Bicycling In Sydney Australia
Cycling is becoming one of the well known activities that Sydney Australia is recognized for. Everyday residents of Sydney are getting out of their cars and onto their bikes for all types of reasons including going to work, running errands and just cruising around the town. The officials of Sydney began implementing this cyclist friendly program in 2007. They concentrated most of their efforts on making the streets safer and easier for bikers to travel. Safety and convenience were the main concerns when it came to riding their bikes, so the government listened and started making changes to protect and encourage the citizens of Sydney.
Cycling to work or just leisurely biking for fun are a few of the reasons for this immediate plan of action. Helping to encourage people to park their cars permanently and get on their bikes helps in reducing traffic and congestion in Sydney, not to mention, promotes a healthier atmosphere. Cars have been the top concern for those who are considering cycling and for a good reason. It doesn’t matter who is at fault, when a car and a bike collide, the cyclist is on the losing end every time. This is why Sydney’s officials are hard at work researching ways to reduce accidents.
Getting people pumped up about biking through advertising this new plan and the drastically improved conditions for cyclists is how the government plans to spread the word. They are hoping by the year 2016 to take the now two percent of people who cycle everyday up to ten percent. The short trippers, who ride briefly but daily, are expected to increase to twenty percent. Setting attainable goals will help Sydney reduce traffic and keep costs lower for everyone in Sydney, making it a safer and healthier city to live in.
This plan will also help those who continue to drive as well by improving health and saving money. By reducing the amount of traffic and congestion in the city, road repairs and pricey construction will slow immediately, helping to cut costs for those who live there. Public transportation will also be affected in that crowding will be reduced and this reduction in travel will help to save money. Cutting healthcare and getting citizens healthy by reducing green house gas and pollution are all part of the big picture when considering this plan.
Some cities “plan of action” included painting lines on the road and that’s all, Sydney will actually begin building separate bike lanes, away from traffic, to keep cyclists safe. Some other areas will create lanes that are shared by pedestrians and bikers, still away from cars and out of danger. This safety and separation will likely encourage more and more cyclists, reassuring them that it is safe to ride.
The city of Sydney has done their research and learned the best ways to handle the biking situation is to raise the interest level in population groups not well represented among bikers at present.A large majority of cyclists in Australia are males whose ages are 18-40. In fact males aged 18-34 make up more than eighty percent of all Australian bikers. So when the officials want to encourage the sport of biking they have their sights set firmly on women and older citizens who are the least likely to be biking at the present time. These are also the population groups most concerned with cars and safety issues.
The top reasons for biking instead of driving are fun and staying healthy. These new and improved biking lanes help to reduce driving in cars and have encouraged people to get on their bikes, reducing traffic, just as the city thought.
The view on bike is not bad either! There are tons of great trails to take as you commute and books have been released about what rides are where and which trails to take to see the best of Sydney. Olympic Park is one of the hot spots and attracts countless people due to the availability of the onsite BMX tracks and kid friendly facilities.
There are also lots of cycling events in Sydney. One fun one is the annual Ride to Work Day in October. It starts with a huge breakfast for cyclists in Hyde Park South and then everyone pedals off to the office. This event has been good at showing people that commuting can be done by bicycle and that it can be practical and fun. Hopefully for some, this will encourage them to make it more than a one-day occurrence.
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October 30 2009 | cycling | No Comments »