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We posted the above on our Facebook page on 16 March. It has obviously struck a chord, recently passing 10,000 views. Cycling is a great way to get some exercise in the current world of social restrictions, as we discuss below. It’s also a great time to cycle on our streets, with traffic levels far lower than usual. But take care. Road fatalities are still tracking much higher than in recent years and with less congestion, cars travel faster. Don’t assume that no car will be approaching on another leg of the roundabout.
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Our ideas for relieving the Covid-19 economic impact of the shutdown
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Immediate past chair Fay Patterson has sent ideas to the Ministers for Health, Transport and the Treasurer for projects that could be adopted quickly to boost employment during the economic crisis created by the Covid-19 shutdown. They are grouped in three categories:
- Immediate term (0-4 months): cycling as an alternative to public transport; cycling for physical and mental health; reducing traffic-related hospital admissions
- Short term (2-6 months): economic stimulus to support existing industries; positioning for longer-term economic recovery
- Medium term (> 6 months): longer-term economic recovery and tourism-focused growth.
The suggestions received a short but positive response from Minister for Transport Knoll. At this stage we understand that they will be the subject of an article in The Advertiser.
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The situation regarding the east-west bikeway is confusing, with both the Lord Mayor and the dominant faction both saying that it will be completed this electoral term (i.e. by 2022) but without having yet decided which route it will take.
There is an understandable frustration on the part of independent councillors and some scepticism as to whether the bikeway will be started at all while the current council is in office. This scepticism was behind Councillor Moran’s motion at the 14 April meeting:
“If Council fails to identify a suitable location for the east west bikeway, the Council requests that the State Government’s promised bequest of $2.75 million be reallocated to bike safety, including but not limited to green overlay treatments on road bike lanes etc.”
This was defeated by Team Adelaide.
Also confusing in the situation regarding the by-election to replace former Councillor Abiad. The local government voting system encourages tactical voting, with the preferences of excluded candidates transferred to remaining candidates. It would be in Team Adelaide’s interest to mount a slate of candidates all but one of whom would have little chance of being elected, but who would draw votes away from genuinely independent candidates.
At this stage we are confident that Stuart Whiting (a former BISA committee member) Greg Mackie, Malwina Wyra and Darren Gitsham are independent of Team Adelaide.
Things will be clearer when preferences are revealed. See profiles on the SA Electoral Commission site.
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Recreational cycling booms
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You’ve probably noticed an explosion in people walking and cycling about the suburbs. Counts taken by the permanent counters on the River Torrens Linear Path (RTLP) show a jump of 23% in March compared with February, and a 30% increase on the previous March.
The City of Charles Sturt’s other counter is on the Outer Harbor Greenway. The Greenway is less recreationally-focussed than the RTLP and the monthly increase over February is only 4%. The huge increase of 38% over the previous March is due to the completion of the Greenway toward the end of 2018.
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Thanks to the City of Charles Sturt for their data.
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Meanwhile, the Frome Street permanent counter shows cycling in the City to have crashed since the social isolation measures began. The eco counter website, which graphs daily counts from the Frome counter, graphically illustrates the dramatic decline.
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The Super Tuesday count was held on the 3 March, before the social isolation measures began on the 23rd. Preliminary results suggest a decline on 2019 cyclist volumes, probably due to the universities’ decision not to hold classes on campus. (More on this in a future edition.)
The 2019 count was itself a 11% increase over 2018. This increase was also reflected in the October 2019 cordon count conducted by the Adelaide City Council and State government.
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Future of Adelaide Cyclists
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We have made the tough decision to withdraw our funding and management of the Adelaide Cyclists forum. The fees to host Adelaide Cyclists have increased significantly and the site sponsor has withdrawn as there is only a small number of regular users after the establishment of the Adelaide Cycling Facebook group.
There is currently a discussion on the site about the options going forward.
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Port BUG: The shared use path that runs alongside the Northern Connector motorway has been opened. It connects with the Northern Expressway bikeway to Gawler and will soon connect with the Port River Bikeway to Port Adelaide and the Gawler Greenway to the City.
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PortBUG also reports that work on upgrading the most northern stage of the Outer Harbor Greenway – from Semaphore Road to Outer Harbor – has begun.
Coast to Vines BUG: The City of Onkaparinga has released the preferred route for the long awaited link between Willunga and Aldinga. Comments can be made on this and the alternative routes until 29 April.
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- Pedestrian push buttons have been deactivated in the City in order to prevent possible contamination when pushing a button. All traffic light cycles now include a pedestrian phase.
- With the Woodside gap in the Amy Gillett Bikeway now filled in, the Adelaide Hills Council has applied for funding to the State government to complete the Bikeway from Mount Torrens to Mount Pleasant, and also extend it further west beyond Balhannah. (See Rail Trails Australia Facebook, posted 16 April.)
- The Grange Greenway link is corrected from last month here. Well done to the City of Charles Sturt staff and elected members for investing in an active and healthy future. They have a plan to invest in the cycle network and increase cycling trips from the current level of 3% of all trips to 6% by 2031.
- Given the current social isolation measures the BISA AGM will be postponed beyond our normal May date. We will inform members of the date and venue once the situation becomes clearer. (The Office of Consumer and Business Affairs has issued a notice stating that it is reasonable for AGMs to be delayed under the current circumstances.)
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Comments can be made until 8 May.
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A BISA member was injured in a hit-run by a grey SUV, and is seeking witnesses. It occurred on Friday 17-Jan-2020 around 1pm at the intersection of Grasmere St (an entry / exit for Northpark Shopping Centre) and Regency Rd, Prospect.
Did you see any portion of the crash? Has dashcam been uploaded on the web? If so, please contact BISA.
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From our Facebook page
Here are a few of our posts from the last month. Click on the photos to read item.
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Pedal Update is a newsletter of the Bicycle Institute of South Australia Inc., published monthly. The Bicycle Institute is incorporated in South Australia. Material published in Pedal Update is copyright unless otherwise stated. Articles and graphics may be copied and republished by non-profit organisations, provided the author and Pedal Update are given credit. When by lines are used, opinions published in Pedal Update are not necessarily those of the Bicycle Institute.
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