Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
- Ross
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Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby Ross » Wed May 04, 2011 6:23 am
Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Kelsey Munro Urban Affairs
May 4, 2011
THE new Roads Minister says central Sydney's cycleways are not working, despite new council figures that show a 60 per cent increase in use during the morning peak over the past year.
But cycling groups, backed by the City of Sydney and inner-west councils, say cycling would increase by a further 300 per cent if crucial missing links in the network were built by the state government, for a fraction of the cost of comparable roads initiatives.
The Roads Minister, Duncan Gay, who says his government wants to encourage cycling as a viable transport option, would not confirm media reports suggesting he would tear up the cycleways.
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A spokesman for Mr Gay said: ''There is currently a lot of frustration from both motorists and cyclists out there so I believe we really need to take a commonsense approach in integrating cycle lanes with other modes of transport.''
This would mean "all forms of transport co-exist and operate in harmony with each other".
The spokesman declined to say what this would mean in practice.
At the moment, cyclists entering the city from the north have to lug their bikes up 55 steps to the Harbour Bridge cycleway. Those entering from the west must brave busy roads and steep hills, creating obstacles to use of the CBD cycleways, cycling groups say.
A new proposal being reviewed by the RTA for a cycle path running through the Lilyfield rail cutting from Leichhardt to the Anzac Bridge cycleway, called the City West Cycle Link, has been endorsed by the City of Sydney, Marrickville and Leichhardt councils and cycling groups.
''This is the missing link,'' said David Borella, the president of Bike Sydney. ''It's currently a really hilly, gritty on-road route. We're proposing a flat green corridor that's totally off-road so it's easier and amenable to families and kids. That will be the change in uptake of cycling.''
Costed at $5 million by an engineer contracted by Bike Sydney, the City West Cycle Link would have to be built at the same time as the light rail extension, soon to begin. It would link the Bay Run, the planned GreenWay on the light rail extension and the Cooks River cycle paths to the city, Mr Borella said, at a fraction of the $200 million cost of the Iron Cove bridge duplication.
The three-kilometre Harbour-Link, proposed in 2007 and being investigated by the RTA, would bypass the large staircase up to the Harbour Bridge cycleway and provide an elevated, multi-use pathway for cyclists, pedestrians and wheelchair users that would be separated from traffic from Falcon Street to the bridge.
Russ Webber, the president of the North Shore Bicycle Group, said its research suggested that completing the three-kilometre missing link between Naremburn and the Harbour Bridge would boost bike usage four-fold from the 700 cyclists per hour who cross the bridge into the city during the morning peak.
A spokeswoman for the City acknowledged criticism of the cycleways, saying they are a work in progress.
''Critics who complain about the cycleway network need to realise that we need to build it in stages, and that the stages then need to be linked. It's a bit like building a bridge and getting halfway through and then wondering why no one is using it yet. This is about the future and building a viable network that will become a normal part of city life.''
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby JV911 » Wed May 04, 2011 8:35 am
does anyone still have yesterday's MX? there was an article titled "city gets on its bike en masse" ?Ross wrote:THE new Roads Minister says central Sydney's cycleways are not working, despite new council figures that show a 60 per cent increase in use during the morning peak over the past year.
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby hartleymartin » Wed May 04, 2011 10:03 am
700 cyclists in that hour is equivalent to approximately:Russ Webber, the president of the North Shore Bicycle Group, said its research suggested that completing the three-kilometre missing link between Naremburn and the Harbour Bridge would boost bike usage four-fold from the 700 cyclists per hour who cross the bridge into the city during the morning peak.
- 700 cars removed from the congested roads; or
- 12 fully-loaded buses; or
- 7 fully-loaded trams; or
- 1/3 of a fully-loaded 8-carriage train
And if this link is built, it is expected to quadruple this.
I know where my money is going.
The $5 million that it will cost is a pittance compared to the many millions spent on the NW and SW Rail Links that have never been opened!
http://raleightwenty.webs.com - the top web resource for the Raleigh Twenty
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby bigfriendlyvegan » Wed May 04, 2011 10:29 am
But promises of rail links get votes, promises of bike paths get flames.hartleymartin wrote:The $5 million that it will cost is a pittance compared to the many millions spent on the NW and SW Rail Links that have never been opened!
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby DrJay » Wed May 04, 2011 12:29 pm
2010 Giant Yukon with slicks and stuff.
2008 Salsa Casseroll
2010 SE Lager
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby ColinOldnCranky » Wed May 04, 2011 12:42 pm
And using an accepted formulae for equivalence between various transport modes, 1 1/3 of a lane on a freeway. Everyone should be happy!hartleymartin wrote: 700 cyclists in that hour is equivalent to approximately:
...
- 1/3 of a fully-loaded 8-carriage train
And if this link is built, it is expected to quadruple this.
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby philip » Wed May 04, 2011 2:14 pm
I don't understand this, I wish he would clarify on exactly how they are not working, given the figures.THE new Roads Minister says central Sydney's cycleways are not working, despite new council figures that show a 60 per cent increase in use during the morning peak over the past year.
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby Nate » Thu May 05, 2011 10:12 am
23 cyclists in 4min 20sec - 300+ per hour.
Even in the rain they're getting a flogging.
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby CommuRider » Thu May 05, 2011 1:16 pm
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby Nate » Thu May 05, 2011 3:38 pm
Surprised you could see them through the FEW DOZEN pedestrian red light runnersCommuRider wrote:Couldn't help but notice the half-dozen red-light runners though.
