Hobart and Launceston travel data is in
The Tasmanian Government has released the findings of its 2019 greater Hobart travel survey which finds the average distance of most trips is about 10.8 km – showing there are many trips of a rideable distance, especially on an e-bike.
The survey found the average household had access to 1.8 cars and 1.2 bicycles, while 7.4% of people had ridden a bicycle in the previous week. 84% of work commutes were by private car and only 7% of people rode in a private car as a passenger, 2% were by bicycle, 7% by bus, 6% walked and 1% were other methods.
This compares to data released a few months ago for the greater Launceston transport vision which showed that 89% of all work commutes were by private car, only 2% of people took buses and 6% walked or rode, and 75% of people lived less than 10 km from their workplace.
Young ambassadors call for more bike paths
It seems we are not the only ones to want more bike paths, thanks to Dieter and Kade for putting it so succinctly in their video released at the launch of the latest issue of the Future Tasmania Zine.
They are both ambassadors for the office of the Commissioner for Children and Young People Tasmania and the video received a special mention at the launch from Tasmania’s Governor the Honourable Kate Warner, who is a keen bike rider herself.
Waratah and Wynard Council is in the process of putting together a Settlement Strategy that will include some bicycle infrastructure options, which we’ll let you know about as soon as it’s available for public consultation.
#HearMyVoiceTas, #zine2020, #FutureTasmania #CCYPambassadors
Launceston students get benefits of bike know-how
If you have an old bike you no longer need, you can donate it to the Launceston Big Picture School to help students hone their mechanic skills and raise money for refugees.
The students sell the upcycled bikes for just $20 at the school, or on Gumtree if they work on a better quality bike, and have raised about $9000 since the program first started.
The Bob's Bikes program was recently featured in The Examiner newspaper.
Burnie pumped for new track, path
Burnie City Council has put out a tender to build a 300 metre long pump track and 2.3 kilometre cycle path at View Road Reserve, with completion aimed for April next year.
The pump track is designed to suit all levels of ability and will have an asphalt surface and the cycle path will also be all abilities with gradients of 3-7%.
East Derwent Hwy duplication has bike benefits
The Tasmanian Government has issued a tender to duplicate a section of the East Derwent Highway in Geilston Bay which will include on-road bike lanes and a short section of off-road shared path leading to the Lindisfarne North Primary School.
The new road between Golf Links Road and Sugarloaf Road will have on-road bike lanes on both sides and a short shared path between Golf Links Road and Dumbarton Avenue.
Construction is due to being over the 2020–21 summer.
