Cycleways
News
Issue #3 : April - May 2011
INTRODUCING THE BOURKE STREET CYCLEWAY!
The Bourke Street separated cycleway from Cowper Wharf Woolloomooloo in the north to Waterloo in the south, is now and open and operational!
We think that a quieter, healthier and greener Bourke Street is something worth celebrating – and spending time on Bourke Street, it's easy to see the positive change that this whole street upgrade has brought.
In addition to the separated cycleway, footpaths on both sides of Bourke Street have been extensively upgraded and extended providing new street dining locations and improving accessibility for all. Also included were measures to calm traffic and improve safety for all road users such as the new traffic signals at the former black spot intersections at Burton and Liverpool Streets.
Street lighting has been upgraded, scores of new trees planted, and 11 new rainwater gardens created to provide further greenery and add to the ambience of this lovely precinct.
Sydney's bicycle community has really taken Bourke Street to heart. Since the start of construction, a bicycle café and two new bicycle shops have opened along the cycleway - bringing the total number of bicycle shops along the cycleway to three.
According to our latest bicycle counts, the number of bike riders using Bourke Street has increased steadily throughout the construction phase, with the total number of bike riders during peak times more than doubling at several Bourke Street intersections over the past six months. We expect this figure to rise significantly now that the cycleway is complete, and even further as the network is expanded and vital 'missing links' are added.
Next time you are in the area why not re-discover Bourke Street for yourself... even better... ride it!
on your bike & discover
WHAT IS GRACIOUS CYCLING?
Jo Jones, the producer/presenter of BikeLove, a bicycle radio show on 2SER, and Director of BikeWise, who provide the City's cycling courses; kindly shares with SydneyCycleways the pleasures of gracious cycling.
Well, it is easy to vent and fume when you’re on your bike.
You start your trip feeling great, you’re enjoying the sensation of freedom, you feel a bit smug about your emissions (big fat zero) and then someone comes along and gives you a hard time on the road or shared path!
Before you know it, you’ve gone from high-fives to low ebbs and your whole bike ride is bottoming out into negativity.
“Sigh”, “tut”, “#!@#@ cars!”, “ who does that @*#!@ think he is”...!
Over the years I’ve been riding, I find the best thing to do is just relax a little. Smile and wave thanks to that driver who invited you across the traffic flow; he’ll go away feeling like a great guy and be more likely to do the same thing to the next cyclist he meets.
Smile and say Hi to the Mum and child on the shared path, they’ll think you’re a decent person on a bike (rather than a high risk moving object).
We call it gracious cycling and it’s very disarming. You’ll be surprised by the responses you get in return. When you put a little positive energy out there, you get it back tenfold.
Top 5 tips:
- Get eye contact with road users around you. By actively engaging with the person behind the wheel you begin to relate directly to drivers rather than accepting the ‘us and them’ mentality.
- Communicate with road users. Earn the respect of other road users by clearly communicating where you want to go. Use confident, ‘nerdy’ arm signals to let drivers know what you’re planning to do.
- Ride a predictable line. Help other road users understand what you’re doing by holding a predictable line in the lane; this makes drivers feel more confident and accepting around you.
- Be a considerate shared path user. Ride slowly in shared path areas where you’re mixing it with pedestrians; ‘normal bicycle speeds’ in close proximity can feel alarming for pedestrians
- Say thanks! Smile, wave, say thanks to any road user or pedestrian that’s courteous towards you. Carrots work much better than sticks; if you make people feel good about themselves for doing the right thing they’re more likely to do it again. Shouting and being aggressive has the exact opposite effect.
Jo Jones
Director, BikeWise
OUR LATEST SAFETY CAMPAIGN
With the number of bike riders in Sydney booming, it’s clear that co-existence is key.
The number of bike riders in inner Sydney went up by 20% in 2009 and by 30% in 2010. With so many new people getting on bikes, the City is currently running a safety and awareness campaign specifically targeting the behaviour of all road users – people walking, driving and riding bikes – to ensure that mutual respect and consideration continues to define how we act on roads and shared paths.
On the road; bike riders are being asked to obey road rules and to ride in a courteous manner. Motorists are being asked to remember that bikes are vehicles too and to look out for bikes when opening car doors.
Pedestrians are advised to move left when they hear a bike bell and to look both ways before crossing a cycleway. All users are being reminded that roads and shared paths are there to share.
Shared paths
Shared Paths are already widely used across the state and in the City of Sydney area there are more than 50 kilometres of paths, many of which have existed for over a decade.
In New South Wales, it is illegal for bike riders to ride on a footpath unless it is designated as a shared path. The only exception to this rule applies to children under 12 or for an adult accompanying a child under 12.
Shared paths have proven to be very safe – according to RTA data, not a single pedestrian/bike rider collision was recorded for all of 2009, the most recent year for which data is available.
The City aims to maintain this excellent safety record by asking bike riders on shared paths to slow down, always ride in a courteous manner and to ring their bells early.
We know that some bike riders are reluctant to ring their bells because of negative reactions from pedestrians in the past – so now we are actively advising pedestrians to expect it and how to respond appropriately. If you supplement the ring with a smile or a wave, we’ll be one-step closer to educating people that bell ringing is a courtesy not a threat. Please remember that pedestrians always have right-of-way on shared paths.
