PortBUG: The Port Adelaide Bicycle User Group.

1.  Community Consultations: Council’s Have Your Say community consultations are now open for both the:

• the new PA/E Walking & Cycling Plan &…
• the over-arching Integrated Transport Plan.

Both of these new Plans will guide the ongoing development of bike paths & cycling access & Active Transport generally across the Port Adelaide/Enfield area for the next decade of so. As we all know, the next 10 years are likely to be crucial for the development of sustainable transport – especially from a ‘transport equity’ p.o.v – so please take some time out to have a look at & comment on both plans!

2. Semaphore Road Bike Paths – Safety Audit: Readers will recall that a couple of months ago a group of Semaphore Road traders & the Semaphore Mainstreet Association called for the closure of the unique off-road bike paths constructed when Semaphore Road was renovated a decade or so ago (see September’s post here).

Although the concerns expressed focussed on safety issues, traders & the SMA were also very clearly interested in the potential for their further expansion into the public space (outdoor dining & trading etc)! While the BUG will always seek to resolve genuine safety issues, in this case we weren’t convinced there were any of significance & we made this point quite strongly. We argued strongly for the positive role & value of the bike paths, & called for both an audit of safety issues as well as a proper review of their function & design.

We are now told that we can expect a Road Safety Audit of the bike paths to be tabled at the December meeting of Council along with some recommended design improvements. So stay tuned!

3. Proposed Greenway Route Closures: Readers will also recall that earlier this month we had notice of proposals to partially close sections of the Greenway through the Port’s Waterfront between Lipson St & the Birkenhead Bridge. The results of Council’s Have Your Say community consultation will also go to Council at the December meeting. The consultation is open until next Monday, 29th. You can have your say here!

PortBUG is pleased to confirm that the recent meeting (9th Nov) of PA/E Council has endorsed both the new Integrated Transport Strategy & the new Walking & Cycling Plan.

Both remain in draft form and will now be released for public consultation!

These documents propose placing Active Transport – including walking & cycling – front & centre in the PA/E Councils transport (and more general) planning activities over the next decade or so. Results will be seen in their implementation of course – but it’s a great start!

It’s also encouraging to see that Council also endorsed further investigation (including community consultations) for proposed 40km/hr speed zones in Port Adelaide & on Semaphore Road (Military Rd to Swan Trc).

Hi Folks, Apologies for following our previous blog post so soon with another, but we have just been notified of a development proposal on the Port Waterfront which will have a major impact on the Outer Harbor Greenway – specifically travel along Lipson St, McLaren Parade & the Waterfront itself. We want to respond to the proposal below from PA/E Council & need to know your views & have your ideas for possible alternatives.

Council Engineer Shaun de Waal writes “… we are currently consulting on the proposed Rydges Hotel Development which is located on the corner of McLaren Parade and Lipson Street. During construction they will require to occupy Council Road Reserve for which a Permit and Authorisation would need to be granted by Council. The granting of this permit has a community engagement component prior to being reported on at Council.

Given the OH Greenway runs along the boundary of the work site I would like to make the BUG aware of the proposal should you wish to provide written feedback on the matter. Information pertaining to the proposal is available on a Have Your Say page (link below). I have also attached the map which indicates the main impacts.

Key Impacts are summarised as follows:

https://haveyoursay.cityofpae.sa.gov.au/rydges-hotel-construction-access-permits

• Lipson St Plaza will be reduced to 6.0m wide from the edge of the bulding (tree planters to be temporarily removed)
• Wharf frontage reduced to 4.0m from waters edge, impacted bins and seating will be relocated to edge of fence resulting in an reduced clear width
• Fall barrier to be provided along waters edge
• Due to the constraints along the wharf it is proposed to require cyclists to dismount along the narrowed section
• McLaren Parade to operate as one way between Lighthouse Lane and Lipson Street with some periods of full road closure during construction

I am happy to work with you on a possible temporary detour of the greenway to around this site.”

So…. What do you think?

• can you suggest alternatives to the temporary ‘treatments’ Shaun has outlined here?
• can you suggest alternative routes that bypass Lipson St (north), McLaren Parade &/or the Waterfront?

The PortBUG has long contemplated such alternatives as a permanent change for the Greenway route through the Port CBD & Waterfront, notably:

1. From Lipson St (south) – left at Godfrey, across Commercial Road & down Dale St, right at Church Street, across St Vincent St to cross the Birkenhead Bridge
2. From Lipson (south) – left at Butler St, right at Kyle St & then left at St Vincent St footpath to cross to Commercial Rd/Lighthouse Square then left at Nile to Nelson St & the Birkenhead Bridge
3. From Lipson (south) via Butler to the wide east-side footpath on Commercial Rd to cross to Lighthouse Square, and thence to Birkenhead Bridge as above.

Please let us know your ideas asap via email at portadbug@gmail.com or via our facebook group.

Heaps of interesting cycling-related stuff on the PA/E Council agenda tomorrow evening, including:

• a revised draft of the Integrated Transport Plan and… 
• tabling of the new Walking & Cycling Plan (Note: both plans are up for Council ratification & public consultation)
• new proposals for 40km/hr speed limits at Semaphore & the Port Adelaide CBD (including key sections of the Outer Harbor Greenway)
• a proposal for safety improvements at the intersection of Semaphore Road & Fletcher Road, Birkenhead
• expansion of the existing Port River loop path to the eastern Inner-Harbour.

PA/E Integrated Transport Plan – important updates:

• “…Key opportunities to combat climate change and sustainable transport are included within the ITS, with key targets and indictors listed under each theme…the new strategy will have a focus on “Net Zero” emissions for the organisation.

• “This Strategy looks beyond vehicular transport to focus on the entire transport network and addresses the movement of people, services and goods. It does this by providing direction in relation to active transport, public transport, traffic management and road safety, management of parking, integrated land use and transport planning, and freight.

Draft Walking & Cycling Plan (section 12.2.8, starts 206):

“The W&CP seeks to enhance walking and cycling as a main mode of transport through the creation of a safer and more accessible network. 

