Canberra Bicycle 2000

A Bicycle Strategy for the Australian Capital Territory

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Vision
Foreword
A Bicycle Strategy for the Australian Capital Territory
Acknowledgments

Executive Summary
Introduction
Why Promote Cycling?

• Equity and Accessibility
• Transport and Economic Efficiency
• Environment
• Health
• Tourism
• Urban Liveability

ACT Government Policies
National Initiatives
Existing Government Programs
Who Bicycles in the ACT?
Bicycle Safety
Cycling On Roads

• Safety
• Education
• Engineering
• Environment
• Enforcement
• Encouragement

Bike Plan
Canberra Bicycle 2000 - Value for Money
Canberra Bicycle 2000 Bike Plan

• Safety
• Education
• Engineering
• Environment
• Enforcement
• Encouragement

The Vision

• To ensure that cyclists have facilities of an appropriate standard
• To ensure that cycling is recognised as a legitimate road use
• To create a safer on and off-road cycling environment
• To educate and inform all road users about appropriate behaviour towards each other
• To encourage a more healthy community
• To efficiently target public spending on cycling
• To increase the proportion of commuter trips by cycling from 3% in 1997 to 6% by 2007
•  

Foreword

Canberra is admired by communities around Australia as a city of off-road paths, where tourists and visitors can ride in comfort and safety. Much less well known is the fact that almost 40%, or over 110,000 of all Canberra residents cycle at least once a fortnight - to work, schools, for shopping and recreation.

Cycling has an increasingly important role in transport in Canberra. It is a highly energy efficient, sustainable travel mode, and generates no greenhouse gases or noxious exhaust emissions. It uses a minimum of our increasingly scarce non renewable resources. Cycling promotes accessibility, is affordable and has positive effects on personal health, work productivity and liveability. Increased commuter cycling contributes to a reduction in peak period congestion and helps postpone the need to build more roads and car parks. Think of all the reasons you like living here. Then think before you drive and use the bicycle instead.

CANBERRA BICYCLE 2000 provides a framework for the medium term development of integrated and cost effective bicycle programs in the Australian Capital Territory. It is a living document, the start of a process which will involve community consultation and negotiation.

I commend CANBERRA BICYCLE 2000 as an indication of the Government's positive commitment to increased and safe bicycle use.

Gary Humphries
Minister for Environment, Land and Planning

Acknowledgments

This strategy was finalised by Planning and Land Management in the Department of Environment, Land and Planning, with assistance from:

• The Australian Federal Police
• Pedal Power ACT
• Canberra Tourism
• ACTION
• The Canberra Cycle Club (and other bicycle clubs)
• ACT City Services
• The Department of Education and Training
• The Department of Healthand Community Care
• Chief Minister’s Department
• Attorney-General's Department
• Tourism industry representatives
• Primary and Secondary school teachers

The Canberra Bicycle 2000 Strategy is based on studies undertaken for the Department of Urban Services by Arup Transportation Planning P/L, with GEOPLAN Resource and Town Planning, Feilman Planning Associates and DATACOL.

The Department also gratefully acknowledges the contribution of members of the public who responded to an invitation for comments on the draft strategy in 1994.

Executive Summary

The ACT Government is keen to promote cycling because it improves: accessibility; the efficiency of the transport system; individual health; urban liveability and is good for tourism and the environment.

The ACT Bicycle Strategy is consistent with the National Bicycle Strategy, the Territory Plan, the National Greenhouse Response Strategy, the National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development and the Precinct Management Strategy for Civic.

The Government currently spends about $700,00 on cycling projects and has been working to implement a number of actions to promote and encourage cycling.

Canberrans have more bicycles than cars per head of population . 40% of the population cycle at least once a fortnight. The ACT is aiming to increase the rate of cycling from 3% in 1997 to 6% by 2007 through the ACT Bicycle Strategy. Evidence from other countries shows that when cycling is actively encouraged, trips by bicycle are much more frequent.

The ACT Bicycle Strategy addresses the promotion of safe cycling through a multi-faceted approach: Safety, Education, Engineering, Environment, Enforcement and Encouragement.

