Plan to put inner city cycling on the map

BY MICK ROBERTS

A PILOT program to link inner city walking, cycling and public transport routes around Ultimo is just one of the initiatives under consideration to help make it safer and easier for inner city commuters to get on their bikes and make a dent in local air pollution, traffic congestion and their fuel bills.
Speaking at ‘On Your Bike’, an Active Transport Conference in Sydney last month, Minister for Climate Change and the Environment Verity Firth said climate change and rising fuel prices meant Sydney needed to combine innovative programs and clever education strategies to make cycling a more realistic alternative to the car.
‘London has increased its cycling participation levels on major roads by 83 per cent since 2000 and is aiming to see cycling grow 400 per cent by 2025,’ Ms Firth said.
‘In NSW we have already made a $291 million investment in cycling infrastructure, and we now have 3,900km of cycleways.
‘The next step is to make cycling safer and easier, so it is not just seen as transport for a small number of people, but an everyday part of getting to shops, schools and work for average families.
‘A key to this will be ensuring that our existing cycleways link up with each other and with paths and public transport options, so that people can switch their short trips from the car to the bike.
The Sydney Regional Bike Network Plan coordinated by the City of Sydney will connect cycleways and cycle plans across 12 inner city council areas.
Funded by the NSW Government’s ‘On Your Bike’ initiative, the City of Sydney was awarded $160,000 in funding to expand the regional plan, which will now cover City of Sydney, Marrickville, Leichhardt, Waverley, Woollahra, Randwick, Botany Bay, North Sydney, Canada Bay, Ashfield, Canterbury and Rockdale.
Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP welcomed the grant saying it supported the City’s ongoing commitment to building safer cycleways.
‘The funds will help the City of Sydney expand the Inner Sydney Regional Bike Plan to include a number of new Councils within a 10 km radius or 30 minute bicycle ride of the Sydney CBD,’ Ms Moore said.
‘This will enable improved coordination between the councils and development of a cross regional network of key routes to serve multiple destinations,’ she said.
The funding will also allow the development of a website with information, resources and links to be a ‘one-stop-shop’ for cycling in Sydney, including a trip planner.
Ms Firth said three other new projects were also granted funding under the NSW Government’s ‘On Your Bike’ initiative, including:
‘ $108,000 to establish a new AustCycle cycling education and training program, similar to the highly successful AusSwim program;
‘ $170,000 worth of AustCycle cycling proficiency training vouchers to help increase the number of safe cyclists in NSW; and
‘ $150,000 for a pilot program to link inner city walking, cycling and public transport facilities and routes for families around Ultimo.
‘Cycling helps cut congestion, reduces air pollution, save on fuel costs and is good for people’s health,’ Ms Firth said.
‘And it is one of the easiest ways to make significant inroads into our carbon footprint.’