Month: January 2026

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Advocacy

Viola Place bikeway delivers safer cycling connections 

On January 27, Brisbane City Council officially opened the Viola Place bikeway. It’s a really important 600-metre shared path connecting Viola Place to Schneider Road near Brisbane Airport. While short in distance, the link fills a long-standing gap in Brisbane’s bike network, providing a safe, off-road alternative to some of the area’s most challenging and traffic-heavy roads. The link has solar lighting for added safety after dark.

Brisbane City Councillor Ryan Murphy said the opening marked the end of a frustratingly long journey for riders and advocates alike. 

“This link was about to be constructed when I became a councillor in 2012 and we’re opening it in 2026,” Cr Murphy said. “This is one of those ones that was caught in development hell between land acquisition, TradeCoast, lawyers, between state government and council.” 

Despite the delays, Cr Murphy said the importance of the connection was always clear, given the tens of thousands of people who work in the airport precinct. “The fact that it’s now open is really satisfying to me. This is one of the most satisfying openings I’ve ever been to, even though it’s a small link.” 

Cr Murphy said the bikeway provides a vital alternative to dangerous on-road routes. 

“People come off the Gateway Bridge and they want to get straight into the airport precinct,” he said. 
“They can’t do it unless they go down Sugar Mill Road, and it’s an extremely dangerous connection. You’ve got trucks, lots of delivery vehicles, because we’ve got some of the big freight companies here.” 

“This just means those cyclists are now safe. They can continue on what is an off-road path, all the way through to the airport precinct, and we know that there’s tens of thousands of people that work at that precinct.” 

Cr Murphy also paid tribute to the persistence of local advocates. 

“We also just thank the advocates who have been so patient, and many of the Bicycle Queensland members have been so patient, waiting for this connection to be here,” he said. 

Bicycle Queensland CEO Matthew Burke, who was at the opening, said “Parts of this route were built many years ago, but only this week is it all starting to stitch together as a bicycle friendly route to the airport precinct.”  

He said “Kudos to Mitch Bright and the Brisbane Airport Bicycle User Group (BUG) for their decades-long advocacy for this network. Congratulations to Council’s project team for completing a tricky project that wasn’t made easy by Queensland Rail and other land owners.” 

Mitch Bright with Andrew Demack
Belinda Ward from Space4Cycling BNE

Prof Burke also highlighted the need for a bike-friendly airport. “People already arrive at Brisbane Airport with bikes and try to ride to the city centre. They find themselves on pretty awful roads straight away. We’re now that bit closer to a safe direct route.” 

For Mitch Bright from the Airport BUG, the opening represents more than a decade of advocacy. 

“The bikeway connecting to the Gateway Bridge was first suggested when the bridge was in planning. The bridge opened in 2010, with no connection,” Mr Bright said. 

He said council funding was committed years ago, but progress stalled. 

“In 2014, the Brisbane City Council determined that this connection … through Viola Place to Schneider Road, was an option that they should pursue,” he said. “In 2019, we still hadn’t seen any action on that, so we started getting active, talking to the local newspapers. In 2021, council announced they’d be building it that year, and then nothing happened, and then, finally, in 2025, we finally got a work order.” 

For riders, the difference is immediate. 

“The alternative is Sugar Mill Road, which is quite heavily trafficked by trucks,” Mr Bright said. “There’s also Nudgee Road, which is a freight route as well.” 

Belinda Ward from Space4Cycling said the link transforms access for riders crossing the Gateway Bridge. 

“It’s a major connector for anyone who comes over the Gateway Bridge,” she said.  “This path, although it’s only short, it cuts out some horrendous pieces of infrastructure.” 

She said the opening also supports changing travel patterns. 
“This suddenly opens up a cheap, safe alternative to get to a lot of workplaces.” 

As Brisbane’s airport and surrounding employment precincts continue to grow, the Viola Place bikeway stands as a reminder that sometimes the most best infrastructure upgrades are the ones that finally connect the major projects. 

Categories
Advocacy

Bicycle Queensland meets with Minister Mickelberg 

Bicycle Queensland CEO Professor Matt Burke and Acting Chair Miles Vass have met with Queensland Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg to discuss the state’s approach to active transport, with a focus on policy settings, project priorities and delivery processes. 

Speaking after the meeting, Prof. Burke said the discussion was constructive, partly thanks to the good work of the State Government in late 2025 clamping down on unsafe e-motorbikes, and in setting up a new active transport advisory group to improve communications with the Department of Transport and Main Roads. 

Policy 

In terms of policy priorities, Miles informed the Minister that road safety was the key advocacy and policy priority for Bicycle Queensland this year.  The main topic then discussed was the current inquiry into e-mobility, which will be reporting in March. While the Minister must wait until the findings are handed down, Prof. Burke re-iterated that Bicycle Queensland is well-placed to help, where appropriate, on the messaging around of any upcoming changes or with education or training that may be required.  

For members and followers, a reminder that BQ has consistently promoted the benefits of compliant e-bikes and the use of e-scooters within current legislation. 