The ACT Bike Plan sets short- and long-term goals as well as identifying specific programs and tasks relevant to the ACT Bicycle Strategy. An ACT Bicycle Liaison Group will be established to advise on the implementation of the Bike Plan.

Introduction

As the people of the ACT look to the future and embrace the concepts of sustainability, affordability, liveability and accessibility the benefits from cycling, both for transport and recreation are becoming more apparent.

Non-commuter cycling in Canberra has traditionally been assisted in two ways. Firstly, by having footpath cycling as a legal activity, cyclists (especially primary school students) are able to ride more safely to local destinations. Secondly, by constructing an extensive off road path network, cyclists are able to ride longer distances in relative safety. The footpath and off road path network continues to be expanded into newly developing areas, and provides a safer cycling environment.

Providing for bicycles separately from other traffic, on off road paths has only partially addressed the increasing demand from commuter and other cyclists who use existing roads as part of an integrated on- and off road route system. Unfortunately, the existence of a high quality off-road system has tended to encourage the view that cycling is not a legitimate transport activity, and that bicycles should not use the road network.

Why Promote Cycling?

There are a number of reasons why the ACT Government is keen to promote more bicycle riding.

Equity and Accessibility

Providing for cycling improves access for those in the community who do not have alternative forms of transport readily available.

Transport and Economic Efficiency

Cycling helps reduce peak period road congestion, which has high community costs. It can reduce car use for short trips, such as to local schools and shops. Encouraging cycling helps defer public expenditure on new road and car parking facilities.

Environment

Increased cycling combats global warming by helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It helps us to contribute to national goals to reduce our dependence on non renewable fossil fuels. Savings in fuel could be achieved if a proportion of motorists travelling less than ten kilometres to work used bicycles.

Health

Increases in people regularly cycling will improve public health and amenity, by reducing air pollution from vehicle exhausts. Cycling improves personal health and fitness, thereby reducing the cost burden on health care facilities.

The British Medical Association has estimated that 20 times as many “life years” are gained through improved health as are lost because of accidents.

Tourism

Leisure cycling has great potential for growth, it can be a stimulus to tourism, it is a high-quality way to enjoy the city and countryside. It is also a good way to introduce people to cycling for their everyday transport needs.

A need has been identified a need to develop more tourist attractions and activities in the vital central national area. This area currently has a good path network linking existing national institutions and is heavily utilised by tourists and residents.

Urban Liveability

Promoting more cycling will reduce traffic intrusion into residential areas and improve the amenity and liveability for residents living there.

CANBERRA BICYCLE 2000 addresses these issues, by developing an integrated strategy that reflects the needs of a range of cyclists, while providing a number of benefits to the whole community.

ACT Government Policies

The Territory Plan establishes the need for a close link between planning for land use and transport to enhance the efficiency of the transport system. The benefits from integrated planning will be to “limit traffic congestion, promote safety, support the desired pattern of development, reduce energy consumption and safeguard environmental quality. Developments will be planned so as to promote the use of public transport and create opportunities for walking and cycling, including commuter cycling.”

The ACT Government is signatory to the National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development and the National Greenhouse Strategy. Both these strategies support an increase in commuter cycling in favour of private car use. The ACT Government recreation policies also strongly support cycling as a means of improving community health and fitness, and of helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle produced air pollution.

The Precinct Management Strategy for Civic gives priority to pedestrians and cyclists. This Strategy has identified the need to improve cycle links between tourist facilities on the Lake Burley Griffin foreshores and the retail core of the city.

The Government's 1995 report on the State of the Environment supports the development and maintenance of off and on-road networks, as they play a role in encouraging commuters to travel by bicycle and preserve acceptable standards for recreational users.

Analysis of the 1991 Census data shows that in Central Canberra 14% of people walked or cycled to work. In North Canberra this was up to 18%, made up of 5% cycling and 13% walking. It appears that these people did so in favour of taking their car, thereby maintaining their independence, saving running costs and parking charges.

Given that the majority of employment is located in Central Canberra and there is a high level of self-containment, measures to improve cycling facilities in this area should achieve a further improvement in commuter cycling rates.

