Draft Plan aims to pave the way for more active communities

Published on 02 February 2025

A five-year action plan to improve and extend the footpath and cycleway network across Singleton—including a list of proposed projects amounting to more than $19million—and encourage more people to walk or cycle to their destinations is now open for community feedback.

The draft Singleton Walking and Cycling Plan, developed with extensive community input and currently on public exhibition, also presents $1.7million in new crossings, reinforcing the Hunterview pedestrian and cycling bridge spanning the Hunter River between Combo Lane in Singleton and Col Fisher Park in Hunterview as the highest priority project.

Touted as the Hunter’s only dedicated pedestrian and cycle crossing, the Hunterview bridge has already been allocated $5,073,500 under Transport for NSW’s Get NSW Active program and is due for completion in 2026.

Mayor of Singleton, Cr Sue Moore said once adopted, the Plan would guide future funding allocations and grant applications for other projects listed in the document to foster safer and more accessible communities and increase participation in walking and cycling.

“Shared pathways to enhance greater pedestrian connectivity was our community’s number one priority out of the Create Singleton 2032 Community Strategic Plan, and continued to rate highly in the review of the document last year,” she said.

“We’ve been getting on with the job with over a million dollars in improvements over the last few years, including $720,000 for the Milbrodale shared path alone.

“The draft Singleton Walking and Cycling Plan represents a strategic examination of our existing network to identify where gaps should be addressed, particularly to support active travel near our schools and encourage tourism by creating connectivity across the landscape for walking and cycling, which was also identified as a key action in the Hunter Valley Destination Management Plan.”

Cr Moore said high priority but unfunded projects on the list included shared paths at Maison Dieu Road estimated to cost $1.3milion, Rose Point Park estimated to cost $767,604, and Robinson Reserve estimated at $250,000.

“The draft Plan is a comprehensive, line-by-line list of improvements to the network across Singleton, Singleton Heights, Hunterview, Branxton, Broke, Bulga and Jerrys Plains,” she said.

“With vital input from our community and a solid future direction for further improvements, we hope this draft Plan will pave the way for safer, more accessible communities and encourage more people to walk or cycle.”

Feedback is open until 3 March 2025. To view the draft Singleton Walking and Cycling Plan, click here or view a hard copy at Council’s Administration Building, Singleton Visitor Information Centre, Singleton Public Library or Singleton Youth Venue or click here.