Category: Advocacy

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Advocacy

BQ welcomes the State budget to deliver safer school zones

Queensland school zones will be safer than ever, thanks to more than $40 million in increased investment in the state budget for two important projects to boost school safety.

Bicycle Queensland CEO Rebecca Randazzo has welcomed the State Government’s announcement.

“School crossings are a great investment in the safety and health of our children,” Ms Randazzo said.

Bicycle Queensland has called for better paths in the 1.5 km catchment around all schools as part of our plan to help Queensland become the healthiest state.

“The environment around our schools has to encourage people to walk, ride and scoot to school. We need not just safe crossings, but also wider footpaths in the 1.5km catchment around schools so that students and parents can find ways of getting to school that relieve congestion, encourage physical activity, and build resilience.

“Congratulations to Minister Bailey on this great step, and for listening to local communities who are saying that the trip to school for many families is an important opportunity to build some exercise into their day.”

“Safe infrastructure which encourages people to walk and ride is important everywhere in our local neighbourhoods, but it has to start with the trip to school,” Ms Randazzo said.

With active travel growing across Queensland, we encourage more school communities to invest in education and infrastructure to support students actively travelling to school.

To learn more, check out Bicycle Queensland’s Active Travel Schools webpage and gain access to free resources to get your school started!

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Advocacy

Sunshine Coast: local advocates know what they want

Raised pedestrian crossing at Montville

Bicycle Queensland’s Director of Advocacy, Andrew Demack, represents members on the Sunshine Coast Active Transport Advisory Committee (ATAC). This committee was an initiative of Transport and Main Roads Minister, Hon Mark Bailey, and includes a councillor from Sunshine Coast Regional Council, and senior staff from both the Council and TMR district office.

The committee includes a group of excellent local cycling advocates: Damian Jones, Prue Oswin, and Tim Rogers from the Sunshine Coast chapter of Cycling Without Age. The local advocacy group are setting the agenda for how to move active transport forward on the Sunshine Coast. As well as looking at bikeway infrastructure priorities, they have also identified cycling and walking access to shopping and education precincts as an area that gives great ‘bang-for-buck’ in terms of outcome for dollars spent.

At Sunshine Coast ATAC’s most recent meeting, Prue pointed to the success of Montville’s walking precinct as an example of adding raised pedestrian priority crossings to slow traffic and create an environment in which people feel comfortable walking and cycling. The group identified five projects across the Coast to get the ball rolling: priority crossings at Eumundi and Bli Bli, Mooloolaba to Minyama ferry, bikeway at Oceanic Drive, Wurtulla, improving path connections from Caloundra to Caloundra South, and signalising Nicklin Way/Caloundra Rd roundabout.

It’s great to work with local advocates with a vision for how cycling and walking have the potential to transform local communities, and we look forward to seeing these projects move forward!

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Advocacy Bikeway detours and closures

Bicentennial Bikeway Restoration | BQ Letter to BCC

Update 23 March

Great news! Brisbane City Council have agreed to our suggestion of a pop-up bikeway on Coronation Drive.

The left outbound lane of Coronation Drive between Lang Parade and Graham Street will become a temporary bikeway from Monday morning.

Brisbane City Council said the speed limit in that section would be slowed to 40 kilometres per hour and water-filled safety barriers would separate vehicle and cycling traffic.

Read more here.. 

Following on from constructive work done by Brisbane West BUG, Bicycle Queensland wrote to Brisbane City Council to seek their assistance in the quickest possible restoration of the Bicentennial Bikeway.

Director of Advocacy Andrew Demack wrote to Cr Ryan Murphy, Chair of Transport, saying:

“The BCC website currently gives no timelines for either inspection of the bikeway, or for the removal of debris. It would be very helpful to have a timeline on how long this disruption will last!

“We urge you to collaborate closely with Maritime Safety Queensland to expedite the removal of the former Drift restaurant from the bikeway.

“Lord Mayor and Cr Murphy, our bikeways are always vulnerable to severe weather events because our network of bikeways and shared paths is not resilient, and lacks alternatives. The Bicentennial Bikeway is a world-class facility, but there is no fallback, no detour bikeway for 5000 regular bike riders to use.

