Bicycle Queensland s Brisbane Council Election Priorities

Transcription

1 Bicycle Queensland s Brisbane Council Election Priorities Bicycle Queensland (BQ) acknowledges that the recent Brisbane City Council (BCC) administrations have provided consistent funding to provide bicycle infrastructure including quality off-road bikeways, suburban shared paths for local travel and key onroad bike lanes but too often only where readily available space permits. However, cycling mode share makes up about 2% of trips overall for transport purposes in Brisbane, but is far higher in areas where there are completed, connected cycling facilities. The world, and indeed other Australian capitals, have recently moved on, particularly with segregated bikeways in their inner-city. More people riding bicycles is an economic, transport and health win-win issue. It provides for a healthy, vibrant city, with less congestion, a more active community and critically helps deliver Brisbane s laudable mantra as a new world city. BQ believes that by reframing council s goals and strategies, the BCC can credibly achieve its stated goals and ambitions to dramatically increase cycling s share of transportation and recreation, and follow best practice in cycling infrastructure. Suggested Overarching Consultative Policy BCC aim to engage in a collaborative high-level strategic planning process with BQ and other key stakeholders to identify, fund and build best practice bikeways on a priority basis. To ensure the safety of bike riders and achieve council s goals of 8% of all trips by 2026, BCC will: Reconsider its Brisbane Bicycle Network Plan and infrastructure priorities to get more of the network built quickly and more people cycling as soon as possible Create a higher level strategic planning forum with the goal of inclusive discussion, shared priorities and development of prioritised implementation plans that are supported and embraced by the cycling community. Key Projects: Inner-city Segregated Bikeways It is a matter of urgency for Brisbane to address safety for cycling to and through our CBD in line with all other Australian capital cities who have developed bikeway spines in their capital cities. Key recommendations are: 1. Stanley Street: Gabba to Goodwill segregated bikeway with provision for Annerley Rd extension to Park Rd. (See separate BQ project document)

2 2. Plan this term and deliver a segregated CBD bikeway grid (N-S and E-W) to get people from the existing off-road bikeways that circumnavigate the CBD to their CBD destination This would include: a. CBD to Valley-Newstead. b. Roma St to QUT (ie via George-Albert Streets); and c. CBD East-West (George to Wharf Streets) Bicycle Infrastructure Design Background Bicycle infrastructure and safety measures for riders and the general public evolve over time through research, trials and evaluation according to site limitations and possibilities. BQ believes that through a collaborative conversation during project planning, best practice and innovation in bike infrastructure will diminish the barriers to more people cycling more often. Suggested Policy Initiatives BCC aims to be a leading agency in the delivery of safe cycling infrastructure. To improve cycling safety and drive up patronage, BCC will: Engage all major stakeholders in bike infrastructure design initiatives, trials and site evaluations to lead Australia in new cycling developments. Commit to experiment with new separation techniques to enhance road safety with more segregated bike lanes Roll-out the 40kph CBD speed limit to more BCC roads within 3 km of Brisbane s CBD (as is done now with Boundary St, West End, Melbourne St, South Brisbane and Caxton St, Paddington) Lower volume suburban and side streets to have a lower speed limit than the larger road they are feeding into e.g. A 50 kph road must be fed by a 40kph, and a 40 by 30 etc. Pave footpaths within a 2 km catchment of all schools, public transport hubs and commercial areas to be at least 2 metres wide to allow for active local transport, including cycling. Change design practices so general traffic lane widths are consistent, and marked with an edgeline so the remainder of roads is for cycle carriage (e.g. bike lanes) and parking, rather than measuring bike lanes from the kerb out which unnecessarily leaves too much space for general traffic lanes for no logical reason.

3 Implement roll-over kerbs as the default design particularly on 12.8 metre roads where bike usage is otherwise compromised, and where vehicle parking/doors opening compromises cycle safety. Implement narrower lanes (e.g. 3 metre general traffic lanes and 2 metre car parking bays) on 12.8 metre streets to make space for bike lanes or segregated bikeways. Refine on-road motor vehicle parking requirements and evaluate the benefit of having one side of key roads as a dedicated segregated bikeway, with the other the side available for parking if required. Funding Recommendations Background Bicycle Queensland acknowledges the consistent funding council has delivered in bicycle infrastructure over the last two administrations, and the $30 million per annum of the current council administration. However, the 2026 timeframe for achieving its stated goals on cycling requires greater urgency to establish Brisbane as one of the best and safest cycling cities in the world. Suggested Policy BCC aims to provide the best bicycle infrastructure as a new world city by 2026 but closes the gaps in the bikeway network. To deliver world class bicycle infrastructure, BCC must: Provide funding in council s transport budget of $40m pa to complete the cycling network more fully by Utilise this funding in the timeframe to provide best practice bikeway infrastructure and separated bikeways in all zones of the city. Rationale To achieve and exceed the 8% modal share for bike riding daily requires safe bikeways from home to work, including an integrated CBD grid of separated bikeways. A world city moves its population in multi-modes with a bias towards flexible public transport systems accompanied by a pedestrian and cycling public. For example, given the enormous growth and financial advantage Brisbane has on a TAFE and University population of overseas students and an increasing movement towards assisted bicycle travel, BCC has an opportunity to harness this potential to

4 minimise congestion for cars and public transport and maximise modal shift in the inner 5 km of Brisbane, the CBD and around suburban choke points. New Bicycle Policy Initiatives for Consideration The continued development of bicycle projects and infrastructure underpins BCC s vision for a new world city with increased bicycle trip patronage and decongestion of the road system. In addition to these end goals, economic development and a healthy and active lifestyle are supported by continued development of bike riding opportunities. BQ election priorities include: Improve the iconic Brisbane River Loop ride by a think-tank of ideas with bicycle rider groups, including for example: o Improve cycle continuity on this Brisbane cycling icon e.g. treat Stop signs on quiet streets as Give Way where feasible (e.g. Feez, Ormadale and Orlando Streets in Yeronga) o Add a bike lane to the last 20 metres of TJ Doyle Memorial Drive to allow clearway bike access left into the existing Gladstone Rd bike lanes (ie remove a choke point); o Bike cut-through of the slip road/car park between Gladstone Rd and Dornoch Tce; o 50kph speed limit on Brisbane Corso, Yeronga Create Mt Coot-tha as the green tourist and recreational jewel of Brisbane. Traffic calming and a 40 kph speed limit between Channel 9 to the Summit Café entrance roundabout to reduce hooning and improve safety and usage for walkers, joggers and riders on the mountain. Develop a mountain-bike trail network at Karawatha Forest. At present, the only mountain bike trail network in BCC boundaries is at Gap Creek. The mountain bike riders of Brisbane spend a lot of time riding the trail networks of other councils: Logan, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, and Redlands. BCC is not providing anywhere near enough for the growing part of the bike-riding community. Commit to address relatively small but important safety issues affecting cycling: e.g. wheelie bins on road shoulders, truck movements from worksites to spoil dumps, debris on bikeways with a dedicated approach to monitor and improve these hazards Expand the excellent BCC Active School Travel program

5 Support for a Brisbane-Queensland-National glass bottle deposit. A bottle deposit scheme has been shown elsewhere (South Australia) to reduce the amount of smashed glass in public places. It s a cycling safety issue, as well as a community well-being and environmental issue.