Will the new ramp shift the demographic?
If you cycled across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Thursday 23rd October, you might have seen two members of the Bicycle NSW team.
Sarah, our Bike Planner, and Ali, our digital content support, were at the bottom of the infamous Milsons Point steps, scribbling away on sheets of paper. They were conducting a bike count during the peak commuting hour.
The aim was to record pre-ramp data and gain an insight into the demographic currently using the Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway.
Bicycle NSW team member, Ali, talks with a commuter about how her journey will be made easier with the completion of the northern access ramp to the Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway (Images: Bicycle NSW)
Between 7.30 and 8.30am, we counted hundreds of riders and made a note of several details, including: direction of travel, age, gender, type of bike, clothing, and storage solution.
Manual data collected after an hour of counting bike riders commuting across the Sydney Harbour Bridge (Image: Bicycle NSW)
Just steps away…from the new ramp to the Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway
Crunching the numbers: The data
Road bikes are by far the most popular choice for those taking on the 55 steps.
The commuting demographic on this route is overwhelmingly male.
89% of riders were aged between 30 and 60. Very few were older or younger.
Does this suggest there are good end-of-trip facilities at offices in the CBD?
Bicycle NSW: Decades of campaigning
Once the ramp has been installed, we’ll be returning to count again and see if the demographic shifts. Importantly, will more women start using the Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway for fast, convenient, healthy and fun trips between central and northern Sydney?
After four decades of campaigning on the Sydney Harbour Bridge alongside the brilliant advocates from Bike North, we are excited that the new ramp will make the city more accessible to parents with children, heavy e-bikes or cargo bikes, and regular commuters. The days of lugging a bike up 55 steps will be long gone.
Before you pedal over the bridge…
Bicycle NSW is the only bicycle advocacy group based in NSW with full-time staff advocating every day for all riders. Our small team is dedicated to making NSW better for bike riding.
But did you know that we are funded only by membership fees and donations?
