With a 55% drop in travel on Sydney’s road network during COVID-19 restrictions, the environment thanks you.
Across NSW, road transport is responsible for 68.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. Plus for every one litre of petrol used, 2.4 kilograms of carbon dioxide is released from the exhaust.
As COVID-19 restrictions are easing, the question is will the state’s pollution and traffic return to pre COVID-19 levels?
Increase in Demand
Already, we are seeing less people using public transport in anxiety of catching COVID-19. Currently 560,000 people are using public transport compared to 2.3 million last year. While a large portion of people are still working from home, many are seeking the safety in their cars instead of public transport.
Traffic around schools is higher than pre COVID-19 numbers with some councils even having created new pick up/drop off points to cope with demand.
Coping With The Demand
To help reduce this increasing road congestion as more people start returning to work and education, the NSW Government is providing funding for 10.3 km of pop up bike lanes in Sydney.
If there is a route in your area that needs a pop up bike lane to support more bike riders, you can share your suggestion with us here.
The Amy Gillett Foundation believes safe active transport must be an enduring feature of the ‘new normal’ for how Australians move through their local communities and are calling for an investment of at least $300million, on a national level, for bike riding infrastructure.
Turning Point For Bike Riding?
With places across NSW becoming more bike friendly than ever before, could COVID-19 prove to be the turning point for bike riding support across our state?
Yesterday, on World Bicycle Day, we saw two political announcements to support the future of bike riding. Jo Haylen, Shadow Minister for Active Transport, called on the NSW Government to make local streets safe to enable children to actively travel to school. Greens Active Transport portfolio holder the Hon Cate Faehrmann MP called on the government to release the principle bike network plan for Sydney.
“It has been great seeing an increase of people bike riding across NSW as a way to stay active during the COVID-19 restrictions. As they ease, we want this level to continue not only for the health of NSW residents but also to ease traffic congestion and emissions,” commented Alistair Ferguson, Bicycle NSW CEO.
This World Environment Day (June 5) we want everyone to share on social media what positive changes you have noticed in your local community during COVID-19. Don’t forget to tag us in using @bicyclensw
