Four Photos
Is it getting easier to ride a bike in Australia?
Four Photos tracks the progress of important bike routes in our cities.
#FourPhotos
Victoria
BENDIGO
More people want to ride in Bendigo, but the bike network needs to be improved with better connections and bike lanes. We’ve chosen four places and recommended improvements.
We have described why we have included each location and what can be done to improve it. We’ll go back every two years to check on the progress.
Photo 1: Ellis Street
Why: a key route from La Trobe University and Bendigo South East Secondary College to the city that needs an upgrade from a painted lane. Work is scheduled to commence late 2019.
What’s needed: As a key route from La Trobe University and Bendigo South East Secondary College, an upgrade of the painted lane to a fully separated bike lane was badly needed.
What’s happened: The separated lane is complete and operational! In the end a bi-directional lane was the compromise, but with treatments through the roundabouts, this lane is an example of why high-class places for people to ride aren’t just for people living in a capital city.
Ellis Street in 2022.
Photo 2: Ironbark Gully Trail
Why: a link is needed to the Long Gully trail to access schools, sporting facilities and Eaglehawk and Marong Roads. This area currently has little functional open space. This trial is a high priority in the City’s draft Walking and Cycling Strategy.
What’s needed: An off-road link to schools, sporting facilities and Eaglehawk and Marong Roads is needed through the reserve to the Long Gully Trail.
What’s happened: Despite the trail being a high priority in Bendigo’s Walking and Cycling Strategy, nothing has changed.
Ironbark Gully Trail in 2022.
Photo 3: Mundy Street
Why: with significant building projects planned, Mundy Street could become a key city bike street and a key connection from the Back Creek and Bendigo Creek Trails.
What’s needed: An off-road link to schools, sporting facilities and Eaglehawk and Marong Roads is needed through the reserve to the Long Gully Trail.
What’s happened: Despite the trail being a high priority in Bendigo’s Walking and Cycling Strategy, nothing has changed.
Mundy Street in 2022.
Photo 4: Bendigo Creek lowline
Why: an incredibly elaborate ‘drain’ is underused and could become a stunning public space. It has public support to be transformed.
What’s needed: A separated bike lane to convert Mundy Street into a key connection to the Back Creek and Bendigo Creek Trails.
What’s happened: The significant construction of the court and government buildings is underway but there’s no sign of any encouragement being provided for people to get to the those places by bike.
Bendigo Creek lowline in 2022.
Four Photos
The cities
We've picked spots in Adelaide where the current bike infrastructure is not up to scratch, or bike lanes could be developed to connect missing links.
We've picked four spots in Perth that are popular and existing bike routes but aren't quite up to scratch. With a bit of extra love they can become gold-class riding routes.
Ballarat is a city experiencing significant population growth. It has a golden opportunity to become a livable city where people have more choices about how they move around.
Darwin has some bike friendly laws, but there are some areas that desperately need upgrading to help more people get riding.
For years, Sydney had the reputation as the toughest city in Australia to ride a bike. But many hard won, giant strides have been made recently.
Hobart can become one of Australia's great bike cities, but there are some dead ends in the network and not one protected bike lane.
Launceston could be an easy town to ride around, but there are missing links and poor quality trails and not one protected on-road bike lane.
Melbourne is known as one of Australia's most bike friendly cities, but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.
Brisbane is becoming a bike friendly city – in 2019 it has a successful share bike program, a mayor who wants to relax mandatory helmet laws and allows footpath riding. However, there are still many gains to be made, including improvements to four important bike routes.