1. Reviewing the Port Adelaide/Enfield Bicycle Strategy:  The State Government has provided PA/E Council with funding for a review and update of its Bicycle Strategy(2008-12). So far information about terms of reference, timelines etc appears limited. However the BUG will be represented at a brief 2 hour ‘stakeholder’s’ workshop at Hillcrest later this month and will seek opportunities for input from the Port community. We hope to post a brief summary of key issues for the Review at our site asap and would welcome suggestions from the community.

2. Harbour Loop Path & Bridge Pathways Opening:  Several weeks ago the BUG was represented at an open day for the Harbour Loop (Stage 1) and Bridge Pathways. There was very obvious interest from the public in the new shared-use pathways! The BUG hopes to do a ‘user survey’ of the new facilities soon and propose further developments to Port Renewal. If you haven’t used them yet, please dust off your bikes and check the new paths out. We’d love to hear what you think.

3. Meeting with Minister Stephen Mullighan:  The PortBUG recently met with Stephen Mullighan, Minister for Transport and Member for Lee. The Minister was very interested in the various local bicycle issues we put to him and had some great ideas of his own for improving conditions for bicycle use across the Port Adelaide area, notably:

• ensuring continuity along the coastal shared use path (the Coastal Way) to create a continuous recreational facility and enhance opportunities for local cafes, bakeries and other businesses
• creation of a safe ‘fitness oriented’ training loop route around Le Fevre Peninsula, up the coast to Outer Harbour and returning along a route away from the heavy freight vehicles and road debris on Victoria Road.

We left the Minister with a draft list of issues related to the Port’s main roads and will hopefully have a further meeting with him in a month or so.

4. Agenda 2014:  Over the coming months the ‘Main Roads’ paper referred to above will be developed into a more comprehensive and illustrated ‘PortBUG Agenda’ document covering the challenges bicycle users face on local roads and off-road pathways and opportunities for further development of bike routes. We’ll also try to look at opportunities for the development of a more ‘bike friendly’ community, adult bicycle education programmes etc. This ‘PortBUG Agenda’ will be a working document that will evolve and inform our input to the PA/E Bicycle Strategy Review and our liaison with local and state government. A current draft will be at our web site shortly and the BUG would welcome your comments and suggestions.

5. InfraPlan Paper:  Adelaide transport design consultants, InfraPlan, contracted to undertake the Port Adelaide/Enfield Bicycle Strategy Review, have also recently published an excellent reference paper addressing the traffic congestion experienced in and around Adelaide’s CBD and promoting walking, cycling and public transport as effective solutions. The paper can be found here. While it mainly addresses congestion problems associated with Adelaide’s CBD, the recommendations made are relevant across the city.

6. Coastal Way:  The PortBUG continues to participate in consultations with the City of Charles Sturt and other interested parties with regard to completing the last, unfinished sections of the Coastal Way adjacent to Tennyson. Those interested can read about these final sections of the Coastal Way here and follow the discussions of the Consultative Group here.

7. Greenway Update:  The PortBUG has been pleased to see progress along the Outer Harbour Greenway with a new ramp from Torrens Road into Queens Street at Alberton and continuing work on the access pathway from Fussell Place to the Alberton Rail Station. Many issues still need to be resolved but it’s great to see this progress. Further towards the city work continues on the new bicycle and pedestrian actuated (BPA) crossing at David Trc (Kilkenny Rd), removing yet another major barrier to continuous bicycle access between The Port and the Adelaide CBD!

Photo credits: Dave Case, PortBUG.