“Bicycle Queensland’s members are keen to work with BCC on solutions. Here are some suggestions that take seriously the concerns of bike riders and others who use the Bicentennial Bikeway:

  • BCC could provide a temporary bike lane on Coronation Drive.
  • Free train travel for bike riders at Toowong and Auchenflower stations to CBD stations.
  • Free travel on BCC buses for bike riders from Toowong to City destinations.
  • Sign alternate route such as https://www.strava.com/routes/2938247928450082494.
  • Temporary lowering of the speed limit to 40 km/h on the sections of Coronation Drive which are likely to have increased bike traffic.

“Many BQ members have reported to us that they see the lack of timelines for repairing bikeways as a symbol of BCC’s priorities. We urge you to consider active transport and e-mobility as being of equal significance in Council’s transport system as the road network.

“Building a resilient system that can withstand future flood events is part of re-ordering these priorities,” Mr Demack said.

Read our letter to Cr Ryan Murphy here

Drift on Bicentennial Bikeway
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Advocacy Press releases

Bill Loveday- Bicycle Queensland Life Member

Bicycle Queensland’s longest-serving office bearer, Bill Loveday, was elected as a Life Member at a Special General Meeting on 24 February.

Bill was president of Bicycle Queensland for 20 years (1999-2019), and also served as secretary before that.

BQ vice-president Rachel Nolan paid tribute to Bill’s contribution, working closely with BQ’s first CEO Ben Wilson as the organisation experienced rapid growth in membership, capacity and influence during his tenure as President.

“Bill Loveday and Ben Wilson were the people who led this transition from a tiny community group to an organisation with 16,000 members which has a significant influence on Government policy and spending on infrastructure. Bicycle Queensland owes Bill Loveday a great deal,” Ms Nolan said.

Bill Loveday life member
From left – BQ President Rob Van Manen, Life Member Bill Loveday , BQ Vice-President Rachel Nolan.
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Advocacy Press releases

Bikes Permanently on Trains After Successful Trial

Bicycle Queensland’s advocacy in favour of bikes on trains paid off on the weekend with the announcement by Transport Minister Mark Bailey that the trial has become permanent.

Bicycle Queensland wrote to the Minister with the support of metro area bicycle user groups in March 2021, with a request to liberalise the rules around bicycles on CityTrains. At the time, you could not take your bike on peak hour trains in the peak direction of travel. 

BQ’s Director of Advocacy Andrew Demack explains: “The long-standing prohibition of bikes on trains during peak hour made no sense to us, especially in early 2021 when patronage was way down during the pandemic.”

“Even when passenger numbers on our CityTrains return to normal levels, it’s our view that allowing bikes on trains at any time makes both modes more useful for so many people. 

“Multi-moding — riding a short trip to the train station, then taking your bike with you, so that you can ride it another short trip at the other end — just highlights the flexibility of the bike as a transport option, and the usefulness of the train.

“So with the support of all the metro area BUGs, we asked the Minister to make this change. He responded by announcing a trial of the change, and now the policy of allowing bikes on trains at any time has been made permanent. We’re delighted!”

“There is always more to do, and we are keen to develop our partnerships with Queensland Rail, and the Cross River Rail project. Investment in public transport is a win for those of us who are keen on giving options for the way we move around. Public transport and active transport go hand in hand,” Mr Demack said.

Read the Brisbane Times announcement below.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/bikes-scooters-allowed-permanently-on-trains-after-successful-trial-20220121-p59q56.html

Transport Minister Mark Bailey and BQ CEO Rebecca Randazzo
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Advocacy Press releases

Boggo Road Cycle Bridge

Boggo Road Cycle Bridge
Boggo Road Cycle Bridge

The Boggo Road cycle bridge will create a safe convenient link from the V1 bikeway to the Eleanor Schonell Bridge to St Lucia. Bicycle Queensland welcomes the announcement of the design, and looks forward to seeing the bridge completed in late 2023.

This is a link that has been in planning for at least 10 years, so it is great to see construction underway, using a design from the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority which meets the very real difficulties of getting over a busy rail corridor.

The freight flyover which heads towards the Port of Brisbane is already above the commuter train at this location, so the bridge has to clear 6 metres above that freight line. This will mean a somewhat sinous helix that riders and walkers will have to climb on the PA Hospital side. There is a rest stop when you get to the top!