National Initiatives

The draft Discussion Paper ‘Review of the National Greenhouse Response Strategy’ (1997) outlines the following objectives:

1. Promote urban forms that maintain or improve accessibility and which seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by:

• reducing growth in the number and length of motorised trips;
• encouraging alternative means of travel; and
• reducing reliance on the private car

2. Promote non-motorised transport use such as walking and cycling in urban areas.

The summary of measures all of which are consistent with Bicycle 2000, are set out below:

• Targets should be established for increases in the proportion of travel by walking and cycling in urban areas.
• The Government should promote recognition and support for cycling as a valuable form of transport and ensure that barriers to their use are removed.
• A culture that is supportive of the promotion and growth of safe and enjoyable cycling should be fostered by government.
• Improved facilities for cycling need to be developed including on and off-road routes.
• Integrated, safe cycle routes for all primary and secondary schools need to be established.
• Appropriate speed limits for motor vehicles in residential and retail areas need to be set to improve safety and so encourage cycling.

The National Taskforce on Sustainable Development recommended in its report to Government that cycling be facilitated as a growing part of the transport system, and that it be given due consideration in transport decision making and planning. It was suggested that priority is given to the provision of dual mode facilities by providing facilities to enable cyclists to use buses more easily, as a way of overcoming the difficulties of longer commuting trips. It was also recommended that a National Bicycle Strategy be developed.

The National Bicycle Strategy was developed in consultation with all States and the ACT, and was endorsed by the previous ACT Government in October 1992. It called on all Governments and the community to recognise cycling as a legitimate mode of personal passenger transport in Australia. The Strategy emphasised that cycling has an integral role to play in the package of measures necessary to restrain traffic growth and reduce the costs of urban congestion. One third of car trips are estimated to be three kilometres or less, which for most is an easy cycling distance. This provides considerable scope for people to use a bicycle, which retains the car’s advantages of flexibility and door to door mobility.

Objectives of the National Bicycle Strategy are:

• to integrate cycling into the transport system and into urban planning as a legitimate mode of personal mobility;
• to encourage safer cycling in the community; and
• to significantly reduce the rate of bicycle related crashes, and the severity of injury to cyclists.

The ACT Government is working to implement this National Strategy.

Existing Government Programs

The ACT Government currently spends about $700,000 a year on cycling and cycle related programs. A study conducted by Arup Transportation Planning for the Department of Urban Services has concluded that these programs are cost effective. The community benefits from improved health and fitness, reduced travel costs and reduced expenditure on roads and car parks, significantly exceed cycle program costs.

Expenditure occurs in many areas for cycling, from education in schools to the provision of off road paths and on-road cycling lanes.

During the period between the issue of the draft CANBERRA BICYCLE 2000 Strategy and its finalisation, the Government has continued to implement a number of actions identified in the draft strategy. These include:

• raising the awareness of motorists about safe sharing of road space with cyclists, and the importance of ensuring cyclists can be seen by motorists through an NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust ‘Share the Road’ campaign. This was followed by the launch of a ‘Share the Road’ brochure.
• launching a trial of bike racks on express buses to encourage cyclists to use the bus system as part of their journey.
• The draft ACT Parking and Vehicular Access Guidelines provide for bicycle parking substitution. A reduction in parking provision may be agreed to for offices where bicycle parking is substituted, with a maximum reduction of 5%. Adequate change/shower and storage facilities should also be provided to encourage bicycle use.
• a continuing program for bicycle facilities including new on and off-road works.
• maintenance of existing infrastructure aided by a ‘Hazard Report Card System’. Users are encouraged to report maintenance requirements both on and off-road.
• a progressive upgrading of the path network including the removal of barriers and obstructions (ie. bollards).
• learner drivers being made more aware of the need for safe sharing of road space with cyclists through the ACT Motor Traffic Handbook. When the computerised learner driver theory test is introduced in the ACT, it will include questions relating to safe sharing of roads with cyclists;
• coordination of ACT Bike Week activities to promote road user safety programs and bicycle initiatives.

