BikeSydney wish you a Merry Christmas

The BikeSydney crew want to wish all bike riders, supporters and visitors a safe and Happy Christmas and New Years. I hope all your rides are fun and safe.

To the BikeSydney crew who volunteer all year, thank you for your fantastic effort that has contributed to a great year.

So everyone lets do what we love to do over the break, lets ride.

Andrew Dodds

BikeSydney 2008 chistmas image

Published by: AndrewD on December 23rd, 2008 | Filed under BikeSydney News | Comment now »

Issue 1 BikeSydney Newsletter Out Now

The new BikeSydney newsletter is out now. It is in both PDF format and printed and will be available in some bike stores around Sydney. This newsletter will be almost monthly (Dec/Jan combined month). The reason for the newsletter is that we want to reach more people about what is happening throughout Sydney with cycling. Any way here is the PDF BikeSydney newsletter Issue 1.

Enjoy the Read

Published by: AndrewD on December 14th, 2008 | Filed under BikeSydney News | Comment now »

Missenden Road Cycleway

From teh City of Sydney we have the Missenden Rd Cycleway upgrade and meeting on the 10 Dec. Here is the extract from the CoS website, and of course BikeSydney will be attending the meeting. The PDF brocheure can be found here Missenden Rd Brochure

Invitation

Come and discuss proposed design concepts for Missenden
Road including a cycleway, a safe pedestrian route and traffic
calming measures.

Date

Wednesday 10 December 2008
6.30pm to 8.00pm

Venue

Rydges Hotel, 9 Missenden Road Camperdown

Project Background

The City has started to design and build cycling and pedestrian infrastructure across the Local Government Area. Dedicated safe spaces for bike riders and improved amenity for pedestrians, were some of the most common requests from the community during our Sustainable Sydney 2030 consultations.
The 2030 Vision includes improved cycling and pedestrian networks which will form a liveable green network across Sydney and support of greener, connected neighbourhoods

The City of Sydney has allocated $70 million over the next four years to build an effective cycle network across our area. We want to make cycling a real transport alternative that will help reduce road congestion, cut emissions and improve public health.

The traffic calming project includes a cycleway, footpath improvements and new trees to create a liveable green network. It will expand our growing cycling network and make the precinct around the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital much safer.

Missenden Road is already an important route for bike riders travelling to Sydney University and Newtown and a vibrant pedestrian precinct. The City is proposing to build a separated two way cycleway along the City side of Missenden Road and Lyons Road to improve safety and amenity. Many cities around the world, including London, New York, Amsterdam and Melbourne, have successfully introduced safe separated cycleways.

Proposed Features of the Missenden Road Cycleway and a Liveable Green Network

Planned features of the project include:

Creation of separated, two-way cycleway along the City side of Missenden Road and Lyons Road.
Major traffic calming measures including making Missenden Road and Lyons Road a 40km zone
To calm traffic and increase pedestrian safety, the road
surface at the entrances to Longdown, Campbell and
Aylesbury Streets will be raised
Footpath widening on the western side of Missenden
Road at King Street
At Parramatta Road the cycleway will cross over to Lyons
Road where it will continue to Pyrmont Bridge Road
Footpaths along Carillon Avenue will be shared
pedestrian and cycle paths
The replacement of four trees, in poor condition, with healthy
mature specimens. At the end of the project there will be 33
more trees than there are now
Distinctive road and footpath pavements between Grose Street and Salisbury Road to calm traffic in the hospital precinct
At the southern end, the cycleway will link into existing
cycling facilities on Wilson Street, via Bucknell Street
At the northern end, the cycleway will link into future proposed cycling facilities to Glebe Foreshore, from Pyrmont Bridge Road.

Project TimeLine

Community Consultation - 10 December 2008 -
6 February 2009
RTA approval - Mid 2009
Report to Council - Mid 2009
Construction Commences - Mid 2009

Published by: AndrewD on December 5th, 2008 | Filed under Advocacy, City of Sydney | Comment now »

Union St Upgrade

The City of Sydney have put forward a new cycle treatment to get around that ‘dogs breakfast’ of Union St and entry onto Pyrmont Bridge. This is a good proposal and it would be great to see BikeSydney members support this initiative. Submissions close by the 3rd Dec.

Project Scope

The project includes the introduction of a separated cycleway from the intersection of Murray Street, along Union Street to Union Square and Harris Street.

Planned features of the project include:

Creation of separated, two-way cycleway from the western end of Pyrmont Bridge along Union Street, to Union Square
Installation of a signalised cycle-safe crossing at the intersection of Murray Street and Union Street
Footpath improvements and new kerb alignment in selected areas to provide better access for pedestrians
Replacement of five small trees in poor condition and additional tree planting
Relocation of car parking on the northern side of Union Street between Union Square and Pyrmont Street to southern side of Union Street. Note: no loss of parking spaces
Raised footpath crossing on Union Street at Pyrmont Bridge Road
New bike parking near cafes and shops
Permanent No Right Turn onto Murray Street South from Union Street/ Pyrmont Bridge Road.

For the full details here is the link to the PDF
Union St/Pyrmont Bridge Bike upgrade

Published by: AndrewD on November 27th, 2008 | Filed under Advocacy, City of Sydney | Comment now »

BikeSydney - NSW GOV Bike Plan Submission

On the 31st Oct submissions closed for the NSW Bike Plan. So find attached the BikeSydney submission. Apologies I did leave it to the last minute but we did get one in Bike Sydney Submission.

Published by: AndrewD on November 24th, 2008 | Filed under Advocacy, State News | Comment now »

Bike Film Festival This weekend

The years biggest event for cycling in NSW is rolling into town. The International Bike Film Festival. This year BikeSydney are hosting it at the Dendy cinema King St Newtown. So come along say hi and see some great movies.

For more details visit

http://bffsydney.org

http://http://www.bicyclefilmfestival.com/

Published by: AndrewD on November 12th, 2008 | Filed under BikeSydney News, General Bike News | Comment now »

Road: Edge kicks off the Bicycle Film Festival

Our Road art exhibition (part of the Bicycle Film Festival) hit the streets of Sydney with a whooping bling-a-ling of music, fashion and mayhem last night.

This week we have a three Road art exhibition openings:

Tuesday 4 Nov 4:30-7pm | Road: Works
Regard Gallery | 372 Wilson Street, Darlington
Oil paintings, prints and sketches by Gilbert Grace inspired by the Sydney Green Ring.

Wednesday 5 Nov 5:30-8pm | Road: Mystery Tour
Cheeky Transport | 3a Georgina Street, Newtown.
Bike touring photographs with a twist.

Thursday 6 Nov 6-9pm | Road: Rode
At The Vanishing Point | 565 King Street, Newtown
Over 30 participating artists. Diverse mediums including painting, sculpture, jewellery, installation, video, photography and interactive new media. Spread the bicycle love around.

Everyone welcome.

Published by: Elaena on November 2nd, 2008 | Filed under Advocacy, BikeSydney News | 1 Comment »

New Bike Parking Rings

BikeSydney with BikEast have been consulting with the City of Sydney over the past year in regards to the new bike parking rings that attach to existing street signage (eg no parking signs). Glebe have started to have their rings installed.

Bike Parking Ring outside the Roxbury Hotel, St Johns Rd

Outside the Roxbury Hotel, St Johns Rd, Glebe

Published by: AndrewD on October 21st, 2008 | Filed under BikeSydney News, City of Sydney | 4 Comments »

The Results are In - Almost

As stated earlier it is obvious that the Labor party do not want to be contacted. The first back was from Chris Harris from the Greens

1. What is your position on investment to improve the liveability and
sustainability of local neighbourhoods?
A. Supportive of more open space for active and passive uses; slow down traffic; street treatments to discourage
commuter traffic; active programs to promote measures to improve energy efficiency, sustainable water use, capture and recycling; pale paving and more street plantings to reduce heat sink effect of public spaces.

