Active transport improvements COVID-19 recovery

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https://twitter.com/space4cyclingbn/status/1262983527068393473

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ABC News --> Brisbane's bikeways to be better connected as number of cyclists surge

John Reghenzani started riding to the office earlier this year due to a lack of direct public transport options, but the inner-Brisbane worker says "pandemic anxiety" has solidified his decision, even as restrictions start to ease.

"I am leery of using public transport now," he said.

"By cycling I'm killing many birds with one stone — I'm getting some exercise and having a direct commute to work, all while staying safe."

Mr Reghenzani is not alone.

Brisbane City Council data showed that since the state went into lockdown in late March there had been a major uptake in cycling and walking, while public transport patronage dropped.

The data found that at the peak of the crisis, the number of public transport commuters plummeted by almost 90 per cent.

Meanwhile, council has clocked an extra 1 million people using its bikeways.

Compared to this time last year, users are up 30 per cent on average.

However some paths, on some days, have seen an increase of 90 per cent.

In response to the surge, it was announced yesterday that the Brisbane City Council would team up with the State Government to form the joint Active Transport Advisory Committee (ATAC), to better integrate the bike and walkways with the transport network.

Mr Reghenzani said it was a good move.

"Someone once told me Brisbane cycleways looked like somebody threw a plate of spaghetti on the wall and I thought 'gee that's true'," he said.

"Some places it all links up but not everywhere."

Transport Minister Mark Bailey admitted the two levels of government had not been particularly "well co-ordinated" in the past and the new committee would better achieve this.

"We need to make our active transport networks more seamless which means working closely together," he said.

Councillor Ryan Murphy said the committee will allow the governments to have direct communication on "planning priorities and initiatives".

Cr Murphy said pedestrian and cyclists groups would also be asked for input.

"To more easily collaborate on constructing missing links and improving connectivity," he said.

The committee will now collaborate on the planned 17-kilometre "Veloway 1 Bikeway", that will connect South Brisbane to the Gateway Motorway at Eight Mile Plains.

The North Brisbane Bikeway is also a priority, running between Chermside and the CBD.

'Lagging behind other cities'

Bicycle Queensland chief executive Rebecca Randazzo said state and local government merging to target connectivity was sensible as they both "had the same goals".

While the new committee was a great step forward, she wanted to see new projects with "purposeful infrastructure".

"We're certainly lagging behind other cities to respond to repurposing space for people to cycle and walk," she said.

"They really do need to be responding to the public's appetite."

Queensland Walks executive officer Anna Campbell said the new committee would make Brisbane a more "walkable and liveable city".

"Walking is the most popular form of recreational activity and often undervalued as a transport mode," she said.

Members of the new group are expected to be finalised in the coming days with the first meeting to be held in the coming weeks.

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Brisbanetimes --> Pop-up bike lanes proposed for Brisbane CBD

Queensland's peak cycling lobby group has developed a detailed proposal for separated pop-up bike lanes throughout the Brisbane CBD.

The proposal, presented to Brisbane City Council and the state government, follows numerous cities globally setting up temporary bike lanes on formerly busy streets to help people get around during the pandemic.

The proposal would create separated bike ways on George and Mary streets to keep cyclists away from heavy vehicles and cars, which cyclists have frequently identified as a safety risk that keeps them from riding into the CBD.

Along George Street, existing bike lanes would be extended to create three-metre wide bi-directional lanes, using pop-up barriers and line dividers on the road.

The Mary Street bikeway would run from George Street down to Edward Street. The proposal would require some on-street parking spaces to be removed, but would be targeting mostly roads already affected by major construction works, the lobby group said.

Bicycle Queensland chief executive Rebecca Randazzo said public transport was a "difficult proposition" for people returning to work amid social distancing concerns.

"People who work in the CBD need incentives to leave the car at home, and get to work by bicycle and walking," she said.

"Improving safety and convenience in the CBD itself takes away one more major barrier for people who want to return to their workplaces, but don't want to be stuck in traffic for hours."

Public and active transport committee chairman Ryan Murphy on Tuesday said council had not missed the window to implement pop-up structures as other cities had during the height of the pandemic.

"It's not that we've missed the boat, that wouldn't be true to say at all," Cr Murphy said.

"We were in caretaker [mode] when COVID was at its peak, and now as we come out it's important that we look at opportunities to expand active transport around our city, whether that's walking, cycling or e-scooters."

Cr Murphy said the council was looking at "opportunities" in the CBD to "accelerate" work that "might otherwise have been years into the future".

Some cyclists who had returned to their bikes during the pandemic had previously told Brisbane Times they would happily ride to work if not for the hazards of navigating busy inner-city roads without safe bike lanes.

On Tuesday, the council also announced a joint committee with the state government's transport department to tackle the "missing links" between cycling tracks and roads and improve connectivity.

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Just in regards to Pop-Up Bikeways and George St. The George St Bikeway is predominantly a pop up bike way anyway, with easy to install temporary road dividers. The Council could easily invest in some more road dividers as illustrated to extend the Bikeway along George Street all the way to QUT moving taxi stops to the South side of George Street. It can be completed over a couple of days in conjunction with Green paint and new lane and road markings. It may also require some traffic light changes which may incur some costs?

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The Conversation --> Cycling and walking can help drive Australia's recovery – but not with less than 2% of transport budgets