The implementation of other actions outlined in the Strategy will, if implemented, generate even greater benefits to the community.

The CANBERRA BICYCLE 2000 Strategy will ensure that safe cycling is promoted in a systematic, efficient and cost-effective manner. The opportunity will be created for more people to choose to cycle. The focus is to ensure that cycling is a comfortable and convenient transport choice.

Who Bicycles in the ACT?

A market survey of over 1000 Canberra households was undertaken in 1991.

The survey showed that around 40% of the population cycle at least once a fortnight. Cycling is by no means confined to young children, although a very high proportion of children under 14 own and ride a bike. The survey also found that 34% of Canberrans aged over 14 years cycle at least once a fortnight. About 20% of these older riders cycle to work or to school/college; over 50% go shopping by bicycle, and 75% also ride for recreation. Many more have a bicycle available to ride.

Other survey findings were that:

• Canberrans have more bicycles than cars per head of population, with each household owning, on average, more than two bicycles;
• bicyclists regularly use both roads and paths, depending on the reason for and destination of their trip and will continue to do so;
• bicycle trips are made to a wide range of destinations, often to those not reached by paths;
• a majority of commuter cyclists ride relatively long distances to work; and
• only about one third of all regular cyclists carry lights at night and this is of concern to other cyclists, particularly on paths.

Preliminary results from the Canberra/Queanbeyan travel survey conducted in March and April 1997 indicate that cycling represents about 3% of journey to work trips. This is consistent with the 1995 Australian Bureau of Statistics supplementary survey conducted in October. Data from the Department of Urban Services 1995/96 cordon counts show levels of cycling peaking in the warmer months and troughing in the winter. It is estimated that cycling trips represent about 3% of trips overall.

In the United Kingdom the share of total trips by bicycle is only 2%. However, in countries where there are deliberate programs to encourage cycling the rates are much higher. In Sweden it is 10%, Germany 11%, Switzerland 15% and Denmark 18%. In some cities in Holland the proportion of trips by bicycle are as high as 50%.

Brisbane and Perth have both set targets for increasing cycle use. Perth’s target is to increase cycle trips to 8% by 2010 and 11.5% in 2029. Brisbane aims to increase cycling from 1.5% in 1995 to 2.5% by 2000. The ACT is aiming to increase the rate of cycling to 6% by 2007 through this strategy.

Since legislation was introduced in 1992 to make helmet wearing compulsory, there has been an increase in wearing rates. In the 1995/96 Bicycle Survey there was a uniformly high wearing rate of 90% for adults on cycle trips. 88% of cyclists wore a helmet for work trips; 82% for secondary school trips, 96% for primary school trips and 92% for leisure trips. Wearing rates are holding steady at a high level and in the case of secondary students are improving.

Bicycle Safety

There is evidence that cycle accidents represent a disproportionately high percentage of all vehicular accident hospitalisations. More bike fatalities occur on road and involve collisions with motor vehicles. Injury accidents occur more frequently off road, on footpaths and community paths. Off-road accidents are often not reported because they don’t require medical treatment and do not involve a motor vehicle.

Police reports show that in 1995, 71 cyclists were injured on-road in the ACT. Of those injured, 18 were admitted to hospital and an additional 50 received medical treatment. There were 101 minor accidents, and no fatalities. Accidents involving bicycles occurred more frequently at uncontrolled intersections and were most likely to be a right angle collision.

Hospital casualty data shows that over 400 cyclists were treated for a range of injuries at Canberra hospitals in 1990/91. An Accident and Emergency recording system in the ACT will soon be introduced which will record accidents details for patients seeking treatment . A total of 82 cyclists were admitted to hospital with injuries in 1993/94. Data from the ACT and around Australia points to cyclists 5 years to under 20 years of age having a higher than average rate of injury. In 1996 there were three cyclist fatalities in the ACT compared with no fatalities in the years 1993-1995.