The Boggo Rd side has less height to gain, but there will still be a steady climb there too. This bridge will give great links from public transport stations to Brisbane South State Secondary College, and of course for bike riders and scooter riders going from the V1 across to the St Lucia campus of the University of Queensland.

Check out the concept design plans here.

Boggo Road Bridge Concept Design
Boggo Road Bridge Concept Design
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Advice Advocacy

Local Government Association of Queensland

For the first time, Bicycle Queensland’s advocacy team (Rebecca Randazzo and Andrew Demack) attended the annual Local Government Association of Queensland conference held in Mackay.

We had a prime location between the rugby league and AFL booths on the way to the refreshments area! As a result, just about every Council in Queensland stopped for a conversation. We had prepared three posters with our main talking points: cycle tourism, education and schools, and building the cycle network.

Cycle Tourism

Cycle tourism was clearly the top priority for councils. Many councils are already working on attracting mountain bike riders, following the example of the Wangetti Trail, now under construction from Palm Cove to Port Douglas in FNQ. Mackay Council is also building a trail of similar epic quality, from Eungella to Finch Hatton — that will be amazing.

We are working through our follow-up contacts with councils including Mareeba, Mackay, North Burnett, South Burnett, Scenic Rim, Cassowary Coast, Livingstone and Ipswich. Most of these are interested in either developing rail trails and other cycle tourism opportunities, but also getting the best value for money in cycle infrastructure.

Local Counterparts

On the way to Mackay, BQ’s Director of Advocacy Andrew Demack arranged meetings in Maryborough, Bundaberg and Rockhampton, meeting up with bicycle user group representatives and Councils. In Maryborough, we were delighted to see and experience the remarkable progress being made by Fraser Coast BUG on the Mary to the Bay rail trail. In Bundaberg, we met with Council staff to encourage progress on the Bundaberg to Gin Gin Rail Trail. In Rockhampton, we met with the local cycling group to discuss our collaborative response to the Council’s just-released Walking and Cycling Strategy.

Proudly supported by the Queensland Government

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Advocacy Press releases

BQ Joins Global Pro-Cycling Campaign With Big Results

A global campaign led by the European Cycling Federation (ECF), which included an open letter to governments at COP26 signed by 350 organisations worldwide, has helped achieve a last-minute recognition of active travel in the official COP26 Transport Declaration on 10 November.

Protesting the near-exclusive focus on electric cars and total absence of active mobility in the official Transport Day agenda and the draft transport declaration. A global coalition of civil society organisations led by ECF called on world leaders and governments to recognise the importance of cycling to reach climate goals.

The last-minute inclusion of active travel (walking and cycling) and public transport in the “Glasgow Declaration on Accelerating the Transition to 100% Zero Emission Cars and Vans” was a direct result of the joint advocacy efforts by ECF and its 349 allies. While the reference to active travel and public transport is a far cry from what’s needed to cut transport emissions and reach climate goals, it’s an important recognition that will be built upon at the COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

The coalition’s open letter was first published on 2 November and called on governments at COP26 to boost global cycling levels to cut transport emissions quickly and on a massive scale. Initially signed by over 60 organisations, the letter ultimately clocked 350 signatories from all over the world.

Bicycle Queensland joined other signatories including the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), PeopleForBikes, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), International Association of Public Transport (UITP), World Cycling Alliance (WCA) and Greenpeace. Together we have campaigned to urge governments to recognise cycling as one of the best solutions we already have to combat the climate crisis.

Bicycle Queensland’s CEO, Rebecca Randazzo, “BQ advocates strongly on the role bicycles can play in combating climate change”. Substituting a car trip with a bike trip represents one of humanity’s greatest hopes for a shift towards a zero-carbon future. Riding your bike produces zero emissions, delivers far-reaching positive societal impacts and relies on technology that is already widely available today.

We can all influence and play a role in combating climate change. Over the past couple of weeks, the letter’s signatories have grown and helped raise awareness for the importance of more cycling to cut transport emissions and reach climate goals. Our joint message was simple: “the world needs much more people riding bikes if we are to combat the climate crisis.”

If you would like to write to your local councillor to ask what they are doing to reduce carbon emissions from transport, click here.

Combating Climate change by bike