“The W&CP sets out desired outcomes and delivery focus areas which are centred around providing facilities for the ‘interested, but concerned’ proportion of the population… people across a broad spectrum who are willing to undertake greater active travel if high quality, safe and connected infrastructure is in place. 

“The key priorities over the next five years focus on improved safety and wayfinding of existing established routes along with the installation of new routes to provide better connectivity. Some key areas are detailed below:

• Gillman East-West Bikeway Connector 
• Enfield East-West Connector 
• Port Adelaide CBD improvements 
• Outer Harbor Greenway Improvements 
• Improved north-south connecting neighbourhood links on the eastern side of the Council area.

“The Port Adelaide Bicycle User Group (PortBUG) have been engaged throughout the development of the draft plan. Council Administration met with PortBUG representatives in July 2021 to discuss the draft plan and their feedback in detail. Further engagement with the PortBUG and other stakeholders will continue moving forward through the finalisation of the plan and implementation.” 

“The Walking and Cycling Plan identifies a number of key investment areas for Council to deliver on over the life of the plan. The proposed infrastructure priority investment plan has indicative costs which total over $2 million. It is proposed to allocate a minimum of $250,000 per year for the life of the plan.”

You can read more of the draft Walking & Cycling Plan here.

1. Semaphore Foreshore Master Plan – Community Engagement. The PA/E Council is developing a Master Plan for the redesign, updating, renovation & revival of the Semaphore Foreshore – the area at the western end of Semaphore Road and extending from Union Street (to the north) and Hart Street (to the south). The potential scope of the Masterplan is extensive & Council has effectively assured us that ‘anything is possible’!

From Councils web page:

“We want your help to develop a Master Plan for the Semaphore Foreshore. The Foreshore is a much loved and iconic destination for Semaphore locals and visitors. It supports the local economy, environment, and a strong sense of community.

Preparing a Master Plan provides an opportunity to re-imagine the area and the role it will play into the future. This includes considering amenity, resilience to climate change, recreation and play spaces, events and entertainment, safety, heritage, technology, accessibility, and business activities.”

This Masterplan is important for cycling & bicycle use for many reasons, not the least being its potential to further encourage recreational & every-day cycling for both residents & visitors. We now have an opportunity to ensure much safer & more efficient connections between Semaphore Road & the Coast Park’s Shared Use Path – the Coastal Bikeway, as well as ensuring that the Foreshore is simply a much more pleasant place to visit, especially for younger folk, families & children!

Council is embarking on an initial community engagement regarding development of the Foreshore Masterplan to identify what community and stakeholders value about the Foreshore and their ideas for the future. If you’d like to see the Master Plan & participate in its development please go to Councils Have Your Say page. Note that you have until 5pm, Friday, 5th of November to comment!

2. Progress with the Rosewater Loop: At it’s October meeting the PA/E Council accepted & supported a Council report – ‘Rosewater & Ottoway Loop/Concept Master Plan’. Council will now share this masterplan proposal with the community & seek ongoing discussions with State Government to pursue the project!

Perhaps the most significant ‘next big project’ on the PA/E Councils cycling agenda, the proposed Rosewater Loop (see below) circles through & connects the adjacent suburbs of Alberton, Rosewater & Ottoway – residential areas that are poorly served by public transport & to a significant extent isolated & ‘cut off’ from shops & services by very busy roads.

Currently consisting of made & unmade pathways in the Gillman Rail Yards reserve & the now-closed Rosewater Rail Line – the route will provide outstanding recreational opportunities for the local community as well as direct walking & cycling connections to the Outer Harbour Greenway shared-use pathway, the Alberton Rail Station, into the Port CBD shopping & services precinct & to Semaphore & points beyond.

Greetings Bicyclistas,

The PortBUG Coordinating Group has been in recess for the past 2-3 months, essentially because we’ve been awaiting the long-delayed final drafts of the new Walking & Cycling Plan & its associated & overarching Integrated Transport Plan (ITP), & the announcement of community consultation processes for both.

But we haven’t been asleep!

We can now tell you that Council (on October 12th) at long last ratified the draft Integrated Transport Plan for public consultation. We expect to hear of arrangements for this consultation in the next few weeks so stay tuned! It’s worth noting that the initial in-line community consultations for the ITP last year received the greatest number of responses for any such processes held by Council! We are told that the great majority of responses were from residents interested in cycling & pedestrian issues!

From Council’s October agenda:

“Council has commenced the development of its first Integrated Transport Strategy (ITS)…an opportunity to create a well-planned and people friendly transport environment. The ITS is envisaged to be a guiding strategy for the next ten-year period 2021 to 2031… to create a framework that will guide transport investment and policy decisions.”

“This Strategy looks beyond vehicular transport to focus on the entire transport network and address the movement of people, services and goods. It does this by providing direction in relation to active transport, public transport, traffic management and road safety, management of parking, integrated land use and transport planning, and freight.“

PortBUG has great hopes for Port Adelaide/Enfield’s new Integrated Transport Plan. If appropriately supported & funded it will be a very progressive step forward for a Council facing enormous transport-related challenges over the next decade. It will be the first such ITP undertaken by any Council in SA and will provide an overall framework for the inclusion (see below) of cycling & Active Transport generally into all of Council’s planning & investment processes.

It’s also worth noting (see below) that cycling & Active Transport will have a high profile in & be central to the outcomes of the new ITP!

We understand that the new Walking & Cycling Plan – which will be framed by the ITP – is currently being rewritten and will be available for public consultation later this year.

Brett from NZ’s Big Bike Film Night tells us:

“Good afternoon – Brett from the Big Bike Film Night here, I just wanted to contact you about an event, our upcoming film screening next month at the Wallis Cinemas Mitcham.

In essence, this event is a short film fest style occasion that celebrates cycling in all its glorious shapes and forms. The collection runs for just over 2 1/4 hours and has an absolutely breath-taking range of short cycling films which are a great reminder of why we love to ride our bike with films that celebrate the fun, adventure and inspiration that cycling enables, whatever your ride is. 

