Archive for September, 2008

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

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.

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Another Year and another State Gov Bike Plan

Well as the state government seems to have officially ’shelved’ the Bike Plan 2010 which would have provided for parts of a cycling regional network. They have now come out saying they want to start again, how long for? is this one to be called 2020. Only time will tell. Anyway here is the PDF of the press release. BikeSydney will of course be making comment and we encourage all cyclists to. especially as none of the 2010 Bike Plan routes that dealt with people living in the inner Sydney area were built - Route 17 Harbour Bridge to Wollomooloo and The Sydn Uni to NSW Uni bike route.

Bike Plan NSW

And here is the job add from the NSW gov for the Bike Plan PM

https://jobs.nsw.gov.au/JobDetails.asp?JobAdvertId=75433