N
Hi,
We are struggling with our road approvals and have been rejected
already on one of our circuits, which we have used for the last two
years.
The problem stems from the "NSW Guidelines for Bicycle Road Races"
www.rta.nsw.gov.au/trafficinformation/downloads/bicycleracing_i.pdf
The document was very well intentioned and did start out with the
notion of two distinct types of events
Class 1 Impacts Traffic and Transport
Class 2 Does Not impact Traffic and Transport
The trouble with the document is that it spells out how to run a race
for both versions intertwined. Only if you understand the intent can
you see where and how you can run your race. The trouble is most
people end up reading:
1. Trained Traffic Controllers (Stop/Go Sign holders) which costs
around $200-$500 per person
2. Leading and trailing cars.
3. Police escort for field size approaching 100 riders
However if you read the document througherly Stop/Go men are only
required under special circumstances, such as high volumns of cars, and
major intersections
Likewise Leading and trailing cars are only required for high volumne
roads or "May" be necessary if the field approaches 100 riders.
The upshot of the very well intentioned document is that many clubs
have ceased to conduct club races.
Cooma club now does not race and only conducts fast training rides.
Other clubs shelled out large sums to train Stop/Go people only to find
that even monthly races are difficult or impossible because you cant
train enough people on a limited budget.
Have a search world wide and you come across Cycle Road Approval
documents that are not anywhere near capable of being miscontrued. And
guess what the authorities stuff it up as well and pick out what they
want for the approval even though:
1. In the last 100 years there have been next to no contact, death, or
other incident with cars
2. We ride on low volumn roads purely for saftey and the extra burdon
is next to impossible to adhere to unless you are conducting once per
year "open" events.
What is needed?
Re-write the "NSW Guidelines for Bicycle Road Races" so that it
clearly defines what to do for certain road volumnes.
IE
Less than 5 cars per hour on the road during the event - No leading or
trailing car is required, marshals that Stop the one car to allow the
riders to turn
Greater than 5 and less than 10 cars - Leading and trailing car plus
marshals as above
Greater than 10 and less than 20 cars - Leading and trailing plus
Marshals stop riders at turn points to allow cars to proceed OR you
msut provide a trained traffic controller
Greater than 20 Cars you must provide traffic controllers and leading
trailing cars
If individual bunches are greater than 30 riders Leading and trailing
cars per group
Only if Greater than 10 cars per hour
Must have a time gap between 3-5 minutes between group
Bunches greater than 100 Riders Must have leading and trailing cars per
group.
Police escort is only required if there are greater than 5 cars per
hour
Why is the volumn important? There are roads in NSW that have been
bypassed for new highways. They are excellant for road racing but are
rediculous for the required mis-mashed road approvals.
A very well intentioned document is creating a situation where Open
road racing, and criterium races are the only way a club can race. Who
wants to race once a year if you CANT get away for the Open races that
are conducted roughly once a year per each club?
Here's hoping Cycling NSW will review their document they created with
NSW Police and the RTA. And make sure they reviwe exactly how much
club racing (IE NOT Open racing) is now taking place.
We are struggling with our road approvals and have been rejected
already on one of our circuits, which we have used for the last two
years.
The problem stems from the "NSW Guidelines for Bicycle Road Races"
www.rta.nsw.gov.au/trafficinformation/downloads/bicycleracing_i.pdf
The document was very well intentioned and did start out with the
notion of two distinct types of events
Class 1 Impacts Traffic and Transport
Class 2 Does Not impact Traffic and Transport
The trouble with the document is that it spells out how to run a race
for both versions intertwined. Only if you understand the intent can
you see where and how you can run your race. The trouble is most
people end up reading:
1. Trained Traffic Controllers (Stop/Go Sign holders) which costs
around $200-$500 per person
2. Leading and trailing cars.
3. Police escort for field size approaching 100 riders
However if you read the document througherly Stop/Go men are only
required under special circumstances, such as high volumns of cars, and
major intersections
Likewise Leading and trailing cars are only required for high volumne
roads or "May" be necessary if the field approaches 100 riders.
The upshot of the very well intentioned document is that many clubs
have ceased to conduct club races.
Cooma club now does not race and only conducts fast training rides.
Other clubs shelled out large sums to train Stop/Go people only to find
that even monthly races are difficult or impossible because you cant
train enough people on a limited budget.
Have a search world wide and you come across Cycle Road Approval
documents that are not anywhere near capable of being miscontrued. And
guess what the authorities stuff it up as well and pick out what they
want for the approval even though:
1. In the last 100 years there have been next to no contact, death, or
other incident with cars
2. We ride on low volumn roads purely for saftey and the extra burdon
is next to impossible to adhere to unless you are conducting once per
year "open" events.
What is needed?
Re-write the "NSW Guidelines for Bicycle Road Races" so that it
clearly defines what to do for certain road volumnes.
IE
Less than 5 cars per hour on the road during the event - No leading or
trailing car is required, marshals that Stop the one car to allow the
riders to turn
Greater than 5 and less than 10 cars - Leading and trailing car plus
marshals as above
Greater than 10 and less than 20 cars - Leading and trailing plus
Marshals stop riders at turn points to allow cars to proceed OR you
msut provide a trained traffic controller
Greater than 20 Cars you must provide traffic controllers and leading
trailing cars
If individual bunches are greater than 30 riders Leading and trailing
cars per group
Only if Greater than 10 cars per hour
Must have a time gap between 3-5 minutes between group
Bunches greater than 100 Riders Must have leading and trailing cars per
group.
Police escort is only required if there are greater than 5 cars per
hour
Why is the volumn important? There are roads in NSW that have been
bypassed for new highways. They are excellant for road racing but are
rediculous for the required mis-mashed road approvals.
A very well intentioned document is creating a situation where Open
road racing, and criterium races are the only way a club can race. Who
wants to race once a year if you CANT get away for the Open races that
are conducted roughly once a year per each club?
Here's hoping Cycling NSW will review their document they created with
NSW Police and the RTA. And make sure they reviwe exactly how much
club racing (IE NOT Open racing) is now taking place.
