By Luke Voogt
Geelong has a “long way to go” to make its streets cycle-friendly, Bike Safe founder Barton van Laar has said this week.
Mr van Laar made the comments as City Hall promoted next Wednesday’s Ride2Work Day.
“I fully support the day but if you want people to ride their bikes to work build the infrastructure to make it safer,” he said
Mr van Laar said the council and VicRoads had done “some really good work” to improve infrastructure.
However he said the State Government had “hamstrung” council with its “Melbourne-centric” approach to cycle funding.
“Our region is about five per cent of the state’s population but we don’t get appropriate funding.”
Only 1.6 per cent of people ride to Geelong each morning, well below the national average of five per cent, Mr van Laar said.
“We’re still so far behind places Canberra, Noosa, Adelaide and Melbourne.”
Mr van Laar called for separated two-way bike paths in Moorabool and Malop streets, as well as better connections to the northern suburbs.
“The plans are already in place but there’s just not enough funding,” he said.
According to a US study, Mr van Laar said, “physical separation” would greatly increase cyclist numbers. This would less car traffic and road wear, he said.
The council’s acting general manager city services Vicki Shelton focused on the health benefits of riding, such as reducing obesity.
“We would like to see the number of cyclists grow and Ride2Work Day is a great motivator,” Ms Shelton said.
Ms Shelton said 61 per cent of people in a 2014 Ride2Work survey said they would continue to ride to work at least once a week.
She said 201km of shared paths in Greater Geelong made cycling a good choice in the municipality.
Geelong Cycling Club president John Burtt welcomed City Hall’s support of the day, saying there was safety in numbers.
Cyclists were safer riding in groups and in areas where others cycle regularly, he said.
“If we have a familiarity with motorists they are more likely to see us regardless of what we are wearing.”
The 64-year-old Ocean Grove resident, who cycles 400km each week, said safety had improved dramatically in Geelong thanks to Bike Safe campaigning.
“Geelong has come quite far from being quite a threatening place to ride in terms of heavy vehicles and motorists who are hostile to cyclists.”
Mr Burtt praised the council and VicRoads for standardising approaches to roundabouts and sealing shoulders on some roads.
However he said there was more work to do on popular bike routes like Horseshoe Bend Road and the Portarlington-Queenscliff Road.
New estates meant more traffic on roads traditionally used by cyclists as “quieter” routes home, Mr Burtt said.
“If we’re expanding the urban footprint we need to have a think about the effect it’s having on some of the ‘feeder’ roads.”
To register for Ride2Work or for more information visit www.ride2work.com.au
