In the 1970s and 1980s, Life. Be in it. advertising campaign was one of the most widely recognised lifestyle messages in Australia.

The announcement came as the Opposition Leader Matthew Guy blamed Victoria’s ‘out of control population growth’ for the state’s growing congestion and health problems. 

“We are spending more time stuck in traffic congestion and less time for rest and recreation.” Mr Guy said.

“It’s never been harder to find the time to exercise and keep fit.”

The election promise to encourage active living also comes after the Coalition pledged to bring back compulsory school sport competitions.

While it’s great to see the Coalition move its attention away from building airports and roads, it would be great to see all parties commit to funding long-term and sustainable preventative health activities.

Given the emerging and entrenched health and congestion challenges facing everyday Victorians – an advertising campaign or compulsory sport for students is simply not enough.

While staggering amounts are funneled into building more roads and rail, very little is spent on making it easier for people to incorporate activity into their daily lives.

We don’t need the encouragement—Victorians want to get active—we need to break down the barriers.

By investing in bike riding, we can build health and physical activity into people’s daily lives through transport and recreation.

We can save people time, money, plus they’ll be happier and healthier for it.

We know that if we build more accessible, connected and attractive places to ride, more people of all ages, backgrounds and genders will.

If we make bike riding easier, Victorians will choose active transport over the other modes.

As a modern and liveable state, Victoria’s transport system is our most efficient and cost-effective preventative health mechanism and congestion buster.

Don’t forget about bikes

This election, Bicycle Network is asking all parties to not forget about bikes.

We want to see a strong commitment to building attractive and connected places to ride as well as investment in proven, successful behaviour change programs such as Ride2School.

See Bicycle Network’s election priorities and key commitments 

How can you help? 

Make sure the voice of bike riders and those who want to ride more are heard this election. Reach out to your local members and make sure they don’t forget about bikes. 

Find out how you can take action today. 

The post Coalition promises Life. Be in it 2.0 appeared first on Bicycle Network.

In a massive coup for people who ride bikes, the two middle lanes of St Kilda Road from the National Gallery to St Kilda Junction will be replaced with a dedicated bike lane with a protective barrier as part of a Labor pre-election promise.

Announced late yesterday, the $27 million project includes building a ‘central safety zone’ with a separated lane in the middle of the road north of St Kilda Junction to Linlithgow Avenue.

Copenhagen-style bike lanes will also be built south of St Kilda Junction from Carlisle Street.

In comments to The Age, Roads Minister Luke Donnellan recognised the current risk that St Kilda Road poses to all road users.

“St Kilda Road is one of our busiest roads but also one of the most dangerous,” Roads Minister Luke Donnellan said.

“With this investment, we’ll make it safer for everyone to use.”

The government vowed the project would be completed by the time the Domain precinct re-opens after Metro Tunnel works are completed in 2025.

St Kilda Road is one of Melbourne’s busiest bike routes, with more than 3,000 bike riders travelling between Melbourne’s southern suburbs and the CBD each day.

At the same time, it’s also one of the most dangerous stretches of road for people who ride bikes and walk.

There were 196 crashes involving a pedestrian or bike rider on St Kilda Road between 2000 and 2015. It is also the state’s number one hot spot for dooring.

After more than 10 years of campaigning, Bicycle Network believes that a protected bike lane in the centre of St Kilda Road is the best option for all road users.

A central design removes the risk for driveway collisions, separates bikes from left turning traffic, improves movement around tram stops and reduces risk for pedestrians crossing the street.

Bicycle Network CEO Craig Richards welcomed yesterday’s announcement.

“St Kilda Road is one of the world’s great boulevards, but people riding bikes there are twice as likely to be doored​ as any other street in Melbourne,” Mr Richards said.

“The problem is real and it’s great to see the government step in and show its commitment to reducing the risk for Victorians who ride.”

“Unfortunately, like all projects, it’s taken too long to get to this stage and will take too long to complete. But every step forward is a win.”

See the official announcement from Labor – “New Bike Lanes To Make St Kilda Road Safer For Everyone”

See Bicycle Network’s campaign to fix St Kilda Road.

Help show our appreciation

St Kilda Road bike lanes have always been controversial, with the most recent plans scuttled in November 2017.

As expected, some anti-bike riding groups have jumped in and complained.

It would be great if the bike riding community showed Labor how much fixing St Kilda Road means to them.

Please send an email to your local MP and the Roads Minister to thank and congratulate them.  

