Blacktown’s HelloRide Tour of Sydney Bike Lanes

The City of Sydney hosted Blacktown City Council designers to come and tour the infrastructure. HelloRide kindly provided the e-bikes (Image: City of Sydney)

Sydney’s own Bike Saint, Fiona Campbell, and her team of planners offered the tour. From dedicated bicycle paths to shared paths and bike-friendly intersections, visitors were given a comprehensive overview. The tour showcased the different types of infrastructure that exist in Sydney.

Fiona Campbell on her e-trike rides safely on separated cycleways with Blacktown’s planners and designers on HelloRide bikes (Image: City of Sydney)

This is a big deal

This little tour is a big deal for Blacktown and Greater Sydney. Because, it shows that Blacktown City Council is facing its future challenges with heart. To provide context, Blacktown is Sydney’s youngest (average age 33), most culturally diverse, and fastest-growing LGA. Indeed, by 2036 its population will likely reach 500,000. 

Blacktown is challenged by cost-of-living pressures and chronic lack of active transport infrastructure. There are criss-crossing motorways and not nearly enough trees. The resultant urban heat sinks. Car-dependence creates big environmental and health challenges. 

But Blacktown City Council’s design team is committed to building a city that enables cycling for transport as well as leisure.

Separation is key

The designers noted that separated bike lanes make riding so much safer and fun. Because they can relax without having to worry about cars. They also appreciated the power and appeal of e-bikes for people of all ages and abilities. Even distances and hills were no problem. On top of that, e-bikes increase the commuter radius and offer greener, healthier commutes.

No sweat: HelloRide bikes take the hills with ease (Image: City of Sydney)

Trees are a vital design element in healthy, liveable cities 

In addition to gaining insights into cycling infrastructure, the designers also learned about the importance of incorporating natural elements into street design. Large trees, for example, act as visual cues to slowing down traffic. Trees are also incredibly important in cooling and making places safer and inviting. When visitors in urban centres linger, businesses thrive, which is why businesses can’t get enough cycleways. It’s also why we’re calling for Better Streets.

Great design is flexible and combines not just structures but human stories

The tour exposed design staff to well-designed cycleways and site-specific challenges. The designers also appreciated that not all solutions fit set guidelines. And people respond positively when design incorporates local circumstances and context. The tour also provided an excellent opportunity for designers from different LGAs to meet, ponder and plan active transport. This type of collaboration and knowledge sharing is vital in creating safer and more effective cycling infrastructure.

Design solutions need to be as diverse as the streets and people living in them (Image: City of Sydney)

The most important takeaway

One of the most significant takeaways from the tour was the feeling of safety that designers experienced while cycling around the CBD. Although there are still gaps in the infrastructure, the City of Sydney has undertaken extensive work on cycleways. And the difference is tangible. Streets once hostile to pedestrians and cyclists now feel much more welcoming. And the cycleways are now knitted into the fabric of the city. 

Thanks so much to Fiona and her team for regularly making time to mentor staff from councils across Sydney.  

Furry bike advocates sniffing out the next adventure or treat! (Image: Better Streets)

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