End of an era as 20-year departmental team is dismantled
A team of walking and cycling experts embedded within Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads has been dismantled, raising fears about the future of active transport planning.
The Walking and Cycling Infrastructure Team, established in 2006, was involved in projects to improve infrastructure, including the Veloway and Kurilpa Bridge, and developing the cycleway and shared path on the Ipswich Motorway, from Oxley to Rocklea.
It was also involved in work on TMR standards and other guidelines, such as a review into the “door zone” collision risks between car doors and cyclists, analysis of bicycle GPS tracking data, and suicide prevention screens.
A LinkedIn post by respected TMR senior adviser Michael Langdon, commemorating an “end of an era” after the team was disbanded on October 30, was met with dozens of tributes from transport professionals, academics and advocates of active transport.
Some expressed fears about who would continue a focus on active transport in the government, particularly as the state prepares to move tens of thousands of people between Olympic venues.
The state government said the active transport team had been realigned into another group, and there were no job losses.
“TMR has a walking and cycling infrastructure team which has moved to the newly established Engineering Delivery Support Group, focused on delivering active transport projects across Queensland,” a TMR spokesman said.
This masthead was told realigning the team into the engineering group would bring walking and cycling expertise into the planning and design process earlier, which would strengthen the delivery of active transport projects, including for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The team provided technical advice on raised pedestrian crossings, known as wombat crossings, worked on a study on floating bus stops, collected data on e-scooters, and ran dozens of walking and cycling technical training courses across the state.
Members also participated in industry events, such as the International Cycling Safety Conference in 2019 and the Local Government Association of Queensland Active Transport Forum in 2025.
Labor’s transport spokesman Bart Mellish said the news was “incredibly disappointing … but not surprising given this government’s disdain for cycling and active transport”.
“This team did great work for cycling outcomes over a number of years, and it is sad to see them disbanded,” he said.
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