• Email Roads Minister Jaala Pulford at jaala.pulford@parliament.vic.gov.au
• Email Premier Daniel Andrews at daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au
• Email local member for Albert Park Martin Foley martin.foley@parliament.vic.gov.au

Don’t forget to cc’ campaigns@bicyclenetwork.com.au

A bold new plan to remove some car lanes from St Kilda Road to make way for cyclists has been unveiled by the Labor Party. @BrendanDonohoe7 #7News pic.twitter.com/qkioBnPnYN

— 7 News Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) October 17, 2018

The post St Kilda Road bike lanes a reality under Labor appeared first on Bicycle Network.

Every Tasmanian council will be re-elected in October, except for Glenorchy, with polls for the postal vote closing at 10am on Tuesday 30 October.

All council elections are by postal vote, and ballot papers should start appearing in your mailbox from early October.

Bicycle Network has put together a wish list for local government candidates.

1. Safe infrastructure

Separated cycleways encourage more people to ride. About half the population would be interested in riding more if they were separated from traffic. Painted bike lanes are good for the small numbers of people who currently ride but are unlikely to encourage many more people to ride.

2. Bike Parking

Providing secure, undercover bicycle parking that is easily accessible and caters to electric bicycles is a must for all major towns.

3. Local Leadership

Our local councils can lead the way by making it easier for their staff to ride by providing bicycle fleets, secure parking, showers and lockers, and helping local businesses to do the same.

4. Safe School Routes 

Implement separated cycleways and/or traffic-calmed, 30km/h roads around schools to get more children active and reduce traffic congestion.

5. Bike Plans

All local councils should have funded bicycle plans that improve and expand bicycle transport networks as well as sport and recreation facilities. 

On top of these core approaches, each local government area has key projects that candidates should be asked if they support.

We’ve started putting together project priority lists for the city councils, and welcome your suggestions for additions to the lists.

HOBART

• Development of a separated cycleway network in Hobart as part of the city’s new Bicycle Plan, to be completed in 2019.
• Funding in the ten-year Capital Works plan to roll out separated bicycle infrastructure across the city. 
• A safe intersection at Molle and Collins streets and separated cycleway along Collins St.
• Establishment of a dedicated cycling infrastructure and promotion unit within the council.
• Council to work with business community to build evidence base for the benefits of active transport in the city centre, in line with the Inner City Action Plan.

LAUNCESTON

• Completion of the missing link at Mowbray for the Rocherlea to Inveresk trail.
• Connection of the North East Rail Trail to Lilydale.
• Seal Inveresk trail from Invermay Park to Vermont Rd.
• Implement a north–south separated cycleway through the CBD.
• Provide part funding for a Cycling North/Active Transport officer.
• Council to work with business community to build evidence base for the benefits of active transport in the CBD, in line with the City Heart project goals.

 DEVONPORT

• Continued implementation of the city’s bike plan.
• Development of new post 2020 bike plan.

BURNIE

• Continued implementation of the city’s North West Coastal pathway commitments.
• Provide separated pathways linking residential areas to coastal pathway and city centre.

CLARENCE

• Build an underpass at the Mornington Roundabout.
• Create an easy to follow cycleway between the airport and Hobart.
• Rosny Hill Road bicycle path, with links to Kangaroo Bay Rivulet Track and Clarence Foreshore Trail.
• Clarence Street separated cycling lanes.

Contact your local candidates and ask them where they stand on our Top Five wishlist, as well as any infrastructure projects you think should get up.

Our Vote Bike council elections page has lists of candidates who have said they intend to run for one of the city councils, although nominations are not officially announced until Tuesday 25 September.

The post Council electioneering gears up appeared first on Bicycle Network.

The Legislative Council is the check and balance house in Tasmania, so we were curious to see where candidates stood on the issue of making roads safer for bicycle riders.

We drew up a pledge and asked all candidates we could get in contact with (some don’t have their details publicly listed) to sign it. The pledge reads:

If I am elected to the Legislative Council seat of Hobart, I pledge to:

• support the establishment of protected cycleways
• support programs which help people choose active transport options
• support legislative changes which create safer conditions for vulnerable road users.

The pledge for Prosser candidates has the addition of support for sealing road shoulders on routes popular for cycling in a nod to the many kilometres of rural roads in that electorate.

Prosser is a sprawling rural seat that takes in Campbell Town and Bicheno in the north, down to Brighton and Sorell in the south and the entire Tasman Peninsula.

Hobart is one of the smallest seats geographically, covering the city of Hobart, New Town, Lenah Valley, Battery Point, Glebe, Mt Stuart and South and West Hobart, up to the top of kunanyi/Mount Wellington and Fern Tree.

