Lane Cove Tunnel Project - EIS process

Community Consultation 23 June 2000

Focus Group on Cycle and Pedestrian Issues 26 June 2000

Response from Bicycle New South Wales

Introduction

A representative from Bicycle New South Wales (Doug Stewart) and the North Shore Bike Group (Carolyn New) met with consultants on 23 June 2000, to discuss options for a commuter and recreational cycle facilities from Delhi Road North Ryde to Merrenburn Ave, Naremburn as part of the Lane Cove Tunnel Project (LCTP). We also attended a Focus Group on 26 June where the proposals were presented, in brief, to a larger group.

Bicycle New South Wales (BNSW) was asked to provide a response to the proposals which resulted in this document. The format of the rest of this document is:

• Cycle Facility Design Principles for the LCTP. A listing of the cycle facility design principles relevant to the project and which need to be adopted in the project;
• Cycle Facility Treatments. A listing of the cycle facility treatments (labeled Treatments 1 to 7) which were proposed by the consultants during our meetings, giving our understanding of those treatments and key design points,
• Location based detailed comments. A listing of the locations along the facility from west to east (labeled a to z) where each of the treatments is to be built. This section includes detailed comments at certain key locations;
• Conclusion.

We believe that the government's policy to reduce dependence on private cars and generate a mode shift in transport use can be a key outcome of this project. Clearly the LCTP bus transport enhancements will provide the biggest benefit to commuters in this area, however cycling offers several important and unique benefits, and must be strongly favoured and promoted as a viable option for commuters.

• Cycling is private transport where the owner has control over many important factors
• cycling is point-to-point such that a commuter need not switch modes at all
• cycling is on-demand such that there is never any waiting or dependence on timetables
• cycling is extremely low cost when compared to other commuter transport options
• Cycling is a time effective method of transport
• cycling is fast with estimated average speeds on the corridor at about 20km/hr
• the travel times from day-to-day are extremely consistent
• cycling combines fitness time with commuting time
• Cycling provides personal and environmental benefits
• cycling is available to all commuters from teenage years upwards
• increased cycling reduces pollution from motor cars
• cycling improves the health of cyclists and benefits them and the community
• cycling is the most fun way to commute
• cycling improves personal safety when compared to walking

Commuter bicycle use has not been catered to for many decades along this important transport corridor and a large commitment is required to redress the situation. Therefore the budget commitment to cycling may need to be larger than in previous projects to make up.

Throughout this response, references to Austroads 14 are to the Second Edition, 1999.