Bligh pledges $2m to get public servants cycling

[beauyboy]

published in couriermail

www.couriermail.com.au
Bligh pledges $2m to get public servants cycling
May 22, 2008 04:55pm
THE Queensland government will commit $2 million in next month's budget to provide bicycle facilities for Brisbane public servants who ride to work.

Premier Anna Bligh today announced two new "end of trip" buildings, which would include bicycle parking, lockers and showers, for 80 George Street and the Neville Bonner building.
The government will also look for a private partner to build another facility near Creek Street, to be available to all city workers at a cost.

Ms Bligh told a Property Council of Australia function that cabinet had approved a five-pronged strategy to tackle traffic congestion in south-east Queensland, where roads are straining under the pressure of an influx of new residents.

The strategy includes increasing capacity of road infrastructure, improving efficiency, better planning to encourage people to take shorter journeys, better public transport options, and improving traffic demand.

To encourage people to leave their cars at home, Ms Bligh said the budget would also include $22.6 million over four years to roll out the TravelSmart program.

A trial of TravelSmart - which audits homes and offices to see how people can make better use of public transport - saw people cut their car trips by 80 a year.

Ms Bligh said they were "congestion busting" solutions.

She was confident people would change their travel habits, just as they had adapted to the region's strict water restrictions.

"Roads and public transport corridors ... are a critical part of solving congestion, but so too is our behaviour," Ms Bligh told reporters.

"Every one of us, every day, gets up and contributes to congestion, and we are all part of the solution, just like we have been with water, so we need to tackle this on a broad range of fronts."

Ms Bligh flagged other traffic measures in next month's state budget.

Yah gotta love a premier that is a cyclist.
GO Aunti Anna

Donald

[Kalgrm]

That's great news. I hope they follow through with it.

Cheers,
Graeme

[Mulger bill]

Way cool, let's hope the govt petrol slaves don't shoot her down.

These sorta installations should be available to all cyclists at a bloody good price if they're serious about the issue.

Shaun

[eucryphia]

Spending state taxpayers money on special interest groups is not right, even when it IS your own

Now those blokes who set up the private facility will have to compete with a government setup that won't have any of the regulations or have to turn a profit!

[Mulger bill]

Commuter cyclists are a special interest group
Is Joe Bloggs driving his car to work part of a special interest group?

End of trip facilities, or the lack of them play a part when making the choice to ride to work. Cycling is a long way from first commuting thought for many, even if they've only got 5-10 ckicks to go. Nobody wants to knock off and find no bike or a pair of taco'd wheels.

With vehicular congestion supposed to be costing society billions a year in direct costs alone, a few million bucks well scattered would be more investment than cost.

Now let's get serious about off road bikeways, divided tracks 2.5 metres wide, covered. With errant pedestrians liable for real penalties.
I'll pay 10c a km for that.

Shaun

Shaun

[beauyboy]

Well the Government building Center will be free to public servents where the public one will cost I honestly think that is fair.

Lets face facts the motorists get an unfair deal. About time cyclist get something as we are saving everyone money.

Donald

[mich rolling]

Theoretically public servants are not getting anything that the general city cubicle slave should also have, i.e. access to end-of-trip facilities for cyclists. I understand that planning approvals required provision of these facilities in new buildings.

Of course developers whinge about losing a car bay and a few stall spaces on each floor and the motoring cubicle slaves whinge as well so the planners have little incentive to enforce these rules.

Can anyone provide data on the ratio of required cycle parking bays, their standard and the number of showers per worker required for city buildings?

[mich rolling]

Oh - here it is - recommendation for number of showers in new developments per worker - see http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home/Ge ... formation/ http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/resourc ... riders.pdf

(Note Qld policy uses the Western Australian recommendations - can't wait to see the Qld Bicycle Strategy audit of cycling provision in new developments!)