With only about one-third of Australian adults and children getting enough exercise, protected cycleways provide a way for people to incorporate physical activity into daily routines.  

All of Tasmania’s urban centres need protected cycleways to give people the choice of riding to schools, employment and shops, but in Hobart they are also needed to provide an alternative to frequent traffic jams.

Only 2% of people ride to work in Hobart and about 30% of children ride or walk to school.

In schools where Bicycle Network delivers its Ride2School program on average the number of children who ride or walk to school increases from about 30% to over 50%.

US research shows that if cities install protected cycleways then up to 60% of the population would consider riding.

Hobart already has two protected paths leading into the city – Intercity Cycleway and Hobart Rivulet – but once riders are delivered to the edge of the city they are on their own.

The state parliament and southern councils can change this by prioritising cycling and investing in protected pathways on selected routes through the city.

The names and comments from candidates who support the safer cycling pledge will be added to this page as the campaign unfolds.

Hobart

• Richard Griggs: independent – “As a commuting cyclist fortunate enough to use the Intercity Cycleway I appreciate the difference that good cycling infrastructure can make.”
• Rob Valentine: independent – “During my terms on the Hobart City Council and on the Public Works Committee in the Tasmanian Parliament I have advocated for increasing the amenity of cyclists many times when dealing with road construction and other relevant infrastructure projects.”
• Chris Simcox: Animal Justice Party – said at the candidates forum on Thursday 26 April that he is a bicycle rider and very supportive of separated cycleways and other measures to improve safety.

Prosser

• Jo Bain: independent – “I am painfully aware of the hazards cyclists face both in urban areas and possibly more so on rural roads, where narrowness and bad edges make cycling extremely hazardous and evasive action difficult to achieve. “
• Scott Wiggins: independent – “bicycle lanes should be a priority whenever roadworks are undertaken especially in tourist and holiday areas”

• Kelly Spaulding: independent for Prosser. Kelly didn’t sign the safer cycling pledge but said “I know many keen cyclists and I am very aware of issues and concerns and would look forward to working with your network to progress these issues if I get elected.”
• Lorraine Bennett: Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party hasn’t signed the pledge but did send a picture of herself on her bicycle to show her support.
• Kim Peart: independent hasn’t signed the pledge but supports walking and cycling trails between towns as a response to climate change, including the hills south of Colebrook. He has also advocated for a Moreton Bay to Port Arthur cycling trail. 

Image: www.flickr.com/photos/dougbeckers

Authorised by Alison Hetherington, 210 Collins Street, Hobart

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The good news is that the Liberal and Greens parties have committed to funding the Bicycle Network Ride2School program in the next term of government. The bad news is that Labor is yet to commit funding to the program.

Bicycle infrastructure

All parties have promised some funding for bicycle infrastructure in the coming four years:

• The Greens have committed $20 million in a bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure fund that matches council contributions. This comes close to the Bicycle Network request to spend $10 for every Tasmanian.
• The Liberal Party has promised $6 million for cycling infrastructure on state roads and to connect state and local road infrastructure, with $2 million to be spent in the south, north-west and north. Some of this funding will be matched with local council contributions. It has also promised $2 million in matched funding grants for southern councils for bicycle infrastructure that connects areas within towns or regions through lanes or dedicated cycleways.
• The Labor Party is offering $4 million in matched funding with local councils and community groups for tracks and trails up to a limit of $100,000 for each project.

Not enough for real change

While it’s great to have money pledged for new bicycle lanes and tracks, what is being promised is still not enough to make the changes needed to get more people riding.

We know that if we are going to reap the health benefits of more people being more active, we have to build connected, separated cycleways that are more than a line painted on a road.

Some 60% of people say they want to ride more often, but not next to moving traffic.

It would be perfect if we were able to get riders around on off-road bike paths: not only are they lower risk than on-road lanes, they are cheaper to build.

However, in many built-up areas this is not possible so we have to look at separated on-road lanes. These are commonly referred to as Copenhagen-style lanes, where the road is re-organised so the bike lane runs next to the footpath and has a concrete barrier or row of parked cars protecting riders from moving traffic.

Separated on-road lanes cost roughly $1 million per kilometre to build. Even with local councils also stumping up money, current funding commitments mean it would take decades to build connected networks in our urban centres.

Other promises

The Liberal party follows a positive provisioning policy when it builds roads. This means that any new road has cycling infrastructure factored into the build.