Some probable reasons for cycle accidents and their high levels of severity are that:

• bicycle speeds are significantly less than motorised traffic, and riders are generally unprotected, leading to more severe injuries if involved in an accident;
• bicyclists are much less visible than cars and larger vehicles and can be overlooked by them, especially at dusk;
• bicyclists riding without lights at night;
• poor riding surface; and
• bicyclists disregarding the rules of the road.

Cycling On Roads

Canberra has legal footpath cycling and over 300 kilometres of off road purpose built paths. This brings the total off-road network to about 1,000 kilometres.

Many cyclists find the off road network convenient and less stressful than riding on roads. The less experienced and the young are positively encouraged to ride off road. However, the longer distance adult commuter cyclists often find paths indirect and inconvenient, especially at night where lack of lighting can be a problem. Female commuter cyclists avoid using unlit paths at night because of personal safety concerns. Cyclists who commute will be encouraged to continue with this mode of transport, only if routes are safe, comfortable and convenient. Fast, direct routes that are convenient and safe are essential to the daily cyclist.

With over 2500 kilometres of roads in the ACT, it would be too costly to provide this facility entirely off road, as it would be necessary to build a comprehensive network of paths adjacent to most roads. A more appropriate solution is to improve and integrate the paths, local streets and main roads to ensure that they are as safe and convenient for cyclists as possible. This requires the development of cycling facilities on road which meet the minimum standard of AUSTROADS (such as a minimum width cycling lane).

On-road cycling is being progressively provided as road pavements are being upgraded. This process will continue.

A proportion of most cycling trips take place on the road and this will continue to be the case. So it is essential that the road network continues to be made suitable for cycling.

Bicycles use road capacity more efficiently than private motor vehicles.

Square metres required to move each person by different modes including parking

• CAR-------------60 sqm
• BUS-------------9.4 sqm
• BICYCLE---------3 sqm

The Strategy

CANBERRA BICYCLE 2000 addresses many of the issues of concern in promoting safe cycling into the next century. It has a multifaceted approach, which identifies the overall direction for the Strategy. These are - Safety, Education, Engineering, Environment, Enforcement and Encouragement - which together with a coordination and liaison function will ensure that the Strategy is properly and effectively implemented.

An important part of the Strategy is safety. That is, the creation of a safer cycling environment will help to reduce the cycle accident rate and the severity of injuries to cyclists. Motor vehicles driven at speeds over the posted limit are a major hazard to cyclists and other road users. Attention needs to be directed towards reducing the sources of danger rather than inhibiting the movement of environmentally sustainable yet vulnerable road users. The status of cyclists as legitimate and valuable road users needs to be reinforced.

Ensuring that cycling is accepted by other road users and road planners will help to encourage safe on-road cycling. The provision of information, and the education of all road users, is important in encouraging appropriate safe and legal behaviour between motorists and cyclists. The provision of appropriate facilities such as cycle lanes on the road shoulder is necessary to encourage safe cycling. “When isolated from other traffic by cycle facilities, bicycles have a high level of safety”

The Objectives

There are six key issues of CANBERRA BICYCLE 2000.

1 : Safety

To create a safer on and off-road cycling environment.

The following factors impact on cyclist safety:

• the lack of conspicuity of cyclists is a major factor in motor vehicle / bicycle accidents;
• most injured cyclists reported that poor riding surface and inadequate lighting (on bicycle or path) was a major causal factor in their crash;
• the injuries received in most instances could have been minimised if the correct protective clothing (especially helmets) were used;
• approximately equal numbers of bicycle injury accidents occur on-road and off-road. Those which occur off-road more frequently require hospital admission;
• male riders have higher riding rates and accident rates than female riders;
• most on-road bicycle accidents occur on arterial roads and intersections;
• nearly 10% of all vehicle injury accidents and 15% of all hospital admitted vehicle accidents involve cyclists;
• most cycling fatalities occur on the road, and involve collisions with motor vehicles. However, fatalities also occur on paths; and
• helmet wearing has been compulsory in the ACT since July 1992.

2 : Education

To increase bicycle riding skills and community awareness about cycle safety.