In QT resources C4 as above:
Table 2: Bikewest WA suggestions for minimum number of showers
Total No of Staff Minimum Shower Requirements
0-19 One (1) shower
20-49 Two (2 ) showers, 1 male and 1 female in separate change rooms
50-149 Four (4) showers, 2 male and 2 female in separate change rooms
150-299 Six (6) showers, 3 male and 3 female in separate change rooms
300-500 Eight (8) showers, 4 male and 4 female in separate change rooms
>500 Additional shower facilities will be required at a rate of 1 female and 1
male shower for every 250 staff
Note: If it is not possible to provide changing room and shower facilities on a particular site, it may be possible to
negotiate access for users with an adjoining building or a nearby gym where these facilities are available.

[mich rolling]

And how are facilities to be financed?

"At the Queensland level
The Queensland Cycle Strategy (2003) is the key document for cycling policy in Queensland. The strategy provides strategic direction and a policy framework for the implementation of cycling as a sustainable and safe transport mode throughout Queensland. The Queensland Cycle Strategy supports implementation of the Australian National Cycling Strategy 2005-2010.
The Integrated Planning Act 1997 (IPA) is the key legislation underpinning cycle planning. IPA seeks to achieve ecological sustainability through coordinating and integrating planning and managing the process of development and its effects on the environment (IPA Explanatory Guide, 1997:1). It proposes to achieve ecological sustainability through the use of three processes: the Integrated Development Assessment System; Integrated Planning; and Integrated Dispute Resolution. Under
the Act, those responsible for development assessment must ensure the effective and effi cient integration of transport infrastructure into existing and future development, including public transport and cycling networks within the local government area. Infrastructure Charges Schedules
and Priority Infrastructure Plans in the schemes are the place to do this (see Cycle Note A3 - Funding mechanisms for cycling infrastructure). The IPA can be found at the website http://www.legislation.
qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/I/IntegPlanA97.pdf.

[eucryphia]

"At the Queensland level...

Blah, blah, blah,blah ....

How many public servants does it take to park a bicycle...

[beauyboy]

One, just myself. This public servent can park his own bike.

Donald

[mikesbytes]

One, just myself. This public servent can park his own bike.

Donald

So you don't have Valuat (spelling?) parking?

Donald, have you noticed a significant increase in bike commuting with all the improvements that have been made over the last few years?

[Kalgrm]

"At the Queensland level...

Blah, blah, blah,blah ....

How many public servants does it take to park a bicycle...

Just one, but it takes 200 to provide the parking spot and end-of-ride facilities.

[beauyboy]

Kalgrm I do agree with you on this comment. I got the Brisbane convencion Center to install Bike racks but it took six months and after constant calls to the center, Brisbane Council and the Local counciller.
To tell the truth I have only been a public servent for less then 6 months and I have not been able to notice. In the last 12 months apart from the Normanby pedestrian Cycle link there have been no opening of cycle inferstructure.

Donald

[MountGower]

Apart from being too few, the main problem with these paths are pedestrians who switch their brains off and expect everyone else to think on for them. With only a slight increase in the volume of bikes they carry now, they will allbe too narrow, if they aren't already. There is a total lack of forsight in Brisbane and an almost total lack of action.

I caught a train in peak hour for the first time this morning. Man, no wonder people are still gassing each other on the stinking roads. The trains are packed solid, the "bike" paths are covered with iPod wearing intoxicated cattle and getting to work slowly but at least surely still seems to be the popular choice.

[eucryphia]

In the last 12 months apart from the Normanby pedestrian Cycle link there have been no opening of cycle infrastructure.

So, we've had very little luck getting politicians to spend someone elses money to pay for what cyclists want, but if we keep trying just that little bit more it might work...

Look, I'm a commuting cyclist and self confessed hypocrite, I'd be the first one to spend a billion or so of the taxes they've confiscated from car drivers on bike tracks, showering facilities and backrubs.

But I'm old enough to remember when 'the government' was not considered the automatic solution to all my problems, and when you needed 'funding' it didn't come out of anyone elses back pocket...

[beauyboy]

Oh don't get me started on the stated of Citytrain at the moment you will learn about QR then you ever wanted to know.

Donald