Our attached Summary details some of the inspiring films that will be showcased, and this year every ticket purchased to attend a screening of the Big Bike Film Night goes in the draw to WIN A TRIP TO NEW ZEALAND thanks to our Presenting Partner Ngā Haerenga Great Rides of New Zealand.

I hope you can share the details of this event with your community. 

I think there is a real appetite for people wanting to see this, especially when something as unique as this is being shown, and I’m sure Adelaide bike enthusiasts will enjoy this celebration of the humble bicycle.”

When: Thursday 21st October, 6.30pm

Where: Wallis Cinema, Mitcham.

Ticket Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/BSEWS

Watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/UblE0TSVcBA

The City of Charles Sturt have provided the following notice of this proposed closure of the Torrens Linear Path to assist management of visitors viewing the Riverbank Christmas Lights:

Where: Closure of River Torrens Linear Park Trail (footpath) at Adam Street (riverbank side between Manton Street and Port Road, Hindmarsh)

When: From 29th November 2021 to 2nd January 2022 (6.30PM to 11.30PM only).

“The Riverbank Christmas Lights event are held each year at this location, however due to COVID and the need for the event organiser to have a dedicated COVID management plan, there is a requirement to place temporary fencing along a portion of River Torrens Linear Park (between Manton Street (by Holland Street Bridge) and Port Road.”

“The fencing will close the shared path each night during the dates and times specified above to allow management of attendance numbers/social distancing as required by SA Health.”

“Cyclists and users wishing to access the path during this time (who are not attending the event) will be detoured via Holland Street Bridge and Holland Street.“

Please provide feedback here: https://www.yoursaycharlessturt.com.au/temporary-road-and-footpath-closure-proposals.

1. Outer Harbor Greenway Works: Since the opening of the Outer Harbour Greenway a couple of years ago, there has been repeated comment regarding the rather ‘abrupt’ gutter that cyclists have had to negotiate as they enter the pathway around McInerney Park (at the intersection of Day Terrace and Sackville Street) at Croydon. 

We’re very pleased to hear that the City of Charles Sturt has been listening & is dealing with the problem. In an informal communication we are told that work is underway & “the transition between path and road surface will be much smoother.” You can see the area of the Greenway affected in the Council plan below.

PortBUG congratulates the City of Charles Sturt on their ongoing efforts & commitment to improve & refine the Greenway. Feel free to submit your photos of the work as it progresses (and when completed) via facebook to either PortBUG or WestsideBUG. We look forward to the completion of this latest refinement of the fabulous OHG!

2. Semaphore Road Bike Path Petition: Readers will recall a petition from the Semaphore Mainstreet Association for the permanent closure & removal of the road’s renowned off-road bike paths. Council officers have now reported on the petition with a recommendation that:

‘a formal review of the bike path be undertaken by an independent consultant to consider improvements… [which aim to maintain] the bike path but providing further opportunities for outdoor dining and improving the conspicuity of the bike path (such treatment could include further ‘buffers’ between the bike path and footpath)….  However, it should be recognised that the retention of the bike path is recommended in any circumstance.’

This recommendation will be considered by Council at their meeting tomorrow & we presume that any review might then be undertaken over the next few weeks. You can read this recommendation to Council here (starting at page 180) as well as PortBUG’s submission.

3. Reminder – A Brave New World Presentation: ‘Car-Free Living’.

Jeremy Miller, noted campaigner on environmental & transport issues will provide this engaging presentation at the Parks Library, 46 Trafford St, Angle Park on Wednesday 29 September, 7-8pm. 

Join Jeremy Miller as he discusses how cities of the future can benefit from being built for fewer cars, and more bikes. Learn how using electric bikes and cargo bikes can be just as helpful to the individual as the community and the environment.

Light refreshments provided.

Register via Eventbrite. 

Brave New World: Car Free Living.

Presented by Jeremy Miller.

Who: Jeremy is past Chair of Bike Adelaide & noted campaigner on environmental & transport issues.

Where: Parks Library, 46 Trafford St, Angle Park.

When: Wednesday 29 September, 7-8pm. 

Modern cities are built around transport via car – but what if they weren’t?

Join Jeremy Miller as he discusses how cities of the future can benefit from being built for fewer cars, and more bikes. Learn how using electric bikes and cargo bikes can be just as helpful to the individual as the community and the environment.

In the Brave New World series we talk to leaders about ideas and issues shaping our world. We invite you to be informed and engaged.

Light refreshments provided.

Register via Eventbrite. 

Over the last 3 months, your PortBUG coordination group has been actively liaising with Council staff on important developments to be considered by Council in September. Discussions have included:

• nominated Council bicycle-related funding projects, 2021-22
• initial feedback on a draft of the Council’s new Walking & Cycling Plan (WCP)
• responding to a proposal from Semaphore Road traders to permanently close the Mainstreet Bike Paths (including attending an informal meeting with the Mayor & snr staff)!
• provision of input to proposals for further development of a ‘Rosewater Loop’ Bike Path
• provision of specific advice regarding a Port CBD Active Transport Network.

We have also had an opportunity to discuss with staff the Council’s new Integrated Transport Plan (ITP). Readers may recall an online public consultation process Council held in 2020 for nomination of problems encountered across the PA/E Council’s transport system – we are pleased to report that the majority of issues reported concerned specific issues encountered by bicycle users, now incorporated into the ITP. Congratulations to everyone who responded!

We understand that at their September meeting, Council will consider both the draft Integrated Transport Plan & the Walking & Cycling Plan as well as a report prepared by staff on the proposed Semaphore Road Bike Path closure. We understand that both the ITP & W&CP will then proceed to public consultation! We’ll keep you informed on all developments.

Other News:

• The ‘grapevine’ suggests that State Government bike funding for Councils seems to have improved markedly for 2021-22. Hopefully this means that the new PA/E W&CPlan will get off to a good start! We’ll report further details as they become available.
• PortBUG has recently called for interest from members living (and cycling) beyond the immediate Port Adelaide area to act as ‘Field Agents’ to assist in representing cycling issues. Several members have expressed interest for the suburbs of Oakden, Ottoway, Largs North, Valley View & Sefton Park. If you are interested in acting in this role in your local area (to monitor & report on local bike-related issues) please let us know! We are particularly interested in hearing from our female members!