Because the Liberals are promising a lot of new roads and bridges this election, this means cycling infrastructure will automatically be included. On some projects, like the West Tamar Highway improvement, road shoulders are being sealed and widened to cater for road cyclists. On the Bass Highway upgrade, a dedicated cycling and pedestrian bridge across the Forth River will be created from a disused rail bridge.

The Greens have set aside $80 million over three years for a Hobart City Deal. This would cover the state government’s share for public transport, walking and cycling infrastructure, including end-of-ride facilities.

The Liberals have also responded positively to two Bicycle Network requests of all the parties:

• review planning and development laws to require developers to provide bike parking and “associated facilities” in major cities across the state.
• update the Walking and Cycling for Active Transport Strategy and provide regular implementation updates.

Our Vote Bike website page lists other smaller promises from all the parties and will be kept updated right up to election day.

Share your Saturday

Will you be riding to the polling booth, or looking forward to tucking into a democracy sausage? Let us know how it goes by sharing your photos using #VoteBike and tagging @Bicycle_Network on Twitter and Instagram.

The post Tasmanian election 2018 countdown appeared first on Bicycle Network.

Bicycle Network Tasmania Advisor Alison Hetherington said the three-year funding commitment would mean the program will be able to be run across more schools in the state.

“Bicycle Network received two years of seed funding during the past term of government and in schools where we delivered Ride2School we saw walking and riding participation increase on average by about 60%.

“The ongoing funding commitment means we can now roll this successful program out to more Tasmanian schools and get more children moving.

“Some two-thirds of children do not get the 60 minutes of moderate physical activity they need to stay healthy. Encouraging children to ride and walk to school incorporates physical activity into daily routines.

“Recent research from the Heart Foundation found that more than half of parents surveyed thought it was important that children ride and walk to school but were worried about safety.

“Our Ride2School program works to reduce the barriers that children, parents and school communities face when it comes to increasing the numbers of students riding, walking, skating or scooting to school”

“Bicycle Network’s national Ride2School day is on Friday 23 March and this year we’ve also provided parents with their own information hub that helps overcome concerns and get more children riding to school: www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/rides-and-events/ride2school/parent-portal/

“The Liberals and Greens have now both committed to funding Ride2School and we look forward to similar support from the Labor Party.

“We also welcome recent announcements from the Liberal Party that boost its commitment to on-road cycling connections to $6 million statewide in matched funding with local councils,” Ms Hetherington said.

The post Ride2School promise boon for health, safety appeared first on Bicycle Network.

The fund was announced in today’s Examiner newspaper and would match local government or community spending up to a limit of $100 000.

Bicycle Network Advisor Alison Hetherington welcomed the announcement but warned that ongoing state government funding was the key to getting more people out of cars and on to bikes.

“Building better tracks and trails is a great way of getting people out riding and walking.

“However, a one-off $4 million grant program with grants of only $100 000 will not be enough to really embed active transport in Tasmania.

“If we are serious about giving people the transport options to increase their daily exercise then we need a constant funding source for bicycle infrastructure to connect networks and improve infrastructure.

As part of Bicycle Network’s Vote Bike election campaign, Australia’s biggest bike riding advocacy group is calling for at least $21.3 million to be spent on bicycle infrastructure over four years.

This works out to be at least $10 per person on bike infrastructure to bring Tasmania’s facilities up to a useful standard and future proof the city.

In 2015–16, Tasmania spent $3.64 per person on bicycle facilities against the national average of $5.29.

“We want to make it easy for Tasmanians to jump on a bike to ride to work, school, the local shops or visit friends and family.

“Some 60% of Australians don’t get the 30 minutes of daily moderate exercise they need to be healthy.

“Helping people to choose active transport options like walking and riding makes it easier for people to get the daily exercise they need to ward off preventable cancers, heart disease and diabetes.

For Bicycle Network’s top ten bicycle asks of a new government, visit http://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/votebike.

Following the campaign online at #VoteBikeTAS.

The post Labor’s tracks and trails funding good first step appeared first on Bicycle Network.

More active transport options across the state will help ease traffic congestion in our bigger centres and improve people’s health, but they get little attention.

Bicycle Network has got together with the University of Tasmania, the Heart Foundation and Sustainable Living Tasmania to present three forums across the state so you can question candidates directly about their active transport plans.

Each of the forums runs 6.30–8pm and will give you the chance to ask questions of candidates in the state election on Saturday 3 March from the Liberal, Labor and Greens parties. The JLN candidates were invited to participate but have not yet responded.

