After visiting Far North Queensland, including the Queensland Mountain Bike Forum, and a huge stretch of Central Queensland in September, Bicycle Queensland’s Director of Advocacy, Andrew Demack, has continued the advocacy conversation further south, visiting riders and community advocates across the south east.  

The latest round of Regional Advocacy Forums saw Andrew hosting sessions in Warwick, Toowoomba, the Sunshine Coast, Ipswich, Moreton Bay, Redlands and the Gold Coast, with Brisbane and Logan still to come. Each region raised its own priorities and opportunities — from safe passing and road shoulders in Warwick, to completing missing links on the Gold Coast’s Oceanway. 

Warwick and the Southern Downs 

In Warwick, riders told Andrew that while road cycling is still king, they’re looking for safer shoulders – at least two metres wide and free of debris – and solutions to problems caused by rumble strips on key routes. 

There’s also strong interest in developing cycling tourism, particularly as heritage rail operations decline between Warwick and Stanthorpe. Riders see the potential for new rail trail extensions to add to Queensland’s range of rail trails. There were also suggestions of off-road cycling opportunities at Morgan Park Raceway. 

“Warwick riders are passionate about road cycling, but they’re also realistic. Riders want safe spaces to ride, and they see that good cycling infrastructure can be a tourism driver too,” Andrew said. “There’s real potential for Southern Downs Council to lead in that space in regional Queensland.” 

Toowoomba 

Toowoomba riders, BQ Members and community advocates turned out in force, reflecting years of engagement and partnership between BQ, the Toowoomba Bicycle Users Group (TBUG) and local riders. 

While traffic lights that fail to detect bikes remain a common frustration, the community’s collaborative approach is generating steady progress. 

“The advocacy energy in Toowoomba is fantastic,” Andrew said. “It’s a credit to the local riders who’ve built relationships and kept showing up – even when council progress is slow.” 

Sunshine Coast 

On the Sunshine Coast, advocacy is on the front foot. The region’s Bicycle User Group is newly established with BQ support. Cycling has growing recognition from council and State MP Kendall Morton. 

Riders discussed everything from the Maroochy-to-Mooloolaba bikeway to proposals for a National Bicycle Museum, as well as how to better report and resolve bikeway safety and maintenance issues. 

Moreton Bay 

In Moreton Bay, the conversation centred on the area’s “city-edge” challenges. Riders highlighted the need for better path connections in new developments, safer speed limits on narrow rural roads, and continuing the Caboolture-Wamuran Rail Trail through to Kilcoy. 

There were also calls to prioritise the Ted Smout Bridge to Kippa-Ring connection, a key missing link for active transport on the Redcliffe Peninsula. 

Redlands 

Redlands riders were keen to strengthen local advocacy, with discussions around forming a Bicycle User Group to provide a collective voice to council. 

Many riders had shifted from on-road to off-road riding due to motorist aggression, but also frustration that much of the existing path network is outdated or below current design standards. Redland City council is spending more on active transport facilities with strong support from Councillor Peter Mitchell, who was in attendance.  

Gold Coast 

The Gold Coast session brought together diverse groups, with representatives from the Burleigh Cycling Team to Cycling Without Age, to Friends of the Oceanway and the local Bicycle User Group. The main themes discussed included connecting existing infrastructure, and embracing Olympic opportunities to elevate bikeway and e-mobility planning. 

Discussions also touched on e-scooter safety and the current parliamentary inquiry, the CAR (Cyclists Against Road-rage) campaign, and everyday ways to report problems on cycleways to Councils such as using the app Snap Send Solve. 

Ipswich 

BQ members attending the Ipswich forum spoke of the frustration of lack of progress towards a safe bike network in their city. Ipswich Council has not commenced any notable bike infrastructure since the completion of the Brassall Bikeway in 2020. Questions arose about safe bike access to Ripley (at a roundabout which crosses the Centenary Highway), but also lack of safe bike access to many destinations in Ipswich and suburbs. There was some momentum towards revitalising the Ipswich Bicycle Users Group. 

While each region is diverse, a common theme has emerged from each forum, Local riders know what their communities need. Whether it’s safer shoulders, connected paths, updates to road safety education or councils that listen, these forums give Queenslanders a chance to shape the state’s cycling future. And Bicycle Queensland has an important role in ensuring that the community forums have meaningful outcomes for each region. To that end, BQ will deliver a report to the Department of Transport and Main Roads from this round of regional visits, to inform them about the needs of each region and across the state. 