Readers will recall a recent petition to Council from the Semaphore Mainstreet Association (on behalf of 37 traders) to permanently close the Semaphore Road Bike Paths. The PortBUG has now provided Council with a detailed response which you can read here.

These pathways are more-or-less unique in Australia & were installed as part of the complete redevelopment of Semaphore Road-East around a decade ago. They complement widened ‘boulevard’ footpaths as well as a narrowed & speed-limited roadway which was provided with both on-road bike-lanes & many additional angled parking spaces.

We anticipate attending an informal meeting shortly to discuss the SMA’s request with The Mayor & key Council Staff. It seems likely that Council staff will present a report to Elected Members sometime in August or September.

UPDATE: THE BUG NOW UNDERSTANDS THAT THE COUNCIL REPORT (ALONG WITH PORTBUG’S SUBMISSION) WILL BE CONSIDERED BY COUNCILLORS AT THE SEPT. 11TH MEETING!

We’ll keep you posted!

For those who visit or ride on Semaphore Road, it’s with considerable disappointment we must let you know of a petition from the Semaphore Main Street Association, aimed at the permanent closure of Semaphore Road’s unique off-road bikeways. These bikeways – constructed over a decade ago – did not intrude onto or otherwise take over existing footpath space & were created by narrowing the roadway from 4 lanes to 2 and lowering the speed limit to create a safer traffic environment!

The 38 petitioners include a prominent land agent, hair dresser, funeral director & several restaurants, cafes & gift shops. The petition – which will go to tomorrow’s Council meeting – appears to be based on the usual litany of misinformed opinions about ‘bicycle safety’, but its hidden agenda is clearly aimed at obtaining access to a much wider footpath space for out door dining, shop displays, advertising boards etc! 

The petition’s covering letter offers no acknowledgement at all of the tremendous, proven economic potential & benefits that stem from encouraging people to shop or visit by bike, nor do the petitioners appear to understand the Council’s long-term aim to provide an ‘8-80’ bicycle network that serves a wide range of transport needs! The petition assumes that all bicycle users can safely ride on the road, and that none will simply ride on the footpath anyway – as they are allowed to do!

The PortBUG has long sought better promotion by Council of Semaphore Road’s bikeways, as well as installation of much better signage advertising their presence & distinguishing them from the footpaths – and we will continue to do so. Perhaps this petition will highlight for Council how important these issues really are!

The Port Adelaide/Enfield Council has been developing a new ‘Walking & Cycling Plan – 2020-25’ (WCP), replacing our ‘Local Area Bicycle Plan 2015-20’ which the Council has working with over the last 5 years.

Back in April PortBUG’s coordinating group had an opportunity to briefly review the draft plan (although we were unable to share details with readers). If you’ve followed our forum or blog posts recently it’ll be no surprise that we had some problems with the new plan – both the way it was developed & presented, as well as its road-focussed recommendations and content.

Broadly speaking we’ve felt that it was neither ‘reader-friendly’ nor sufficiently focussed on the key issues that we know that ‘interested but concerned’ residents (those who would ride or walk if they felt safe) consider most important – safety, connectivity & convenience! Nor did we feel that the draft sufficiently dealt with the challenge of creating an ‘8-to-80 Network’.

We provided a detailed & comprehensive response (see link below) & yesterday we met with staff to discuss this feedback. We’re pleased to report that they will be conveying our thoughts to the consultants preparing the draft plan, suggesting that it be updated to address our concerns. Staff explained some of the context of the Plan’s development and the likelihood of increased funding over the next year! PortBUG will have another opportunity to briefly review the draft Plan before it goes to Council and then out for public consultation (probably in August or September).

This new Walking & Cycling Plan represents an important ‘Next Step’ in the ongoing development of our Active Transport Network. It will need to address:

• key ‘missing links’ in the Network such as east-west alternatives to Grand Junction Road, an off-road link on Sudholz Rd (connecting to the Paradise bus interchange) & important tourism routes

• improved access into & through key centres such as the Port CBD & Waterfront

• the many opportunities for improved local links & local area networks and…

• The Port’s substandard pedestrian infrastructure!

With the launch of this new Walking & Cycling Plan, one challenge we’d really like readers to think about is how we might develop a stronger voice for those of you who live in the eastern parts of the PA/E Council area – perhaps through the The Parks & east of South Road? The BUG coordinating group spend most of their riding time in and around The Port, Semaphore & the Lefevre Peninsula and are much less familiar with problems that bicycle users to the east face. This is where local knowledge is fundamentally important!

One option we have considered is to try to convene a small group (maybe 3-4 people) who live & ride further to the east who might want to collaborate in reviewing the new Plan, identifying barriers to safe cycling & walking & suggesting solutions. The tasks are not too demanding – they just require some local knowledge & experience that the current BUG coordinating group just doesn’t have. If you are at all interested in this, please let Sam, BUG Secretary know via our website contact form or email address.

Walking & Cycling Plan, 2021-21: https://portadbug.org/2021-25-the-pa-e-walking-cycling-plan/

The City of Charles Sturt have called for community feedback on the proposed closure & detour of the Outer Harbor Greenway at Bowden for approx. 12 months.

An application has been received from developers for this closure to facilitate new housing construction at the ‘Nightingale Bowden’ site for one year from July 2021 to July 2022. The Greenway would be closed between Drayton Street and the Station Place Footbridge (see map below).

Further details on this matter can be found on Council’s Have Your Say consultation website with written public comments invited. You can also email comments to Catherine Blackmore (Admin & Consultation Officer) at: cblackmore@charlessturt.sa.gov.au

Comments must be received by 5.00pm on 26 July 2021.

Over the course of construction and the proposed 12-month pathway closure Greenway users would be detoured approx 300 metres as per the route shown below.

Labour MP Joe Szakacs is convening a Community Forum to discuss & lobby for development of the now-disused Rosewater rail line as a community asset. The PortBUG has long supported the concept of a ‘Rosewater Loop’ – a high quality shared-use pathway utilising the full width of the corridor as a active transport route, a biodiversity park and for various other recreational activities.

