A Safer Design

Separated cycleways separate bike riders from cars, immediately improving safety for all road users.

Many global cities such as Amsterdam, Paris and Copenhagen have well-established bike networks. Others, like London and New York are rapidly expanding theirs.

We have drawn on the experiences of these cities to develop a bike network that caters specifically to Sydney’s needs. Our cycleways are designed to be easy-to-use, convenient and, above all, safe.

Safety is paramount to increasing the number of bike riders. This is why we’ve created separated cycleways, which give bike riders their own lane separate from motor traffic. The outcome is a safer road for all road users.

More people are riding more often – the facts:

• More than 1.3 million bicycles were sold in Australia in 2010 – double the number 10 years ago, and more than the number of cars sold every year.
• 85 per cent of people say that they would be more likely to take up cycling or ride more often if a safe cycleway network was provided.
• The number of bike riders commuting to work has increased 37 per cent in five years.
• An Inner Sydney Regional Bike Network will increase bike rider number a further 66 per cent by 2016 alone.

Separated Cycleways and Safety – a New York City Case Study

New York City – possibly one of the world’s most traffic-dominated cities – is building a huge cycling network to ease congestion and give New Yorkers an easy and safe way to get around.

In the three years to 2009, New York City built 200 miles of bike lanes, for a total bike lane network of over 620 miles. Thanks to this network, the number of bike riders in New York jumped 66 per cent in just two years.

In this video, the very people involved in building New York’s cycle network explain why separated cycleways are clearly the safest option for bike riders in a modern global city: