Category: Advocacy

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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
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Advice Advocacy Press releases

SEND A LETTER TO YOUR LOCAL COUNCILLOR

On the back of the COP26 conference in Glasgow, cycling organisations around the world have joined together and rallied for cycling to be a part of the Glasgow Declaration on Accelerating the Transition to 100% Zero Emission Cars and Vans.

Now it’s time to ask the question locally, what are your councillors doing to combat carbon emissions from transport?

If you would like to ask your local councillor what they are doing to combat carbon emissions from transport and emphasis the important role bike riding can play, follow the instructions below.

  • Download the draft letter here
  • Find your local councillor here
  • If you are unsure of your council area, click here 
  • Fill in the details on the draft letter
  • Send to your local councillor

Let’s make bike riding a priority transport method to combat carbon emissions.

Send a letter to your councillor
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Advice Advocacy

Bicycle Queensland State Budget Submission

BQ Budget Submission

Bicycle Queensland has recently submitted our recommendations for the 2022-2023 State budget. The focus area of our submission is to promote more people riding more often. The recommendations focus on investment in infrastructure, cycle tourism and getting more women and kids riding.

Read the full submission below.

BQ-State-Budget-2022-2023Download
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Advice Advocacy Uncategorised

COP26 CYCLING LETTER

Zero emission cycling.

COP26: More than 250 civil society organisations sign open letter calling on governments to boost global cycling levels to reach climate goals quickly and effectively

An open letter by the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) and a global coalition of pro-cycling organisations urging governments to cut transport emissions by investing in cycling has seen a surge in support from all over the world.

Since it was published on 2 November, over 190 civil society organisations have added their signature to the letter, which now counts more than 250 signatories from all over the world, including ECF, Greenpeace and Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). The letter calls on governments at COP26 to commit to significantly increasing the number of people who cycle in their countries in order to reach climate goals quickly and effectively. 

As the global pro-cycling movement continues to grow ahead of COP26 Transport Day (10 November), which is set to focus almost exclusively on the electrification of road vehicles, governments and transport ministers will be under pressure to take cycling into account when negotiating climate commitments related to the transport sector.

Today, transportation is responsible for 24% of direct CO₂ emissions from fuel combustion, with the vast majority coming from cars, and these numbers are not decreasing. With global temperaturs rising fast, humanity cannot afford to wait decades for fossil-fuel cars to be fully phased out and replaced by electric vehicles. To quickly cut transport emissions on a massive scale and keep 1.5°C alive, governments need to invest in much more cycling now.

Combat climate change

ECF and its allies believe cycling represents one of humanity’s greatest hopes for a shift towards a zero-carbon future. Cycling produces zero emissions, delivers far-reaching positive societal impacts and relies on technology that is already widely available today.

The more than 250 signatories to the open letter call on governments and transport ministers attending COP26 to declare commitments to significantly boost cycling levels at home and collectively commit to achieving a global target of higher cycling levels. The letter was sent to governments ahead of COP26.

Bicycle Queensland is in full support of this movement. More people cycling more often is our goal and a global movement to get more people on bikes is incredibly important.

Jill Warren, CEO of the European Cyclists’ Federation: “The dramatic growth of this global civil society movement in only a few days sends a forceful message to governments at COP26 about the importance of active mobility. There is no conceivable way to reduce CO₂ emissions quickly enough to avoid the worst of the climate crisis without significantly more cycling.” 

Henk Swarttouw, President of the European Cyclists’ Federation: “More people riding bicycles will reduce our transport emissions and help save our planet. It will also stimulate our green economic recovery after COVID-19 and relieve our overburdened public health systems. Investing in cycling is a low-cost, low-tech no-brainer. It is what any sensible political leader should be doing right now.”

Read the open letter to governments at COP26: www.cop26cycling.com

This article was created by the European Cyclist Federation.

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Advice Advocacy Press releases

Project Introduction – North Brisbane Bikeway

North Brisbane Bikeway

Brisbane City Council has released concept designs for the next stage of the North Brisbane Bikeway. This is an excellent step forward, making a safe, convenient and direct connection all the way to Eagle Junction and beyond.

The below announcement from Brisbane City Council:

Brisbane City Council is pleased to release the proposed concept design for the North Brisbane Bikeway: Price Street to Kedron Brook project between Dickson Street, Wooloowin and Jackson Street, Clayfield.

Attached is a copy of the project newsletter with information about the project, along with an invitation to have your say on proposed design options within the project alignment to finalise the connection between Price Street and the Kedron Brook Bikeway.

You can have your say via an online survey, which can be accessed from the North Brisbane Bikeway: Price Street to Kedron Brook project page on our website. The online survey closes on 19 November 2021.

Alternatively, you can speak with the project team at two community information sessions:

  • Thursday 4 November 2021, 5pm – 7pm at Eagle Junction Train Station
  • Saturday 6 November 2021, 9am – 11am at Kalinga Park (near Jackson Street)

All feedback received from the community will be considered by Council and used to inform the final design for the project.

If you agree with the need for this bikeway, please have your say as part of the public consultations.

Find all the information about the project HERE