A pathway and ‘linear park’ along the Rosewater rail corridor would link up – when it reaches Railway Trc, Ottoway – with the existing community-made route that runs up the Gilman Rail Reserve to Eastern Parade. This link would create a full loop – the Rosewater Loop – providing all surrounding suburbs with secure & direct walking & cycling access to both the Outer Harbor Greenway and the Port’s CBD, as well as a valuable & versatile public space!

From Joe’s facebook page: “How would you like to see the unused rail corridor in Rosewater repurposed?  As the rail line is in the process of being officially decommissioned, now is a great time to start discussing ideas for its future. And who better to ask for suggestions than you, the local community. To share your views and ideas, I invite Rosewater residents to come along to my Rosewater Loop Community Forum 

When: Monday 28th June, 6-7pm Where: Rosewater Football Club – 47 Newcastle St, Rosewater.

I’ll also be joined by City of Port Adelaide Enfield representatives including Claire Boan – Mayor of the City of PAE.

RSVP your attendance to my office by email at cheltenham@parliament.sa.gov.au, call 8243 0062 or send a direct message to my page.“

You can find further the PortBUG’s discussion of the Rosewater Loop proposal here.

1. Workshop – Draft Walking & Cycling Plan:   In early June council officers provided PortBUG with a brief opportunity to review the new draft Walking & Cycling Plan. This draft will be discussed at a short Councillor Workshop, Tuesday 22^nd, 8-8.30pm (in the PA/E Town Hall, Nile Street, Port Adelaide). Interested residents can attend but not comment or participate in this workshop – details here.

PortBUG has many concerns regarding the current draft of the new Walking & Cycling Plan – concerns we have not encountered when reviewing previous bike plans. These concerns go to the heart of what we consider to be ‘good planning’ in meeting the needs of ‘vulnerable road users’ & addressing the future of Active Transport for both residents & visitors.

We have put together a pdf for Councillors outlining some of these concerns & some key questions for Council staff – you can read this pdf here. We encourage your interest in the issues we raise & your attendance in this short workshop if you can make it. 

2. Proposed e-Scooter Zone Expansion: PA/E Council is currently asking for resident’s opinions on a proposed expansion of the zone for its current E-Scooters trial (recently extended for another 12 months). 

Council are seeking the feedback of residents on this proposal. You can comment here. Consultation closes 28th June.

3. Council Engagement Survey: Residents of PA/E will know that our Council has recently sought to ‘engage’ with residents, both in providing information & in seeking feedback through consultation processes.

Council have now appointed a number of Engagement Officers to facilitate & improve these processes, & have initiated an Engagement Survey, seeking your feedback. It’s important that the voices of residents are heard, particularly with regard to walking & cycling issues – please consider responding to this brief questionnaire. Consultation closes 7^th July.

In early 2018 PA/E’s neighbouring council, the City of Charles Sturt obtained 2 traffic counters for location on the Outer Harbour Greenway (OHG-Belmore Trc) & the River Torrens Linear Path.

Charles Sturt have now released up-to-date information on the annual, month-on-month & average daily use of these routes. The OHG data is particularly interesting because it’s a route used by many PA/E (and nearby) residents and by those visiting our Council area. Let’s have a look at the data…

Annual Use – Outer Harbor Greenway: 2018-19-20.

We can see a steady increase here since 2018 when the Woodville counter was installed (the Greenway wasn’t ‘fully open’ until October 2019). Note that the 2020 total has four zeros behind it – well over 90,000 bike trips recorded that year!

Outer Harbor Greenway – Monthly & Daily Use (Feb 2018 – Jan 2021).

Note that Jan 2021 registered the highest monthly traffic since Feb 2018 with 10,326 bikes countered. That’s about 333 bikes per day!

Rob Kretschmer from the facebook forum also shared a nice graph of selected daily-use data:

This is all important information! It provides a number of key insights – notably:

• there is steadily increasing awareness & use of the Greenway (and this is likely to continue)
• the Greenway is valued by both commuters and recreational (‘weekend’) users.

The Outer Harbor Greenway was conceived by PortBUG back in 2005 as a ‘trunk’ or inter-suburban route – that is, to provide a safe, direct & convenient bicycle (and pedestrian) route between suburban destinations and across a major section of NW Adelaide. It (and other similar-scale routes such as the Gawler & Grange Greenways) can be thought of as the ‘spine’ or framework of our Active Transport Network.

Having established (most of) these ‘trunk’ routes, the PA/E Council must now address completion of the finer & more ‘granular’ levels of the Network – what are referred to as ‘Neighbourhood Connector’ & ‘Local Access’ routes (and all the way down to your local footpaths!)

This is the challenge now facing PA/E’s new Walking & Cycling Plan. The PortBUG recently had an opportunity to comment on a draft of the Plan. As we said at our facebook forum at the time:

“There is a great deal in the new Plan that is positive and indeed, that incorporates recommendations we’ve made previously. However we felt compelled to express a number of concerns, focussed principally on:

• methodological weaknesses & an insufficient data base
• significant omissions from the recommended priorities
• an excessive focus on main-road bike lanes with insufficient consideration of alternatives 
• insufficient focus on functional network connectivity
• lack of focus on effective community engagement & participation.”

We also felt that the new Plan pays insufficient attention to the needs of pedestrians and does not actually provide a clear explanation & illustration as to how the Network should ‘work’ for those using it!

We are now told that Council will hold a workshop on the draft Plan for Councillors in June and a revised draft will probably go to Council in July, and then be made available for community consultation & comment! We look forward to providing further updates on this important new phase of Active Transport development across Port Adelaide/Enfield!

**Thanks to the City of Charles Sturt, Bike Adelaide & Rob Kretschmer for data & graphics.

Hi Folks,

About 2 weeks ago PA/E Council officers provided the PortBUG Committee with an opportunity to review and comment (on a confidential basis) on Council’s new draft 5-year Walking & Cycling Plan. We only had a few days to read the draft and comment, but we managed to provide Council with a reasonably comprehensive 14-page response!

