We know tonight’s lifting of lockdown rules, and next week’s allowances for outdoor gatherings in parts of NSW have left you with questions.
Understandably, members are already asking us when group rides can resume. Does the reduction in restrictions in some Local Government Areas (LGAs) in rural and regional NSW mean that group rides are back on?
Outdoor Gatherings
Outdoor gatherings of up to 20 are allowed, and indoor gyms and recreation facilities will allow 20 people again. The allowance for outdoor gatherings from next Tuesday for groups of up to 5 people not in the LGA’s of concern, provided adults are fully vaccinated, means meeting up for a coffee after a ride is back on in some areas.
Does this mean group riding can return? Our challenge is the Deputy Premier has indicated there will not be a return to community sport yet. We had hoped for a release overnight of the new regulations, but until we have them we cannot be certain. This is how some people interpret the rules, and we will clarify as soon as we are able to.
However, school could be back as soon as Monday for areas released from lockdown, and will soon return in the rest of NSW. So this weekend is a great time to ride the route to school with your children, as a practice run for when they return.
Roadmap to Freedom
The rest of NSW has been provided with a ‘Roadmap to freedom for the fully vaccinated’ that will be enacted on the Monday after 70% of people in NSW over the age of 16 have received two doses of a COVID vaccine. Again it is unclear whether this means all restrictions in LGA’s of concern will be lifted immediately.
“We appreciate how difficult it is to get to grips with all these different rules,” said Bicycle NSW General Manager of Public Affairs, Bastien Wallace.
“When we aren’t able to be clear, we say so because we don’t want our members receiving big police fines,” said Bastien.