• there is a need to improve the continuity of road safety education (including cycling) within the education system;
• regular leisure cyclists can upgrade their on-road cycling knowledge through skills courses, basic bicycle road-worthiness and bike maintenance information through most cycling clubs and Pedal Power. This encourages them to cycle more frequently, and particularly to cycle to work;
• existing motorists are being educated that, in addition to the ACT off-road path system, on-road cycling is recognised nationally and in Canberra as a legitimate part of the transport system;
• there is a need to increase the awareness of heavy vehicle drivers (including bus operators) about the effects of heavy vehicles on cyclists, and appropriate safe sharing of the road space; and
• cyclists and pedestrians need to be made aware of the range of uses permitted on off-road paths and how to share them appropriately.

A significant increase in cycling’s share of trips to work and educational institutions will only be achieved by a positive and substantial shift in community attitudes.

3 : Engineering

To ensure that cyclists have the facilities necessary for, and to encourage, safe cycling.

AUSTROADS "Guide to Traffic Engineering Practice Part 14 - Bicycles", subject to appropriate ACT specific amendments has been adopted however there is a need to upgrade the existing path system to meet these standards. The following problems have been identified:

• the path design speed of older paths at 27km/h for recreational paths and 35km/h for trunk paths is too low. This can result in safety problems on paths from low visibility;
• there is a need to review current path pavement design standards in order to optimise pavement durability and safety;
• there is a need to improve the provision of direction and information signing on paths, for residents and visitors
• there is a need to develop more integrated cycle facilities maintenance procedures;
• there is a need to review the level of off-road path and on-road shoulder maintenance in order to optimise community costs and benefits;
• there is a need to review path master planning procedures, at Town Centres and in new areas;.
• in providing new transport infrastructure facilities for cyclists should be fully considered initially. A consideration of all modes using the transport system will enable provision for cyclists at minimal cost.
• require mandatory provision of bicycle parking in offices over 500m2 of .05 spaces/100m2 GFA.
• conduct an audit of bicycle facilities in the metropolitan core and provide additional facilities where these have reached capacity.

4 : Environment

To promote cycling through increased knowledge of its positive environmental effects.

Increased cycling enhances the environment and liveability of cities. Many cyclists identify strongly with these issues, which include:

• improved health and fitness;
• helping to combat global warming by reducing greenhouse gases;
• commuting by cycle helps to reduce air pollution from vehicle exhausts; and
• by reducing peak traffic and parking demands.

5 : Enforcement

To encourage responsible cyclist behaviour.

Inadequate enforcement is counter-productive for a range of reasons:

• it encourages unsafe and unlawful cycling behaviour among cyclists including not wearing a helmet;
• it is a source of frustration for motorists and cyclists to see other adult cyclists breaking the on-road traffic laws and apparently not being penalised;
• it encourages unpredictable and risk-taking on-road behaviour by cyclists and aggressive behaviour towards cyclists by motorists; and
• it runs counter to effective road safety education for teenagers, which should be supported by enforcement if knowledge learned is to be applied.

A system of effective and fair enforcement of cyclist behaviour could be developed, as cyclists are further encouraged to share the road with motorists.

6 : Encouragement

To increase the proportion of commuter trips by cycling from 3% in 1997 to 6% by 2007 and increase the participation rate for all types of trips.

Encouragement programs need to address the increase in commuter cycling and increasing the participation rate for all trip purposes. Accordingly, encouragement could be targeted as follows:

• First Priority Target Groups
  • Increased commuter cycling by regular adult recreation cyclists
  • Increased cycling for short trips to local community facilities
  • Increased cycling by all school students with an emphasis on senior high school/college
• Second Priority Target Groups
  • Increased cycling by women cyclists and non-cyclists
  • Increased cycling by adult cyclists who have cycled in the last six months, but are not regular riders
  • ACTION to educate bus drivers emphasising cycling as a valid transport mode and to increase commitment to combining cycle and bus trips
• Encourage better facilities for cyclists in existing offices by commercial office space planners and building owners.

Bike Plan

A BIKE PLAN is proposed to implement the strategy. The Plan will set long- and short-term directions and goals, as well as identifying specific programs and tasks relevant to Canberra Bicycle 2000 objectives. It will involve many different parts of Government, including Health, Education, Transport and Law Enforcement.