On-the-ground activities
The shared path campaign is being supported by weekly on-the-ground activities at selected shared path ‘hot spots’ across the city; including shared paths in Edmund Resch Reserve and Prince Alfred Park, and along Cleveland Street, College Street and on the Harbour Bridge off-ramp. All users are being reminded that roads and shared paths are there to share.
During these sessions we are giving away free bike bells, cycling maps and chocolate bars. Bike mechanics and free bike checks and tune-ups are also available at some locations. They are a great opportunity to stop bike riders for quick chats about expected behaviour on shared paths.
During these sessions we are giving away free bike bells, cycling maps and chocolate bars. Bike mechanics and free bike checks and tune-ups are also available at some locations. They are a great opportunity to stop bike riders for quick chats about expected behaviour on shared paths.
We will be continuing these face-to-face initiatives on a regular basis for the remainder of the year. If you do see us on the ground, make sure to stop and say hello! We’d like to say a big thank you to all of the bike riders who have already stopped for a chat.
BACK TO THE FUTURE – VINTAGE BIKE DISPLAY
As new cycleways open around the city, the temptation to make a statement on two wheels is palpable - and nothing quite makes a splash like going vintage.
For two weeks from April 16, blank_space gallery will play host to an amazing array of vintage classics, including the 1895 Columbia bicycle and premier US brands such as Schwinn, Elgin, Monark and Higgins.
The eclectic display features original restored and unrestored bikes, representing the best of classic styling and design with cues from the automotive and aeronautical industries.
Imported from the US, and hand-picked from private collectors, dusty attics and backyards and lovingly refurbished by Mark Austin of Wolfies Cycles, the bikes on show are one-of-a-kind vintage classics, each with their own unique style.
Don't miss this rare opportunity to experience "real" bikes from the full spectrum of bicycle history!
When: 16-30 April, open 11am-6pm Friday-Tuesday.
Where: blank_space gallery, 374 Crown Street Surry Hills.
INTERVIEW WITH ROBOCOG's HOS
Anyone with an interest in fixed gear riding in Sydney either knows Robocog or should know Robocog. This bike workshop cum social hub is the epicentre of fixed gear riding in Sydney and recently opened its own bike-themed café of the same name. In this interview SydneyCycleways catches up with co-owner Noppadol Temmongkolchai... but call him Hos (pronounced House), everyone else does.
How did you first get into the bike scene?
I got into fixed gear bikes just because I got so many injuries from skateboarding. That’s why I first chose to ride bikes. Fixed gear bikes introduced me to lots of people. I made a lot of friends through the world of bikes.
How did Robocog get started?
Every weekend other bike people would come to my place and tune up their bikes. That’s when Jet (one of the business partners) and I decided to start the Robocog workshop somewhere other than in my house. We found a carport on Campbell St in Surry Hills. It was located at the back of a Spring Court shoe shop. The owner of the shop (Kane) was really cool with the idea. It’s a workshop for friends. It’s like a meeting spot where you can work on your bikes and hang out. Robocog is also about art, skateboarding and the fixed gear community.
Tell us a little bit about Robocog - the cafe?
I always wanted to own a cafe. Then, early one morning when I was riding to the weekend Robocog workshop, I found this lovely cottage with a lease sign out front on Riley Street. So, I rang up, talked to the landlord and got it. I decided it had to be bike-themed because all of my mates love and ride bikes. We already had a bit of a history through the Robocog workshop so why not a bike themed cafe as well.
So what's the best thing on your menu?
All I can say is you have to try the breakfast burrito. The coffee here is also very good, we roast our own coffee and we have really cool juice menu.
What do you love about cycling?
It makes me happy you know? Everyone loves riding bikes and everyone on two wheels is a friend. I love when you ride and feel the breeze!!!!
What would you like to see happen for cycling in Sydney?
Fewer cars and more bicycles. The population is increasing, but I am seeing lots of new bike lanes coming up now. They are totally awesome. It encourages you to ride more, plus it’s safer for riders. I love that.
What else do you think is needed to make cycling more mainstream?
Drivers should be educated how to drive on the road and care about bike riders.
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Latest cycleways news
Cycleway updates
We continue our work to make cycling a safe and popular transport choice in inner Sydney. With 10km of separated cycleways complete or under construction we are now focussing on connecting these cycleways as regional routes that take people where they need to go.
Bourke Street, Surry Hills
In mid-March 2011, the Bourke Street cycleway opened, giving bike riders easy and safe travel between Cowper Wharf Road in Woolloomooloo, and Phillip Street in East Redfern.
We are currently working towards connecting the Bourke Street separated cycleway to the Bourke Road separated cycleway via a new shared path to Green Square by the end of this year.
This will give bike riders a 7.2 kilometre cycling corridor between Sydney Harbour and onwards to Botany Bay via Surry Hills, Green Square and Alexandria.
King Street, CBD
We are working on the feasibility and traffic modelling to extend the King Street separated cycleway from Clarence Street to Macquarie Street. This vital extension will give bike riders a safe and convenient east-west crossing through the CBD – a key missing link in the current bike network.
The completed King Street cycleway will link the College Street cycleway giving riders safe and connected cycling routes between the Inner West or North Sydney and East Sydney and Woolloomooloo, Surry Hills and Redfern via the Bourke Street cycleway.
More information on this exciting project will be featured in upcoming newsletters.