2. What would you do to make it safe enough to ride a bicycle in your local neighbourhood?
A. Street treatments to dramatically slow down cars; lobby RTA for 30km zones in all local streets; separate cars from traffic where road width permits - otherwise mark roads with sufficient signage to raise awareness of bikes; shared pedestrian/bike zones for slower moving cycle traffic; social programs to increase cycle traffic and crowd out cars

3. If elected, how would you promote the benefits of cycling in your area?
A. Double the resources devoted to cycling in the traffic department - create a senior cycling position in management reporting to the relevant director. Require all planning and traffic staff to complete appropriate cycling planning courses in consultation with Bicycle NSW (possibly an in house course designed and run by Bicycle NSW). Improve communication between City cycling department and state government depts of Environment & Climate Change and Roads; Increase social programs to promote cycling to work, school etc. Work with minister responsible for RTA to introduce programs to increase driver awareness of cyclists.

4. What do you think of the pace of implementation of the current Cycling Strategy?
A. Too slow - too bureaucratic and too much spin by the Lord Mayor. Lots of talk and glossy brochures in the first 4.5 years and little delivered. Requires a dramatic upscaling of infrastructure roll out. More resources to accelerate planning, consultation and implementation of multiple projects.

Shayne Mallard from the Liberals was next. He did not answer the questions but sent a supportive letter. Shayne has been supportive to cyclists and does ride a lot.

A Thanks for the email. You know of my long standing support for better bicycle facilities in the City of Sydney. My approach to this will be to continue to show leadership and commitment in this area. I support the current bicycle strategy and working with communities to roll out the plans over the next term of Council.

From an Independent - not sure which one as they did not sign it and I do not recognise the email address

1. What is your position on investment to improve the livability and sustainability of local neighborhoods?
A. You could never divest an suitable aliquot of funds to satisfy all regional constituents amiably, therefore you might instead foster an attitude that promotes incentive based on the acumen and action of local and even parish groups or persons based on the merit of their particular imputations.

2. What would you do to make it safe enough to ride a bicycle in your local neighborhood?
A. Educate as early as five years old persons operating a bicycle on the roadways. My driver awareness course at that age has held my road visible actions within legislative requirements for the past 40 years. It will not hurt any young person to understand how and where to be seen on the road. I thank the Australian Federal Police for doing just that.

3. If elected, how would you promote the benefits of cycling in your area?
A. These benefits are enumerable. If people can’t see them, it not that they are not there. My quip is that fear and instability regress persons to operate a velocipede. Perhaps designing a three or four wheeled devices might entice participatory involvement particularly within our aging population.

4. What do you think of the pace of implementation of the current Cycling Strategy?
A. Just seek the road using Cyclists point of view don’t assume anything. At the end of the day we are saddled up and you are limo carted.

Clovers team have still not come back, but have sent an email hoping to have something to us today.

So do check back later today

Published by: AndrewD on September 12th, 2008 | Filed under Advocacy, City of Sydney | Comment now »

City of Sydney Elections this Week

Yes it is the time that comes around every 4 years. The Council Elections. So BikeSydney have sent a few questions to each candidate asking some cycling questions

Here is what has been sent

BikeSydney are greatly interested to hear from candidates for the local government elections about their position and views about cycling.

Please would you respond to the following questions so that we can circulate your responses to our members and publicise the answers on the BikeSydney website.
1. What is your position on investment to improve the liveability and sustainability of local neighbourhoods?
2. What would you do to make it safe enough to ride a bicycle in your local neighbourhood?
3. If elected, how would you promote the benefits of cycling in your area?
4. What do you think of the pace of implementation of the current Cycling Strategy?

Please send responses by email to cityride@bikesydney.org or by post to PO Box M59 Missenden Rd, Camperdown, 2050 by 10th September. We would be pleased to discuss or provide information on any of these issues, or to answer any questions.

So anyway We have sent this to the Greens, Clovers Team, Shayne Mallard from the Liberals and the Independants.

Now Labor have their contact details suppressed on the Elecoral Commission website and of the Liberal Party only Shayne Mallards appears, no other is available. On the flipside The Greens and all of Clovers team have contact emails and phone numbers. For me this says a lot about the two ‘big’ parties and what they really think of the people in the area.

Back onto the election can I just say it has been great working with a progressive council. I for one tried to work with Frank Sartor and Lucy Turnbull, both either ignoring or just giving lip service to cycling in the City of Sydney.

Anyway check back Thursday for all the responses from the CoS candidates.