[bikeqld] cycling legally

[Michael Yeates]

Hi ...

Two related issues ...

1. re changes to use of Coro Drive aka Bicentennial "shared footpath" ...

Late this morning there was a police car parked at the top of the 
Cribb Street ramp ... with a police officer in it ... possibly 
staying cool with ac and motor running.

I wondered if the police were on the "shared footpath" this morning?

2. re preferred routes from CBD to the inner west ... and beyond

The fact that BCC has NEVER tried to implement ANY OTHER ROUTE other 
than Coro Drive over at least a 10-12 year or longer period raises 
the question as to what routes cyclists choose to use to get to and 
from (or beyond) the CBD and say Toowong-Bardon (noting there is a 
large gap between the CBD and that part of Waterworks Road with 
either T lanes or shared footpath, there is absolutely nothing 
comparable until the inner end of the Western Freeway and connection 
to ... Coro Drive "shared footpath").

For example, although I rarely bother cycling to the city on the odd 
occasions I go to the CBD now, I regularly used to use George Street 
then Roma and either Little Roma or the top end of Milton to get to 
beyond Cribb Street on the Coro Drive "shared footpath" at night. 
This area is still a bit of a cycling "black hole" esp now the bits 
of bus lane have been removed.

At one stage, BCC was very nearly convinced to implement a marked 
footpath + road route from Cribb to Roma then a choice to use 
Countess to get to Normanby and Kelvin Grove or Roma to get to/from 
the CBD. I say very nearly ... it failed because BCC did not want to 
mark any CBD footpaths as shared footpaths.

Yet it now does this ... if only temporarily. Why not permanently if 
the roads are so bad and nothing else can or will be done?

Is Adelaide Street the main corridor eg to and/or from work for 
cyclists working in for example, Ann Street?

What about those working in Queen and/or below Elizabeth Street?

Is every street in the Brisbane CBD (potentially and desirably) a 
cycling street ... aside from Turbot and Ann which remain 60km/h 
although likely to be 50km/h in the near future?

IF the BCC is serious about improving ie reducing the impact of 
traffic esp through traffic, then virtually all of the CBD streets 
should be returned to two way flow - ie not one way as at present. No 
point in expensive contraflow or footpath facilities ... indeed no 
need for them ... if the real intention is to reduce the convenience 
for motorists of in effect rat-running through the CBD rather than 
staying on the main through traffic routes.

It follows then that as the CBD changes dramatically with a 40km/h 
speed limit (and it will), it is important to NOT have roads with 
other than "Share the Road" status for several reasons.

First IF the 40km/h is to be effective, then separate cycling will 
not only not be necessary, it will be a waste of scarce resources 
better spent where more important.

Second, IF the 40km/h IS effective, then any "safety + convenience" 
benefits will be lost or confounded if "special" cycling facilities 
are provided.

One of London's local authorities with the fastest growth in numbers 
cycling has been at the forefront of a "no special facilities" 
campaign based on slower speed limits, "sharing the road", and 
resultant reduced traffic (to some extent caused by the other 
strategies) ... no reason why we should not adopt similar approach to 
Brisbane CBD ... as distinct from relying on special facilities 
despite the 40km/h being "safe".

Clearly if there currently are routes that are preferred, it is why 
the others are not preferred that is of interest ... assuming not a 
large proportion of CBD cyclists cycle on the footpaths.

Feel free to respond on or off list.

We sought 40km/h during the early period of Jim Soorley's mayoralty 
... and a number of times before that ... so getting it right this 
time is important ... as a model for the rest of Brisbane if not 
Queensland if not beyond ... and with interest from around the world 
with a focus on the BCC CityBikes and the reduced speed limit, its 
important to get it right.

MY.....................


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