There is a great deal in the new Plan that is positive and indeed, that incorporates recommendations we’ve made previously. However we felt compelled to strongly express a number of concerns, focussed principally on:

• some methodological weaknesses & an insufficient data provision
• significant omissions from the recommended priorities
• an excessive focus on main-road bike lanes with insufficient consideration of alternatives
• insufficient focus on functional network connectivity
• lack of focus on effective community engagement & participation.

We understand that a revised draft will go to Councillors at their May or June meeting for ratification and will then be made available for community consultation & comment!

The PortBUG looks forward to participating further in this important process & we’ll do everything we can to ensure forum members have the opportunity to do so as well!

Your PortBUG Committee.

1. AdaptWest Community Climate Change Survey: Jeremy Miller, AdaptWest Climate Change Coordinator (Councils of Charles Sturt, Port Adelaide/Enfield & West Torrens) is undertaking a Community Climate Change Survey.

The survey runs for three weeks and is open to anyone who lives and/or works in Western Adelaide. Please consider responding ASAP!

2. R2P Bike Overpass Opens: A new pedestrian and cyclist overpass – part of the Regency Road to Pym Street (R2P) Project – has officially opened to the public!

The overpass provides important east-west connectivity for the PA/E Council’s East-West & Parks Connector commuter & local bike routes. It connects these routes to the Gawler Greenway route into the Adelaide CBD and spans 57m over the North-South Motorway. Minor finishing works will continue on the overpass for the coming months with the overpass remaining open during these works.

The Project will be conducting bus & walking tours of the new overpass & project this coming Sunday 21st March between 10am & 12. Details & bookings here – registration & bookings are essential.

3. Guide to the Port River Bikeway: The PortBUG’s website now has a page providing information about the Port River Bikeway (see red & green labels below). Check it out here.

4. Devonport Upgrades: Prospect Council is proposing streetscape & traffic management upgrades to this key section of the Gawler Greenway. Read about the plans here.

5. Meetings with Council: PortBUG is currently meeting with PA/E Council to discuss several key sets of issues, notably:

• the development of the Council’s new Walking & Cycling Plan
• the Council’s Post-COVID Recovery Project.

We’ll keep readers informed of the outcomes of these discussions via the BugBlog and at our facebook group, the Port Adelaide Bicycle Forum.

6.  Bicycle Network Analysis for Port Adelaide! The US-based Bicycle Network Analysis has recently been launched in Australia with trial assessments of the CBD Council areas in state capitols (the Adelaide CBD achieving the 3rd lowest score!)

Four further local area assessments will be conducted in South Australia over 2021, including the Port Adelaide/Enfield Council. The BNA generates a number of useful reports including:

• a Network Cycling Stress Map – a graded continuum of route stress ratings
• a Connectivity Map, identifying access to local destinations across the chosen area
• an Infrastructure Map, identifying cycle routes
• a Numerical Score based on cycling access to a range of key destinations and services.

You can now listen to an audio recording about the BNA at www.weride.org.au/BTA  We’ll keep readers updated on outcomes of Port Adelaide/Enfield’s BNA survey when it becomes available.

Adelaide CBD’s BNA Map  & Bikeability report

From Katie – Chair of Bike Adelaide (formerly BISA)…

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well and have enjoyed some recent jaunts on your beloved bicycle.

I am writing to you as an active bike advocate involved with local Bicycle User Groups and asking for you to please give up 10 minutes of your time to provide feedback/support for the East-West Bikeway proposal currently out for consultation (closing this Friday).

I know for many the city is not the priority however this project has been high profile in the media and has received the most funding for any single cycling infrastructure project in SA. It is a struggle to reclaim road space as the history of this project shows. As Peter S commented on FB:

“This isn’t just a City issue. There is an important principle at risk in this instance and that is the ability of a few unelected interests holding sway over our Councillors and sabotaging good public policy. Make your voice heard and help us create a safer cycling culture for us all, no matter where we live or work.”

Details on the proposal are here: City Bikeways | Your Say Adelaide (cityofadelaide.com.au)

How can you have your say?

• Via the online form (bottom of the page!): City Bikeways | Your Say Adelaide (cityofadelaide.com.au)
• Talk with a team member: 0407 773 198
• Email your comments to citybikeways@cityofadelaide.com.au

Bike Adelaide’s thoughts on the proposal (in brief):

• the design is safe and comfortable including for families/teens (ensuring a 2.5 metre width is important and expected except at pinch points).
• the route will give low-stress cycling access to the city (a direct route along Flinders is preferable but deemed nearly impossible.)
• Bikeways are awesome in so many ways – just like people who cycle
• we can not delay any further – we need to get on with it!

Note: The proposed ‘centre-of-the-road’ option in the info pack is untested, unsafe, and unfeasible. We believe it’s inserted as a distraction, aimed at derailing the project by those councillors opposing it – it’s not an option recommended by the professional staff.

The results of this consultation will determine if this project succeeds or is abandoned. Please have your say.

Our name change: It’s official – we are now Bike Adelaide. We have new web & email addresses, but our BISA address redirects to BikeAdelaide & our BISA emails are still working at this stage.

Thanks, Katie Gilfillan, Chair, Bike Adelaide

0416 294 134 chair@bikeadelaide.org.au

In October the PortBUG wrote to the new Minister of Transport, Corey Wingard, seeking restoration of the much reduced State Bicycle Fund to ensure that in 2021 (and beyond), Councils can get on with implementing their bike plans & agendas. Here’s a little of what we had to say…

“…the development of Adelaide’s ‘cycling city’ status has effectively come to a standstill… there is now urgent need to support provision of more localized walking and cycling facilities… Virtually all of these smaller-scale projects are the responsibility of Local Government, who in turn depend on matched funding from the State Bicycle Fund (SBF) for completion of their annual works programs…”

“…at perhaps only 10% of its 1990s value, the SBF is rapidly becoming a rather pointless gesture of limited value to both Councils and the community. The current $300K available [as reported in the 1990-20 State Budget] would barely pay for a few hundred metres of paved pathway or a couple of secure road crossings, let alone the many more demanding projects that councils need to undertake…”

“PortBUG understands that the [2020-21] State Budget is due in early November. We ask that your Government allocate much more adequate funding to the SBF to ensure that it is able to support demands to further develop Adelaide’s Active Transport Network. The funding required is modest – we suggest in the order of $3 to 6M – and we’d argue that your Government consider such increased funding as an essential complement to the massive investment in roads and rail infrastructure you have planned.” 