We have also had help from local groups, especially the Central Coast Council which is hosting the Ulverstone event and Mayor Jan Bonde who is MCing, Safer Roads for Cyclists who brought the north-west groups together, and the Coastal Pathways Coalition, Tamar Bicycle Users Group and RACT for promoting the forums.

Come along to ask about the issues or projects important to you or some of the Bicycle Network asks of a new government on our www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/votebike webpage.

The post Ask what the parties are doing for bikes appeared first on Bicycle Network.

During the recent Leader’s Debate in Burnie both the Labor and Liberal leaders were asked whether they would commit to including cycleways on all future roads.

Labor leader Rebecca White said she couldn’t make that commitment but did support wider road shoulders and greater investment in tracks and trails.

Liberal leader Will Hodgman said it is difficult to retrofit cycle paths, but it is ideal when building new roads. He mentioned the party’s cycling strategy for tourists and locals to ensure they can safely cycle.

Neither leader seemed to be strongly supportive of getting more people riding even though it would be small price to pay to reduce traffic congestion and improve health outcomes.

A recent Canadian study found that for every personal dollar spent on walking, riding, bus riding and driving, society pays 1 cent, 8 cents, $1.50 and $9.20 respectively.

And that doesn’t take into account the benefits to the health budget of reducing preventable illnesses cause by inactivity and being overweight.

While health dominates the coverage of the election campaign it seems to be solely focused on acute health problems like hospital beds and ambulances.

Tasmania does need a good hospital system, especially as we rate poorly on many health indicators.

But what has been missing to date is discussion of a preventative health approach that would reduce the number of people needing acute care.

The Liberals have cited the target of reducing Tasmania’s rate of obesity to below the national average by 2025 but have not said how they will achieve that.

They have promised a small amount of funding for southern Tasmanian cycling lanes and sealing the shoulders of some northern roads, which will go some way to improving cycling conditions but is not enough if they are serious about getting more people active.

Tasmanian Labor also has preventative health goals such as reducing smoking rates and increasing immunization, but their only activity goals are around subsidies for children who want to join sporting clubs.

This is a worthwhile goal but funding our Ride2School program would get more children being active every day. Two-thirds of Australian children do not get their recommended daily 60 minutes of moderate physical activity.

Neither party has yet announced a comprehensive plan for getting more adults active despite 60 per cent of Australian adults not getting the recommended daily 30 minutes of moderate physical activity.

There is still time for new policy announcements that address the widespread problem of inactivity. Bicycle Network will keep an eye on the parties’ policy announcements to let you know what is being promised for bike riders. 

For regular updates – check out our VoteBike 2018 election website and join the campaign.

There have not yet been any bicycle-specific initiatives announced by the Greens, Jacquie Lambie Network or Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party..

Authorised by Alison Hetherington, 210 Collins Street, Hobart

The post Election promises ignoring bicycle potential appeared first on Bicycle Network.

The Hodgman Government’s proposed grants program aims to help councils create or extend bicycle routes as a way to boost active transport in Southern Tasmania.

Bicycle Network Advisor Alison Hetherington welcomed the announcement, but warned that ongoing state government funding was the key getting more people out of cars and on to bikes.

“Tasmania has one of the lowest spends per head of the population on bicycle infrastructure nationally,” Bicycle Network Adviser Alison Hetherington said.

“The Liberals’ announcement of a $2 million grants program to extend bicycle routes in southern Tasmania is a good first step to getting more people riding bikes more often.

“However, to really embed active transport in Tasmania we need a constant funding source for bicycle infrastructure so local governments can plan ahead and join the dots in their bicycle lane networks.”

As part of Bicycle Network’s Vote Bike election campaign, Australia’s biggest bike riding advocacy group is calling for at least $21.3 million to be spent on bicycle infrastructure over four years.

This works out to be at least $10 per person on bike infrastructure to bring Tasmania’s facilities up to a useful standard and future proof the city.

In 2015–16, Tasmania spent $3.64 per person on bicycle facilities against the national average of $5.29.

“Providing bicycle lanes and paths in urban centres that people use daily is one way of improving the health of Tasmanians,” Ms Hetherington added.

“We want to make it easy for Tasmanians to jump on a bike to ride to work, school, the local shops or visit friends and family.

“Helping people to choose active transport options like walking and riding makes it easier for people to get daily exercise they need to ward off preventable cancers, heart disease and diabetes.

For Bicycle Network’s top ten bicycle asks of a new government, visit http://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/votebike.

Following the campaign online at #VoteBikeTAS.

The post Liberals’ new bicycle grants good first step appeared first on Bicycle Network.