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby ghettro » Thu May 05, 2011 11:53 pm
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby r2160 » Fri May 06, 2011 10:05 am
cheers
Glenn
"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever" Lance Armstrong
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Re: Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby wombatK » Fri May 06, 2011 10:22 am
Gotta send that to the minister's office mate !Nate wrote: 23 cyclists in 4min 20sec - 300+ per hour.
Even in the rain they're getting a flogging.
Somebody has to do something, and it's just incredibly pathetic that it has to be us -Jerry Garcia
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby rogan » Thu May 12, 2011 2:53 pm
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby zero » Thu May 12, 2011 10:57 pm
Not quiterogan wrote:Most disappointing is that they named Sydney's Olympic velodrome after this guy...
I hope he continues personally.
The numbers for the bridge/kent/pyrmont are actually pretty good, and the more he rants, the more he'll draw attention to demands to join up sections.
I rode with the cam running on wednesday night a little after 5pm from rozelle to the bridge, and part way back (35 mins of footage), and if I recall, I counted 220 riders . I was 10th in a queue of cycles and entered the intersection on the orange (because some fool at the RTA decided cycles could have 5 seconds of crossing time ).
Given I'm only on one spot at any one time, and I wasn't there for the full hour, its not inconcievable that there were 700 commuters on the system. Based on its narrow width and uses of place cars cannot go or cannot hook up into longer journeys properly. it easily justifies its existence.
In the morning south traffic from the bridge cannot even really use kent because of its location relative to the bridge, and there is more capacity on clarence than there is morning bridge capacity to the north anyway.
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby Nate » Mon May 16, 2011 7:23 am
!!!! damn!zero wrote: I rode with the cam running on wednesday night a little after 5pm from rozelle to the bridge, and part way back (35 mins of footage), and if I recall, I counted 220 riders . I was 10th in a queue of cycles and entered the intersection on the orange (because some fool at the RTA decided cycles could have 5 seconds of crossing time ).
when driving into Pyrmont on sunday i was keeping an eye out for cyclists - they were everywhere!
Quite a few families along the Epping Rd path
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby zero » Mon May 16, 2011 8:43 am
About 230 or so again spotted on Friday - probably affected by the abseiling nutter on the bridge. Cold weather is actually great for riding, think that more people are figuring that out. The bicycle traffic is really noticeable when you ride one of the 3 bridges in opposite direction to most of the flow.Nate wrote:!!!! damn!zero wrote: I rode with the cam running on wednesday night a little after 5pm from rozelle to the bridge, and part way back (35 mins of footage), and if I recall, I counted 220 riders . I was 10th in a queue of cycles and entered the intersection on the orange (because some fool at the RTA decided cycles could have 5 seconds of crossing time ).
when driving into Pyrmont on sunday i was keeping an eye out for cyclists - they were everywhere!
Quite a few families along the Epping Rd path
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby find_bruce » Mon May 16, 2011 12:11 pm
Similarly creating a sealed route round Iron Cove Bay & separate bike paths for much of it has seen a significant increase in numbers &greater numbers has resulted in better separation of runners & bikes.
In light of the coverage I sent an email to the Minister with a copy to my local member, John Sidoti & Clover Moore. I had a response from a Brigid Kelly from the Lord Mayor's office within a couple of days - not a pro-forma but actually responding to the issues I raised - thanks Brigid.
Still nothing from Minister Gay nor John Sidoti, so I will follow up to see when I can expect a response.
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby Strawburger » Thu Aug 11, 2011 3:05 pm
The International Association of Public Transport Australia/New Zealand wrote:Cycle Way Abandoned
The NSW Transport Minister is raising fears that a long-planned cycle path and walkway from the Cooks River to Iron Cove could be the victim of early budget cuts by the new government. The inner west GreenWay was to have been built along the extension of the light rail line from the Lilyfield terminus to a new stop at Dulwich Hill. Media Reports
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby Nate » Thu Aug 11, 2011 5:08 pm
and look where Mr Strawburger is from!Strawburger wrote:The International Association of Public Transport Australia/New Zealand wrote:...built along the extension of the light rail line from the Lilyfield terminus to a new stop at Dulwich Hill. Media Reports
You're as bad as that St Andrews school Lawyer!
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby longshanks » Sat Aug 27, 2011 9:13 am
This Sunday Aug 28th there is an "I Love the Greenway" cycle starting at 1pm at Wilga St Dulwich Hill. Article appears on the front of this weeks Inner City Weekender. The ride is organised by Artclycle, an artist run cycle initiative afficliated with Bicycle NSW. More information can be found at http://www.artcyclesydney.comStrawburger wrote:The International Association of Public Transport Australia/New Zealand wrote:
Cycle Way Abandoned
The NSW Transport Minister is raising fears that a long-planned cycle path and walkway from the Cooks River to Iron Cove could be the victim of early budget cuts by the new government. The inner west GreenWay was to have been built along the extension of the light rail line from the Lilyfield terminus to a new stop at Dulwich Hill. Media Reports
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby Strawburger » Mon Aug 29, 2011 12:49 pm
Anyone go? How was it? Numbers?
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Re: Cyclists say missing links are a spoke in the wheel
Postby longshanks » Mon Aug 29, 2011 2:12 pm
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Cyclists ride to support proposed GreenWay
Postby find_bruce » Mon Aug 29, 2011 2:46 pm
Got some coverage though in the Sydney Morning Herald.
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