The $500m Active Transport Fund is open again, and councils have until 30 September

The single biggest thing that decides whether an e-bike is a good idea for your commute is not the bike. It is whether there is a safe, connected path between where you live and where you are going. That is why the Active Transport Fund matters more to e-bike riders than most funding announcements do.

The federal government opened the next round on 1 August 2026. Applications close at 5pm AEST on Wednesday 30 September 2026. The fund is worth $500 million over ten years, delivered at about $50 million a year, and it pays for new and upgraded bicycle and walking pathways.

Who can apply, and for what

• Open to state and territory governments and to local councils, with applications assessed on merit rather than carved up by formula
• Funds construction of new or upgraded bike paths, shared paths and walking connections, delivered under the Infrastructure Investment Program
• A co-contribution from the applicant is expected, so the projects that get up are usually the ones a council has already part-budgeted

Demand has consistently outrun the money. The first round of the program attracted applications worth several times what was on the table, which is the clearest available signal that councils have shovel-ready path projects sitting in drawers waiting for a funding partner.

Why an e-bike rider should care

Separated infrastructure is the difference between an e-bike being a genuine car replacement and being a weekend toy. A 25 km/h pedal-assist bike is fast enough to make a 10 to 15 kilometre commute realistic, but only if the route does not require 40 minutes of mixing it with traffic. Every funded path is another corridor where that maths works.

The successful projects from previous rounds are published by jurisdiction on the federal infrastructure investment portal, so it is worth checking whether your council already has funded work coming before you write to them about a route that is already on the list.