We have now received a response from Minister Wingard. Here’re some extracts from his letter:

The Minister then refers to a series of planning studies, including some focussed on cycling and Active Transport.  It seems that the recent & rather ‘rushed’ consultation exercise we participated in may have been part of this…

The Minister refers to improving ‘connections to the CBD cycling network’ which – from PortBUG’s p.o.v – can only be a good thing given the confusion & lack of easy connectivity encountered by cyclists using the Outer Harbour Greenway when they enter the Adelaide Parklands! 

Unfortunately the Minister then makes it clear that Government’s planning focus remains on larger-scale investments as outlined in the ’Twenty Year State Infrastructure Strategy’…

This apparent focus on larger-scale & longer-term investments – while accruing brownie-points for the Government of the day – ignores Council need for a reliable & adequate source of funding to support their bike plans and Active Transport agendas! 

The Minister does not tell us what the State Bike Fund for 2021 will be so it’s not possible to really get a handle on what might be possible at a Council level (Councils rely on the SBF for funding support). So it looks as though we – local communities, BUGs and Councils – are still on our own!

Latest State Budget News from Katie Gilfillan at the Bicycle Institute…

Hello,

1. BUG Network Update:

• Firstly – a big welcome to Daniel who has recently created a Barossa Valley BUG and joined our SA BUG network. If you know anyone who lives in the Barossa and cycles share the news.  Yesterday I met with Daniel and the Barossa Mayor Bim Lange to talk all things cycling. Bim was very receptive as a rider himself. It was exciting to hear about his plans for the area.

• Secondly – welcome to Manfred our KI BUG rep 🙂 It’s great to have you on board.

2. Funding Available for Cycling Projects – ‘spread the word‘:

I know lots of us have cycling projects in our local area that we would love to see funded. Now is a great chance to approach your elected members/council staff to encourage them to put in an application for funds from a ‘local stimulus’ funding bucket recently announced by the State Government. The funding is for community projects and the Premier has specifically announced this includes cycling trails. I don’t see why this couldn’t include paths such as an Aldinga/Willunga connection but don’t know the exact criteria.

If anyone wants to talk about who to approach or how please let me know – I’m happy to help. It would be great to get plenty of applications in to show there is great interest in local councils for more funding for cycle trails.
Even just making sure your council knows about the opportunity would be a real win.

Thanks, Katie Gilfillan
Chair, The Bicycle Institute of SA (BISA)
0416 294 134
katie.gilfillan@bisa.asn.au

Bicycles are future mobility
Join our community and view our campaigns at bicycleinstitutesa.com
To engage visit us on facebook

Towards the end of October the Bicycle Institute (‘BISA’) was approached by the Dep’t for Infrastructure & Transport (DIT) who were seeking recommendations for projects and planning goals to improve cycling conditions:

• along the Torrens Linear Park and…
• across the ‘inner-middle’ metro area.

At very short notice multiple BUG members across the city provided input which the Institute has collated and submitted to DIT. Here’s what Katie Gilfillan – the Institute’s Chairperson – has to say (Note: the highlights are ours);

“Hi, Firstly a big thank you to the great team that put forward ideas. Hopefully Fay and I have been able to capture all of these, as well as BISA priorities, in the attached spreadsheet and overview paper submitted to DIT. Fay and I spent days pulling ideas from everyone and our previous mapping exercises into a central document that hopefully conveys everyone’s priorities. Fay also collated an overview document to provide a strategic framework.

We could not have collated the volume of ideas with such detail without the significant time put in by Sam Powrie and members Taren, Kate and Nick who presented their ideas in an easy to read format (see attachments links in spreadsheet).

From here we plan to keep building on this list of ideas to use for election 2022. We will break them down by electorate and look to keep building a list of projects for future funding for each area across Greater Adelaide (LGA and State Gov).

Our ultimate aim is to pull these together onto a single map for easy viewing. Our hope has been that DIT would prioritise a state bicycle strategy and map a network however in the absence of this we will slowly do our best.

If you have a suggestion for the best mapping software to use please let me know.If your BUG area is underrepresented in the spreadsheet please feel free to forward your priorities and I can add these (preferably as an additional row in the spreadsheet to make it easier for me – feel free to add images etc in an attachment I can also include).

Thank you again to everyone for your great ideas and for your time. Together we are on our way to creating a grassroots army of bike advocates across Greater Adelaide. Together governments and communities can do great things.

Happy riding 🙂 Katie”

Links to the attachments & documents Katie refers to below. Katie can be contacted at: katie.gilfillan@bisa.asn.au

• DIT Planning Studies – Community/BISA Recommendations, Nov. 2020.

• BISA Overview – DIT Planning Studies, Nov. 2020.

CEDAMIA (Climate Emergency Declaration and Mobilisation In Action) are gathering signatures for their NO MORE BAD INVESTMENTS petition. They are seeking action by South Australian’s Lower House, asking them to declare that we are facing a climate emergency and to take immediate steps to reduce carbon emissions.

The goal is to collect 10,000 signatures so it can be presented to the Lower House and attract their considered response.

Currently CEDAMIA have nearly 8,000 signatures. The first 6,000 were collected quickly, but things have slowed somewhat since March for obvious reasons.

Another 2000 signatures are now required before the petition can be submitted – please consider adding yours. 

You can find the link to the on-line petition at PortBUG’s front page & here or just click on the image below.

Kath Mardon from the City of Charles Sturt writes…

“Hello Port Adelaide Bicycle Users Group,

We are developing options to complete the Grange Greenway cycling and walking route between Meakin Terrace and the Grange Railway Station.