‘We’ve been fighting to keep legal e-bike riding safe and secure, to preserve that part of the industry,’ Prof. Burke confirmed. ‘I did thank the Minister for the clamping down on the retailers, and use of illegal motorbikes in Queensland – many shops stopped selling these products.’ 

Projects

The main infrastructure project discussed was the Logan Faster Rail continuous active transport corridor. As covered last year, the promised continuous bike way along the length of the rail upgrade has been split into disconnected parts. The Minister was surprised to hear that the project team had done no advertising of the bikeway deletion to either the broader bike community or the local community. 

‘There’s almost no chance to get the section north from Compton Road to Kuraby re-instated,’ Professor Burke reported. ‘It’s decreasingly likely that we’ll get the all important section from Kingston to Woodridge station re-instated. But the Minister is willing to find something  better than what is there at present.’ 

The Minister suggested there may be a solution that is ‘80% as good’ and BQ are very keen to explore that. The current proposal to rely on the out-of-date bike lanes on Jacaranda Avenue is untenable. TMR run their own heavy vehicle driver training and testing along that route. The bikeway should be how hundreds of school children get to the four schools on or just off the corridor there. They can’t mix with trucks.  

‘We’ll keep the pressure on for this project. We’ll work with the Logan Bicycle User Group on options. We’ll alert the local community that the bikeway was deleted. We’ll build support for the bikeway – again’ Prof. Burke confirmed. 

Procedures 

The Minister has set up a new Queensland Active Transport and Advisory Group (ATAG), replacing the old cycling committee. 
 
‘The previous committee hardly ever met, and had very little input. I was on it whilst at Griffith University,’ confirmed Prof. Burke. ‘We need this new entity to meet more often and to prioritise two-way communication.’ 

‘I’ve been on a number of committees with TMR over the years. The best use workshops to help formulate policy options and project directions in the Department, whether that’s to change design guidance, change funding rules, test out new innovations, or more.’ 

Here at BQ we get a sense the Minister is listening and engaged, but that bicycle funding is unlikely to increase in the near future. He and the Queensland Government have both said they will listen to the community. However, there is still much to fight for – and we will have more news in that space shortly, including how you can get involved. 

Categories
Advocacy

Brisbane City Council still keen to deliver Aspley’s missing bike path 

Bicycle Queensland has reached out to Brisbane City Council about a funded active transport project in Aspley in Brisbane’s north. $5 million in State Government funding was provided to Brisbane City Council in June 2024, but construction has yet to begin. 

The Aspley link goes from Beams Road to Cabbage Tree Creek. It will allow you to ride up and beside the Beams Road overpass, avoiding the dangerous road crossing underneath. It serves a number of transport functions, providing safer access Aspley State High School and to Carseldine rail station.  

Yesterday, Queensland’s Shadow Transport Minister Bart Mellish effectively posed two important questions: Where did the funding go? When will the project proceed? Both the local community and the bicycle community deserve answers to these questions. 

Late Friday our CEO, Matthew Burke, received assurances from the Lord Mayor’s office that Council still wants to build the bikeway.  

It may take us a bit more time to get a fuller picture on the funding agreement and the timing for delivery. We’ll engage with Council and others over the coming weeks and will let the large Northern Brisbane cycling community know more when we have a clear picture.  

Categories
Advocacy

Sylvan Road updates – consultation to design

Through June 2025, Brisbane City Council engaged with the local community regarding intersection improvements around Milton Road, Croydon Street and Sylvan Road. This section is a highly trafficked corridor for bike riders – and there was strong community support for separated bikeways and footpaths, along with slower speeds. The community also supports reduced parking, with the provision of wider footpaths and street trees to create a better street experience.

“Bicycle Queensland is pleased the Sylvan Road bikeway is a bit closer to reality. It’s this road that has long been the unsafe ‘missing link’ between the Western Freeway Bikeway and the Bicentennial Bikeway putting thousands of cyclists at risk every week,” said Bicycle Queensland CEO Professor Matt Burke.

“The good news is the community is extremely positive about putting protected bike lanes down Sylvan Road. The number one thing people want is “separated facilities”. This is no surprise to the cycling community of course: real safety improvements should have happened here decades ago.” 

“Bicycle Queensland has been campaigning for this link for more than two decades. Studies have been completed. The value of the project has been established. It’s not expensive and funds are available. The community is now clearly on board. Let’s just get it done!” 

Council is promising to now produce concept designs and Bicycle Queensland expects to be engaged with these proposals in the coming months. Early works (pre-construction) are slated for mid-year. The full bikeway should open by 2028. 

“Thanks to all our members and supporters who have helped with this campaign. Thanks to the great folks at Brisbane West Bicycle User Group, and Space for Cycling Brisbane, and the other groups that have been part of this fight. Thanks to everyone in the community who engaged with Council during their consultation period. We’ll organise a party if this link finally opens.”

Read the report from Brisbane City Council: Page one | Page two