As cities strive to improve health and sustainability within their communities, the role of street furniture in promoting active transport like cycling, walking, and running has become increasingly important. Items such as bike parking racks, public seats, and bollards not only support physical activity but also create safer, more accessible urban environments. By integrating these features, councils and public centres can foster healthier, more active communities while reducing reliance on vehicles and lowering carbon emissions.
This guide explores how streetscape furniture can enhance active transport and why it’s crucial for modern urban design.
Bicycle Racks: Encouraging Cycling
Cycling is a highly efficient and eco-friendly mode of transport, but a lack of secure parking can deter commuters and recreational riders. Bike parking racks are essential in public spaces, providing:
Convenience: Secure and easily accessible racks make it more practical to choose a bike over a car.
Protection: Properly designed racks protect bikes from theft and damage, encouraging more people to cycle regularly.
Increased Foot Traffic: When strategically placed near retail areas or parks, they boost local businesses by drawing more cyclists to the area.
By prioritisingbicycle racks, cities can make cycling an attractive option for commuting and leisure.
Public Seating: Supporting Walkability
Walking is one of the simplest forms of active transport, and well-placed public seats can make it more enjoyable, providing:
Rest Stops: For elderly individuals, parents with young children, or anyone needing a break, accessible benches make walking longer distances feasible.
Community Spaces: Seating areas encourage social interaction and help transform pathways into inviting public spaces.
Enhanced Aesthetics: Stylish, customisable public seating not only serves a functional purpose but also contributes to the visual appeal of urban landscapes.
Comfortable seating encourages people to explore their surroundings on foot, reducing reliance on cars and promoting physical health.
Bollards and Barriers: Enhancing Safety
Safety is a key concern for those who walk, run, or cycle in urban areas. Bollards and barriers are crucial for:
Protecting Pathways: They create clear separations between pedestrian or cycling zones and busy roads.
Traffic Control: Bollards strategically placed in high-traffic areas ensure safer, more organised flows of people and vehicles.
Promoting Confidence: Feeling secure while exercising outdoors encourages more people to embrace active lifestyles.
Incorporating bollards and barriers into urban designs enhances accessibility and safety, benefiting both individuals and communities.
Creating Active Communities with Smart Design
Modern street furniture designs can further support active transport by integrating technology and sustainable materials:
Multi-Functional Spaces: Benches with built-in bike racks or solar-powered seating areas encourage activity while promoting eco-friendly practices.
Durable Materials: Using recyclable composites ensures these items last while supporting the environmental goals in Australian cities.
By collaborating with innovative urban planners and streetscape furniture manufacturers, cities can create spaces that inspire movement and connection, while enhancing urban aesthetics.
Encouraging active transport is vital for healthier, more connected communities, and thoughtfully designed street furniture plays a key role in this mission. Features like bike parking racks, public seats, and bollards make cycling, walking, and running safer, more convenient, and more enjoyable. Working with sustainable designers and planners ensures these installations benefit both people and the environment.
By prioritising the integration of thoughtful streetscape furniture, cities and councils can lead the way in building more vibrant, active, and sustainable spaces for everyone!
