Proposed PA/E Bike Network.

1. Port Adelaide/Enfield Local Area Bicycle Plan: The Port Adelaide Environment Forum will hold an open public presentation of the updated Local Area Bicycle Plan by Kerry McConnell, Team Leader Transport for City of Port Adelaide Enfield.

Where & when: Port Adelaide/Enfield Council Town Hall 34 Nile St, Port Adelaide. Thursday 16th April, 7pm – 9pm.

The forum will be free, all are welcome & no booking is required. Enquiries to Tiffany Ware, 8405 6755 or tiffany.ware@portenf.sa.gov.au.

Sharing the footpath…

2. SA’s New Cycling Laws:       As an outcome of the recent Citizen’s Jury, the SA Government has proposed new laws including allowing bicycle users onto footpaths and a ‘metre-matters’ rule for vehicles passing bikes. The PortBUG has written to support the new rules which we believe will go a long way to improving safety for cyclists, especially where road infrastructure is inadequate to protect them.

Here’s part of what we said:

“Allowing cyclists to use footpaths where they perceive roads to be unsafe will make legal what many cyclists have had to resort to where road infrastructure and traffic density has put them at severe risk of injury…” &

“A rule to require one metre minimum passing distance for vehicles overtaking cyclists is a welcome emphasis on driver safety practices.”

While it’s not yet clear if these proposals will be implemented, the PortBUG believes that they represent major steps towards safer and more convenient bicycle use across the State.

Proposed bicycle & train overpass – South Road.

3. Torrens-to-Torrens – Big Gains for Cycling: Representatives from the Port & Charles Sturt BUGs recently met with the project team from the massive Torrens to Torrens Project on South Road. After extensive consultation and planning over the past year, we were pleased to hear of positive outcomes for bicycle users – notably:

• the proposed ‘bicycle bridge’ over South Road will provide – on its Eastern descent – both a ‘dog leg’ ramp adjacent to McInnes Street (providing access to South Road bike lanes and local area networks) and a more direct, straight ramp down to Coglin Street and the Greenway route continuing through Bowden to the City
• over its 3-year course, the project will provide at least one secure route across South Road for bicycle users on the Outer Harbour Greenway. It’s not clear how this will be achieved but one proposal will take cyclists briefly on to Port Road via dedicated, light-controlled crossings. Another may proceed via the Hawker Street crossings at Park Terrace and South Road.

Eventually of course the Greenway will connect directly from the new South Road overpass through Bowden to a crossing over Park Terrace and into the Parklands bike network. Much will depend on the Bowden housing development and the design of the new Bowden rail station. The PortBUG also put a number of additional questions to the project group – we’ll report as soon as we have further news.

Danish transport culture!

4. Ross Visits Copenhagen: Roving BUG reporter Ross Hubbard – currently interstate – has recently visited Copenhagen and written about the more obvious aspects of bicycle culture there.

Apart from widespread bicycle use, he noted that one sight so familiar to Australians – the collection of derelict cars in the front yard – is replaced in Copenhagen by…

Front yard neglect – Copenhagen-style.

As Ross notes, “Copenhagen… what a great cycling city it really is. Massively wide roads (similar to Adelaide in lots of ways) so lots of cycling paths adjacent to the roads. Interestingly though most of the cycling paths were only distinguished by slightly different paving stones to the footpaths and with a very slight rise from the road itself. I didn’t really notice any marked or painted paths or paths that were protected from the road by barriers or kerbing… Copenhagen once had an extensive tram network and it seems that the bike has taken advantage in lots of places from their demise… unlike other cities where the car all too soon filled the vacuum.
 As you’d expect there were loads of people riding about at all times… it was really quite amazing to see the amount of people commuting and going about their business by bike. It was great to see bikes being used as they were intended – as a form of transport, carrying people, goods and children.”

Picture: Ross Hubbard.

5. Inspiration from the Netherlands: BUG member Dave Case has returned to his studies un urban planning and has been cruising the net seeking inspiration. As he says, “That’s it – I’m going to Groningen” Take a look and maybe plan your next holiday!

Street-smart, Groningen-style!