NSW Green members for Balmain and Newtown Jamie Parker MP and Jenny Leong MP convened a forum on the 3rd of October to discuss ways to make things better for bike riding in NSW.
General Manager of Public Affairs, Bastien Wallace, represented Bicycle NSW and joined with representatives Bicycle User Groups from Glebe, Leichardt, Ashfield, Canada Bay, and the Inner West, as well as from the City of Sydney, Clover Moore’s office, the Heart Foundation, Vellopix, Five at Heart, the Dulwich Hill Cycling Club, Art Cycle, We Ride Australia and Cycling NSW to discuss infrastructure, road safety, active transport and behavior change issues across NSW.
Fiona Campbell from the City of Sydney presented to the group on the things the City of Sydney has been doing and the impacts safe, connected infrastructure has on bike riding. From there each representative raised the issues confronting them and their stakeholders.
The need for connected safe infrastructure was a key theme, along with the need for better Police enforcement of Minimum Passing distance and the need for increasing bike riding and active transport in NSW to reduce inactivity and health issues.
Opportunities were raised to connect infrastructure, overcome pinch-points, and provide green corridors to encourage active travel. However funding issues and the threat of rail and road projects refusing to provide for bikes, or removing key connections proved enduring themes.
Rural and regional connections and safer road shoulders for riders, safer construction management, improving heavy vehicle safety standards and the upcoming work Bicycle NSW and the Amy Gillett Foundation will be doing with Police were also raised.
The big surprise was the level of corporate support for bike riding. Mark Rossiter from Five at Heart explained that owners of 52 inner city Sydney buildings have invested $57M in end of trip facilities over the last 10 years. This is far more than the State Government.
“It’s great seeing so many people collaborating to make things better for bike riding in NSW. We will be doing everything we can to work together, support and amplify these voices,” said General Manager of Public Affairs, Bastien Wallace.