The Grange Greenway is a walking and cycling route that generally follows the Grange Railway Line. It currently runs from Woodville Road at Woodville Railway Station (connecting to the Outer Harbor Greenway) through to Frederick Road at Seaton. Most of the route is off-road shared use paths with some short sections on roads/ footpaths.

We have prepared draft options to complete the Grange Greenway route from its current ending on Meakin Terrace at Frederick Road, Seaton through to the Grange Railway Station. These options consider safe crossing of Frederick Road, and routes that could use local streets (e.g. Willochra Avenue, Jetty Street and Terminus Street).

We are also seeking community feedback on an additional connection from Meakin Terrace to the Grange Lakes Corridor via Westmoreland Road. Opportunities to make local streets safer for bike riders include new paths, crossing points and traffic calming.

To have your say you can:

• View draft options and complete the online survey available at: www.yoursaycharlessturt.com.au/grangegreenway

• Attend the Community Drop in Session, Saturday 14 November, 10am to 12.30pm, Grange Lakes Reserve, Kentdale Street.

Should you have any queries at all, please feel free to contact Sara Morrison, Transport Engineer on 8408 1271.

We would love to hear your views!

Many thanks, Kath Mardon 

Community Engagement Officer.”

PortBUG understands that the Department for Infrastructure & Transport (DIT) has asked BISA to come up with a list of suggested bicycle infrastructure projects in a hurry for:

• improving access to & use of the Torrens Linear Park Trail (the ‘Linear Path’) and…
• improving bike commuting across ‘Inner & Middle Adelaide’ (from Salisbury to around Moana/Brighton).

PortBUG is seeking project suggestions and will forward them to BISA asap. BISA’s chairperson tells us that nominated projects will be prioritised by DIT and then “sit ready until funding becomes available at which time the process [for building] should be relatively quick. The focus is on infrastructure that will help reduce car reliance by encouraging people to switch to cycling.”

Project Focus:

• Projects along The Linear Park Trail: DIT are looking for local street connection upgrades, missing bridges, missing lighting, wayfinding suggestions etc. Arterial road crossings may be an important issue to highlight (eg; Ashbrook to River Torrens across Lower North East Rd) as well as missing lighting and other connections – such as the Port Council’s proposed shared-use path on Sudolz Rd between Grand Junction Road and the Torrens & Paradise Bus Interchange (a long-held ambition of the PA/E Bike Plan!)

• Projects Across Inner and Middle Adelaide: Apparently this refers to new bicycle infrastructure possibilities between Salisbury and around Seaford.  DIT are looking for possible initiatives for remedying missing connections, arterial road-crossing issues, opportunities to improve sections of existing bike-direct routes etc.

A Short Time Line! The time-line for providing these suggestions is short – BISA need suggestions by COB this coming Wednesday 28/10/2020. If you have any project ideas or suggestions at all please post below or email our secretary, Sam asap. We’ll forward your suggestions to BISA and provide a collated summary here for the record!

We look forward to hearing from Port Adelaide/Enfield bicycle users!

2020 has been a most unusual year for our Bicycle Network and Bike Plan. The State Bicycle Fund was drastically reduced in the previous year making it very difficult for Council to pursue further projects – and of course COVID has had a major impact on everything!

However the BUG has been pleased to hear that in the current 2020-21 financial year, PA/E Council has successfully sought funding for 3 significant projects that’ll improve our cycling environment – we’ll report on these in more detail in a future post.

For now, Council are about to start preparing submissions for the forthcoming 2021-22 financial year, starting next July – the first year of operation for the new ‘Walking & Cycling Plan’. The circumstances are a bit special as we are still ‘between plans’ and don’t have the usual list of projects to consider. However there are still quite a few targets, large and small, left over from the last Bike Plan, as well as a number of network issues that we have become aware of more recently.

Based on these, we have prepared our own ‘hit list’ of possible 2021-22 projects which you can read here. We are seeking your comments on these proposals, as well as your own ideas for Council to consider. Please let us know what you think, as well as your own ideas for 2020-21 and beyond before Sunday 1st November. Comment below or just email our Secretary.

At its meeting on the 13^th October Council resolved that they will not proceed with the proposal to install two new zebra crossings on Semaphore Road (nor will they remove the parking wheelstops – these will instead be replaced with brighter coloured, harder wearing plastic items).

The original proposal was to replace 3 of the current 4 existing crossing points with two much larger zebra crossings. Extensive community consultations resulted in 186 responses – see below

The majority of the feedback was concerned with the loss of on-street parking and a disruption in traffic flow (six of the 82 spaces available would be lost as part of the proposal). A number of respondents felt that one crossing would be adequate. Others suggested that humps are required in this section of road to keep traffic speeds down and also requested a lower speed limit.

At the October meeting staff proposed one centrally placed raised platform ‘wombat’ crossing as an alternative. Two of the four existing informal crossings could be removed and with a change in the angle of the parking on the northern side. this would provide a gain of seven car parking spaces! A single ‘wombat’ crossing will also address some of the speeding concerns raised during the consultation process and make it easier for the less able to cross the road. Current disabled parking spaces could be located adjacent to the crossing to make their use more convenient. This proposal is shown below.

The ‘wombat’ crossing option addresses the majority of issues raised in the consultation process (loss of parking and the vehicle speeds) and still allows a crossing point for the less able and others to cross Semaphore Road. Two of the informal crossing locations would be retained (where pedestrians would not have right of way).

It was pointed out that the project easily meets the ‘warrant requirements’ for the installation of a formalised pedestrian crossing. DIT guidelines and Australian Standards these indicate a warrant applies if a minimum of 160 pedestrians cross a particular point in any 8 hour period with a total of 1,600 or more vehicles in those same 8 hours. Semaphore Road (between Military Road and The Esplanade) has a minimum of 600-700 pedestrians in any one location and an average of 8500 vehicles/day!

Staff noted that this proposed ‘wombat’ crossing will improve pedestrian access across Semaphore Road (particularly for the less able and elderly who will have ‘right of way’ over motorists) and is likely to attract more pedestrians to the area. The aim is to create a low speed environment that is conducive to walking and making it safer where there is already considerable demand for a priority crossing.