It is proposed that an ACT Bicycle Liaison Group (ACTBLG) be established, to advise on implementation of the CANBERRA BICYCLE 2000 BIKE PLAN. This Group should:

• have membership from all principal service delivery departments, user groups and non-government organisations;
• be chaired by a Manager in Planning and Land Management;
• adopt clear terms of reference, setting out its functions, performance targets and timetables;
• document its activities against the terms of reference, and report annually to the Minister for Environment, Land and Planning and the community;

Canberra Bicycle 2000 - Value for Money

The benefits and costs of implementing the Bicycle Strategy and Bike Plan have been analysed over a ten year period. The analysis showed that the community could benefit significantly from expenditure on bicycle programs. Costs would include the provision and maintenance of on and off road facilities, enforcement and education. Major benefits could be derived from cyclist accident reduction, reduced demand on transport infrastructure, and improvements in community and personal health.

Canberra Bicycle 2000 Bike Plan

1 : Safety A number of key actions to improve cycling safety are proposed. These include:

• promoting the importance of wearing conspicuous, protective clothing and having adequate lighting;
• continuing publicity about the legal requirement to wear a helmet, especially among young riders;
• monitoring and enforcing the use of cycle helmets and lighting on bicycles;
• improving on-road cycling facilities where appropriate, to enhance safety for cyclists using those facilities. A focus on intersections and arterial roads, where most on-road bicycle injury accidents occur, is appropriate;
• reviewing maintenance standards for the riding surfaces on the path and road networks; and
• encouraging all Government and non-Government schools to review the adequacy of all road crossing points, entry/exit points to school grounds, bike and helmet storage, and child road crossing behaviour around their schools.

2 : Education

Bike safety education should be an integral part of a Road User Education Program, covering overall road user education, including the environmental and health benefits of cycling. Ideally, this should commence at an early age and progress to senior secondary level. Some suggested actions to do this include:

• preparing a bicycle user/road safety education package for junior high school students, and promoting its use in Canberra's schools;
• developing and distributing information pamphlets, supporting Primary and junior high school bicycle road safety courses, for children to take home to parents, while courses are under way;
• including a leaflet addendum, with relevant information about ACT cycling conditions and laws, to the Federal Office of Road Safety booklet 'A Simple Guide to Bicycle Safety', presently being distributed through schools and bicycle retailers;
• review the role and performance of the Belconnen Traffic Demonstration Centre, to ensure that maximum benefits are gained from its continued operation;
• publishing a brochure which raises community awareness about cycling being a practical transport option, on-road cycling, and of the environmental and health benefits associated with cycling. This could be distributed with vehicle registration renewals or with driver licences;
• ensuring that bicycle information is contained within revisions of the heavy vehicle traffic handbook;
• improving the awareness of cyclists and pedestrians about the safe sharing of paths and footpaths

3 : Engineering

The primary aim of engineering measures is to provide cycle friendly infrastructure. This will comprise the road network, modified where necessary, and supplemented by cycle routes and cycle parking, to enable cyclists to reach all destinations safely and conveniently.

AUSTROADS Guidelines for bicycle facilities planning and design have been adopted (subject to ACT specific requirements), to ensure that cycle facilities are adequate and appropriate. Other suggested actions include:

• continuing a rolling 3 - 5 year program for bicycle facilities, including:
  • Provision of information and direction signs on paths;
  • New on and off-road works;
  • Maintenance of existing infrastructure.
• ensuring that cycle parking facilities are available at all major destinations ie. education, shops, hospitals and leisure facilities;
• enabling cyclists, where ever safe and practicable to use bus lanes and other priority measures;
• progressively upgrading existing main roads, where practicable, to increase separation between cyclists and other vehicles;
• cycle infrastructure developments will be based on monitoring of cycle traffic flows, cordon counts in main urban centres and collation of data on the location and number of cycle accidents.
• progressively upgrading the path network by:
  • improving the visibility of barriers that remain;
  • improving pavement design and durability;
  • extending centre-line marking;
  • improving lighting where practicable;
  • considering issues of personal security when planning new paths.
• ensuring appropriate maintenance effort, concentrating on:
  • regular inspections;
  • identification, marking and prioritising hazardous sections of pathway prior to repair;
  • repairing damaged sections of pathway to maintain standards for riding;
  • more frequent sweeping with particular problem areas identified for more frequent attention;
  • cleaning pathways in floodway areas after periods of significant rainfall;
  • pruning or removal of trees or shrubs responsible for overgrowing pathways or with root systems damaging the pathway pavement; and
  • a programme of weed control to prevent growth across the edge of the pathway.