“When we show up and listen, we find people who are ready to make things better. And that’s what these forums are about. We are here to connect local insight with state-level advocacy, and effect the changes needed to make Queensland a better place to ride,” said Andrew Demack. 

“This is also the second year running where one of our forums is helping create a new Bicycle User Group in a key region. These groups help local cyclists advocate for improved conditions with their local government. BQ will continue to help these folks in future, fighting the good fight for safe cycling infrastructure.” 
 
Stay tuned for dates and locations for forum meetings in Brisbane and Logan. 

If you’ve ever wondered why the daily commute feels smoother during school holidays – you’re not imagining it. Data from transport researchers shows that school traffic is a major contributor to peak-hour congestion, with almost 20% of trips in morning and afternoon peaks based on completing the school run. With thousands of short car trips made each morning and afternoon, school drop-off alone adds significantly to travel times and road stress for everyone. 

At Bicycle Queensland, we believe part of the solution lies in making it easier for families to choose active travel. Safe walking, cycling, and scooting routes to schools don’t just benefit students, they improve safety for everyone, improve children’s health, independence and social connections – all while easing pressure on our road network. That’s why BQ supports programs like Ridescore, and, Active School Travel. Ridescore is expanding on the Sunshine Coast with the help of local council funding and WeRide Australia advocacy. 

Helsinki had zero road deaths in an entire year and has eleven times the number of cycle trips, per capita, than in Queensland cities. By comparison, Queensland’s road toll is climbing. 224 people have lost their lives on Queensland’s roads this year from January to September, over a 4% increase from the same period in 2024. Cycling deaths are up. This is despite billions spent on road upgrades. 

Part of Helsinki’s success has been the creation of 30km/h speeds in school neighbourhoods and investment in safer road crossings. That’s why BQ advocates for lower default speeds in our local streets, and for safer cycling infrastructure. Prue Oswin, from the Planning Institute of Australia, recently published the results of work with local school communities on active travel to schools. Her report shows one school reported a 55% increase in active travel, getting hundreds of car trips per week off the local street network, dramatically lowering congestion in the local area. All thanks to safer infrastructure and streets. 

Bicycle Queensland CEO, Prof Matthew Burke, said “When even Washington D.C. and Denver are making all their local streets 32km/h, let alone school zones, you know that Queensland’s street speeds are increasingly dumb. Cotton Tree on the Sunshine Coast just created a 30km/h zone, and local governments in Melbourne, Perth and elsewhere are also trialing 30km/h” 

One simple innovation not yet available to Queensland schools are temporary street closures, including at morning and afternoon peaks. In Europe, Japan and Korea, school crossing supervisors and selected school staff have the power to move expandable road barriers over local streets to temporarily block traffic. Some barriers are used just for quick crossings by a class to school ovals and parks located over the road from the main school campus; other barriers create “School Streets”, where the local street is closed to car traffic during peak times, improving road safety. There are now 400 School Streets in Paris, and hundreds in London. To allow this in Queensland just requires a modest change in the state’s regulations on temporary road closures. 

“School Streets are extremely popular with schools and local communities abroad, offering a much safer and more social space at the school gate.” said Matthew Burke. “They replace outdated car-based school drop-off arrangements that prioritise car travel into or through the school gates, which just concentrate road danger tightly into the school environment.”  

What can you do – now?

Active transport solutions don’t need to be complicated. Families can take small steps that add up to a big impact. Here are a few things to keep in mind around school drop off for your own family: 

• Halfway is OK – Park part way and ride, walk, or scoot the last stretch. It takes you out of any congestion close to school, makes it safer for others, and adds some time outdoors to the start and end of the day. 

• It doesn’t need to be every day – Allowing children to cycle or scoot one or two days a week reduces congestion and will build good habits for you and your children. 

• Lead by example – Ride or walk with your younger children; wear your own helmet correctly; and, model safe riding behaviour on paths and roads. 

• Make it social – Encourage your children to ride with others. Map a safe route and share it with other parents. Contact your school or P&C to make active travel part of the culture – you could even consider a bike bus once a week! 

Reducing school drop-off traffic isn’t just about saving time on the roads. It’s about building healthier habits, giving kids independence via safe travel, and creating safer, calmer neighbourhoods. The best part is, every family that chooses active travel, even some of the time, makes the journey easier for everyone.