: Respect, Listen, Learn. This story is about the follow-up of users of this wonderful country, in recent times and over thousands of years.


Conference Presentation: Getting More Green Man Time

Pedestrian phase + cycle time. Flashing src=Walking SA Board member, Ian Radbone, presented at the 2019 Australian Walking & Cycling Conference which was held in Port Adelaide on 24 & 25 October 2019. The theme of the conference was Active Transport in a Changing Climate. He presented on: Getting More Green Man Time. Australia has developed the most sophisticated traffic light management in the world, designed to minimize the disruption to traffic flow caused by intersections. How does this management apply to Adelaide’s CBD, characterised as it is by (a) being a city centre (b) having a strong orthogonal (grid) street network and (c) wide roadways? How is the imperative to minimize traffic disruption reconciled with the professed political priority for walking over other transport modes? This paper explores the options to gain more green man time.


Conference Presentation: Measuring walking and walkability

Walking SA Board member, Bill Gehling, presented at the 2019 Australian Walking & Cycling Conference which was held in Port Adelaide on 24 & 25 October 2019. The theme of the conference was Active Transport in a Changing Climate. He presented on: Measuring walking and walkability. Along with breathing clean air and drinking clean water, walking is so much a given in our lives that people rarely think about it. Until they can’t. Bill will discuss why measuring walking is important, and the challenges in doing so. We will explore some practical methods to measure walking and how they differ from the ways we measure car and bicycle traffic. We will also discuss walkability, which are the causal factors that encourage or discourage walking in the community. We’ll look at the new technologies becoming available to measure walking and walkability.


Government review of Pastoral Act may impact access for recreational bushwalkers in the Flinders Ranges

Enjoy bushwalking in the remote Flinders Ranges north of Hawker? A government review of the Pastoral Act may impact access for recreational bushwalkers in this pastoral country. Much of this land is actually leased, allowing people access for recreational bushwalking. We’re concerned that access for recreational bushwalking may become restricted in these lands, outside of the limited, defined areas set aside for mining and cultural sensitivities. Whilst we here at Walking SA acknowledge that the Pastoral Act needs updating to allow for more flexible uses, including tourism and energy production, we’re concerned this might inadvertently lock up the land to other users. Feedback for the review closes this Friday 13th September at 5pm. We’ve outlined the key questions to help you form a response from a bushwalking access perspective.


Fact Sheet: Pedestrian safety and traffic crashes in metropolitan Adelaide

We’ve produced a one-page factsheet on crashes involving pedestrians in metropolitan Adelaide. Two things stand out: the City of Adelaide council is largely surrounded by neighbours that have at least some 40km/h zones. The City of Adelaide council by contrast has mostly 50 and 60km/h speed limits. The City of Adelaide council has by far the highest number of pedestrian crashes of any council. In fact almost one in five pedestrians crashes for the whole State occur in the City of Adelaide council area.


Walking SA Submission to 20 Year State Infrastructure Discussion Paper

Walking SA responded to a government discussion paper which outlines a plan for our state’s population growth over the next 20 years. The paper by a newly formed independent body Infrastructure SA looked at a range of economic and social infrastructure options. Walking SA strongly calls for walking to be considered as a fundamental form of transport and (foot) traffic, and that walking infrastructure is planned and funded accordingly. Walkability will be key to the liveability of our state into the future.


Concerns about the development of private operator facilities by the Australian Walking Company on Kangaroo Island trails

Walking SA has concerns about the development of private operator facilities by the Australian Walking Company on the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, and have raised those concerns to David Speirs MP, Minister for Environment and Water.


Walking SA has signed the Walk 21 International Charter for Walking

Rodney Tolley (middle) with Walking SA Executive Officer, Greg Boundy, and Walking SA Chair Tuesday Udell, having signed the Walk21 International Charter for WalkingToday we here at Walking SA have signed the Walk21 International Charter for Walking to confirm our commitment to supporting the creation of communities where people choose to walk.


Advocating for improved pedestrian conditions on North Terrace

Improving wait times at pedestrian crossings, like this on adjacent the nRAH on North Terrace, AdelaideWe continue to advocate for improved pedestrian conditions on North Terrace, and sent this letter to the new Lord Mayor of Adelaide, Sandy Verschoor.


Calling for lower speed limits in Hindley Street where there is high pedestrian activity, to make the streets safer for pedestrians

We were concerned to hear about pedestrians being hit by a car in Hindley St and seriously injured this week. Many 'hit pedestrian' vehicle crashes are completely avoidable or could be reduced in severity by slowing down vehicles to 30 km/h where there is high pedestrian activity. We support lower speed limits in Hindley Street and other areas in the Adelaide CBD where there is high pedestrian activity, to make the streets safer for those on foot.


Our focus on improving advocacy for walking

Here at Walking SA we are focussed on improving our advocacy for walking and on behalf of the walking community of South Australia. Over recent months we've been involved in a number of key discussions.


Advocacy for Walking, May 2017 Update

Walking SA has been active in the following areas on behalf of the walking community: Development of the Australian Adventure Activity Standards – Bushwalking; Consultation with Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) in the “I Share My Trail” campaign; and Greenways Consultation for the Heysen Trail and other trails in Wirrabara Forest and Bundaleer Forest.


Advocating for Walking, March 2017 Update

Walking SA continues to represent our member clubs, organisations and individual members as well as the general walking community in matters regarding walkability of all aspects of the walking environment.


Advocacy for Walking, November 2016 update

Over the last two months Walking SA has been engaged with over 9 councils and bodies representing the walking community.


Cycling on Footpaths, Response to New Regulations

We are concerned that cycling on footpaths, as allowed by the new regulations, increases the risk to pedestrians generally, and specifically for those more vulnerable such as children, the elderly and those with disabilities. We are also concerned that the impact of the change will be to discourage walking because of the perceived risks.


More Pedestrians and Cyclists = Less Congestion

Walking SA, in conjunction with Heart Foundation SA, have submitted the following Letter to the Editor, in response to the SA Government's release today of Operation Moving Traffic.


Response to the “Integrated Transport and Land Use Plan”

In October 2013 the Government of South Australia released its Integrated Transport and Land Use Plan, and called for comment on the plan. Walking SA provided the following comment submission. When submissions closed on January 17, 2014, the government said they had received an overwhelming response, with 1,500 submissions, and 2,500 attendees to public information […]