D
Donga
Guest
If you love the Brisbane River Ride, or are interstate/os and have
heard what a classic it is, we need your help. The Ride is under
attack. A large part of Riverside Drive in the West End section is
going to be resumed for parklands. A 4m bikeway will be put in, with a
separate pedestrian path. This sounds OK for the non-rider, but we are
talking about the sprint section of a bunch ride, with cyclists going
in both directions. The integrity of the Ride will be destroyed. If you
care, here is some material to help you lobby the Brisbane City
Council.
Donga
I would go straight to the top, i.e. Lord Mayor Campbell Newman, by
email or letter, copy to your local councillor,
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor
Councillor Campbell Newman
Office of the Lord Mayor
GPO Box 2287
Brisbane Qld 4001
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/BCC:STANDARD:1416238420:pc=PC_1532
respectfully requesting that he intervene to ensure a 6m path in the
West End Park. You can point out that:
- sport cycling is a burgeoning sport in Brisbane, with huge annual
growth
- the sport results in health, socialising, economic activity and
development of the identity of Brisbane
- sport cyclists train early in the morning, almost entirely before 7am
and are unseen by most people. This minimises traffic disruption,
favours safety, and lets the cyclists get in their sport before work
- these cyclists can assure you that few of the residents are using the
park when it is popular with the cyclists, around dawn
- the Brisbane River Ride is a favourite circuit in a city where there
are few others with fairly continuous stretches of road, for continuous
physical effort. The River Ride is known around the country and
overseas for its beauty and integrity
- the River Ride passes along the length of the Milton Reach in West
End/South Brisbane on Riverside Drive
- Riverside Drive is also used for circuit training by many riders who
do laps of it and Montague Road
- the ride has already been disrupted by insensitive works at the
rowing sheds and other points and the proposed 4m path will essentially
destroy it for the sport, making it only suitable for less vigorous
recreational riding and commuting
- if this goes ahead, cyclists will be left with few options. UQ is
choked with traffic and is becoming ever-constricted. Yeronga is a
quiet residential area. Where else?
- consultation with cyclists has been completely inadequate. The
Masterplanning survey included hardly any cyclists - in spite of their
heavy use of the area. Sport cyclists prefer a full road, but out of
acceptance of the need for expanded parks, have accepted Bicycle
Queensland's position of a 6m path. BCC's Cycle Access Unit appears to
have ignored this and have advised a 4m path is all that is required.
Any letters written about this have not been responded to by the
planners and the cyclists' position has been over-ruled. The main
cycling representative body, Bicycle Queensland, has also been
over-ruled with their extremely reasonable middle-ground request for a
6m path
- the planning manager claims the park is for the whole community, but
a major group from all around the city that accesses the road in the
park is being effectively excluded
- the 4m path will result in years of conflict for users, council
employees and councillors. Adoption of the 6m path would resolve most
of this
- the 6m path gives a further benefit of providing a hard surface for
the many important events such as fun runs and cycle rallies (e.g. Ride
for MS) that presently use the road.
Road cyclists are extremely disappointed by the direction the planning
has gone. It seems that the ambitions of West End/South Brisbane
residents are completely over-riding the legitimate interests of people
who use the area and pass through it. If BCC persists with the current
plan, it must properly deal with the needs of sport cyclists in
Brisbane by providing them with alternatives in all areas of Brisbane.
The 6m path is essential.
heard what a classic it is, we need your help. The Ride is under
attack. A large part of Riverside Drive in the West End section is
going to be resumed for parklands. A 4m bikeway will be put in, with a
separate pedestrian path. This sounds OK for the non-rider, but we are
talking about the sprint section of a bunch ride, with cyclists going
in both directions. The integrity of the Ride will be destroyed. If you
care, here is some material to help you lobby the Brisbane City
Council.
Donga
I would go straight to the top, i.e. Lord Mayor Campbell Newman, by
email or letter, copy to your local councillor,
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor
Councillor Campbell Newman
Office of the Lord Mayor
GPO Box 2287
Brisbane Qld 4001
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/BCC:STANDARD:1416238420:pc=PC_1532
respectfully requesting that he intervene to ensure a 6m path in the
West End Park. You can point out that:
- sport cycling is a burgeoning sport in Brisbane, with huge annual
growth
- the sport results in health, socialising, economic activity and
development of the identity of Brisbane
- sport cyclists train early in the morning, almost entirely before 7am
and are unseen by most people. This minimises traffic disruption,
favours safety, and lets the cyclists get in their sport before work
- these cyclists can assure you that few of the residents are using the
park when it is popular with the cyclists, around dawn
- the Brisbane River Ride is a favourite circuit in a city where there
are few others with fairly continuous stretches of road, for continuous
physical effort. The River Ride is known around the country and
overseas for its beauty and integrity
- the River Ride passes along the length of the Milton Reach in West
End/South Brisbane on Riverside Drive
- Riverside Drive is also used for circuit training by many riders who
do laps of it and Montague Road
- the ride has already been disrupted by insensitive works at the
rowing sheds and other points and the proposed 4m path will essentially
destroy it for the sport, making it only suitable for less vigorous
recreational riding and commuting
- if this goes ahead, cyclists will be left with few options. UQ is
choked with traffic and is becoming ever-constricted. Yeronga is a
quiet residential area. Where else?
- consultation with cyclists has been completely inadequate. The
Masterplanning survey included hardly any cyclists - in spite of their
heavy use of the area. Sport cyclists prefer a full road, but out of
acceptance of the need for expanded parks, have accepted Bicycle
Queensland's position of a 6m path. BCC's Cycle Access Unit appears to
have ignored this and have advised a 4m path is all that is required.
Any letters written about this have not been responded to by the
planners and the cyclists' position has been over-ruled. The main
cycling representative body, Bicycle Queensland, has also been
over-ruled with their extremely reasonable middle-ground request for a
6m path
- the planning manager claims the park is for the whole community, but
a major group from all around the city that accesses the road in the
park is being effectively excluded
- the 4m path will result in years of conflict for users, council
employees and councillors. Adoption of the 6m path would resolve most
of this
- the 6m path gives a further benefit of providing a hard surface for
the many important events such as fun runs and cycle rallies (e.g. Ride
for MS) that presently use the road.
Road cyclists are extremely disappointed by the direction the planning
has gone. It seems that the ambitions of West End/South Brisbane
residents are completely over-riding the legitimate interests of people
who use the area and pass through it. If BCC persists with the current
plan, it must properly deal with the needs of sport cyclists in
Brisbane by providing them with alternatives in all areas of Brisbane.
The 6m path is essential.
