Melbourne bike riders were out in full force for Ride2Work day 2023, celebrating some of the city's best bike routes to work, and the improving spring weather.
Bicycle Network Counts at four key sites around Melbourne counted 2917 bike riders and 141 micro-mobility (e-scooter) users. Numbers were higher than last year at three of the locations.
Bicycle Network CEO Alison McCormack says thousands more Victorians added to the numbers this morning and numbers across Australia are predicted to reach over 100,000.
"Ride2Work Day encourages Australians to rethink their transport habits each year. And we know many of them take up riding even just a little more regularly after they make that initial commitment," she says.
"The number of riders we count on Ride2Work Day shows local, state and federal governments that people do ride, and that even more would ride with the right support, conditions and investment."
Rider numbers increased by 18.5% at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre count site, reaching 798 riders. Approximately 19% were women.
A total of 1032 bike riders travelled through Harbour Esplanade this morning, an increase of 10% on last year. 22% of them were women (no gender data was recorded last year).
At Canning Street in Carlton North 842 riders passed our counters, a 5.5% increase on last year. Women represented 38% of the total, which was a slight decrease from 41% last year.
A solid 245 riders were counted travelling through Mentone in Melbourne's southeast, 20% of them were women.
"People who rode to work today saved money on transport costs – and we know the price of fuel has skyrocketed and that the cost of using public transport daily adds up.
"And they helped to reduce transport emissions in their city or suburb this morning too. Riding a bike 6km daily can reduce a person’s annual carbon footprint by up to 1.2 tons," McCormack says.
It's not too late to make your commute count! Register your ride for National Ride2Work Day.