4 : Environment

Environmental issues will be stressed in cycle encouragement and education programs, and the health and fitness aspects of cycling will be widely publicised. Some actions in support of this could be:

• maximising the opportunities for combining cycling and public transport by promoting the use of bus and bicycle (bike on bus or dual mode) for longer bicycle work trips;
• planning to provide bike lockers at all interchanges and increasing provision where demand exists;
• encouraging commuter cycling as a way to decrease non essential car use and help improve town centre amenity;
• targeting health and sports clubs to promote cycling among their members.
• integrating cycling initiatives with environmental initiatives.
• selling both the cost effectiveness and environmental benefits of cycling to the community.

5 : Enforcement

A system of fair and effective enforcement of cyclist behaviour could be developed, by the following actions:

• making appropriate legislative changes, to enable Traffic Infringement Notices (TIN's) to be issued to adult cyclists, for breaches under the Motor Traffic Act and Traffic Act, particularly as these apply to lights, conformance to traffic signals and signs;
• reviewing the level of fines issued to adult cyclists for breaches of the Motor Traffic Act, to ensure consistency with those issued to motorists for similar offences;
• issuing Cautionary Notices and undertaking counselling of young people who have committed cycling offences;
• measuring the performance of road safety education programs by recording the number of Cautionary Notices and TIN's issued;

6 : Encouragement

Actions could include:

• continuing to produce an affordable, user friendly map showing bicycle facilities;
• integrating the benefits of cycling into health promotion;
• encouraging health professionals and insurance companies to promote the health and environmental benefits available to bicycle riders;
• continuing to coordinate ACT Bike Week activities to promote road user safety programs and bicycle initiatives;
• designing a coordinated media campaign, targeting regular adult recreational cyclists, to encourage more bike use for the journey-to-work and other trips, emphasising fitness and environmental benefits, and providing information about on-road cycling facilities;
• designing a coordinated media and promotion campaign to increase participation of infrequent cyclists in cycling (including young women), by emphasising recreation cycling and mode substitution for local trips; fitness, health and environmental benefits, in addition to personal cost savings;
• encouraging and facilitating walking and cycling as a means to improve safety, fitness and independent mobility of school children and reduce congestion and traffic danger around schools;
• ACT Government to become a cycle friendly employer by providing secure, covered cycle parking, equipment lockers and showers at places of employment. Support cycling by promoting a Bike User Group.
• encouraging parents of sub-teenage and junior high school children to cycle regularly, as a family group, for fitness and health and social purposes;
• producing encouragement material specifically for parents and guardians of pre-teenage children, to raise their awareness in bike safety matters and their children's behaviour on bikes, for the purposes of encouraging them to become cyclist role models for their children;
• targeting junior high school aged students to upgrade road safety equipment on their bikes, wear conspicuous clothing, and decrease specific unsafe behaviour;
• seeking the involvement of a high profile local 'hero' (eg sport star), to promote road safe messages to young people, on posters and the media;
• approaching motorist lobby groups and insurers to publicise the CANBERRA BICYCLE 2000 Strategy, and issues sympathetic to cyclists on roads, through their membership magazines;
• improving the links between cycling and the Canberra public transport system; and
• continuing to promote safe sharing of the road system by identifying cyclists as valid road users.
• Promotion of leisure cycling in the ACT particularly in the Metropolitan Core.
• The construction of new tourist facilities should include good path connections and improved links to the retail core of the city, consistent with the Precinct Management Strategy for Civic.

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