October 10, 2021eastbug

10 Oct 2021

Down for the count(er)

We noticed on Thursday that the bike/scooter counter on the Victoria Bridge was broken yet again.

Brisbane CBD BUG have previously reported this happening multiple times when the counter was located at the southern end of the bridge. It’s hard to see how this damage could happen with normal use; but if the damage is due to sabotage, it’s hard to imagine why someone would do that.

Hopefully Council are taking the “offline” days into account in their assessment of the CityLink Cycleway trial. We’re certainly seeing an increase in bike and scooter traffic as people return to the CBD and adapt their travel patterns to make use of the convenient new cycleways.

Norman Creek Bikeway

Speaking of possible sabotage, we were disappointed to read about a rider who encountered a field of tacks laid out across the Norman Creek Bikeway in the underpass beneath Ridge St at Greenslopes on Thursday night. Thanks to that lady, and the person who helped her clear the path as best they could. The tacks weren’t at all easy to see – even in daylight on Friday morning, when Belinda still found a handful upturned and along the edges. We hope no-one else’s trip to school, to work, or to the park was ruined by this nasty act.

In happier news, we’re excited to see work underway on the Norman Creek Bikeway underpass beneath Logan Road at Stones Corner. This is the result of years of campaigning by Stones Corner Road Safety, East BUG, The Better Buranda Project, and many others.

Thanks to funding from the Queensland Government (thanks Joe Kelly MP) and Brisbane City Council (Councillor Fiona Cunningham ). We can’t wait!!

Moggill Road

Last week we commemorated the 10-year anniversary of the loss of Richard Pollett. The Westside News picked up the story this week: why does Moggill Road remain as it was a decade ago when Richard was killed there?

As Chris from Brisbane West BUG says in the article, while a business case is in progress, we need proposed solutions to become reality.

“They will come to nothing if funding is not provided to make them happen.

“The ‘fit and fearless’ cyclists continue to ride on Moggill Rd, putting their trust in the attentiveness and patience of motor vehicle operators.

“Some people ride on the footpath. Countless more don’t consider cycling an option because it’s not safe here to do so.

“I do not want to see any more ghost bikes on Moggill Rd.

“In 10 years’ time I want anyone to be able to cycle from Kenmore to the CBD safely.’’

Chris Cox, Brisbane West BUG

It took several reports over the years, but finally Google Maps has turned off “bicycle friendly roads” designation for Moggill Road in Kenmore – a stretch of road that has taken the lives of two cyclists in the past decade.

It’s a stark reminder of how poorly connected the bicycle network in Kenmore is. A residential area within 15km of the CBD should be much better served than this, and West BUG urge Council and State Government to prioritise funding to provide connections through Kenmore to the Centenary Cycleway.

Lytton Road, Balmoral and Morningside

A responsible city council would incorporate improvements for active travel in every road project as a matter of course. Unfortunately we are still at the stage in Brisbane of having to plead for even the tiniest consideration. But the BUGs are determined to create a better city, where walking and cycling are safe and accessible transport options for everyone. We’re not going away.

East BUG have written to Councillor Kara Cook (Morningside Ward) asking for her help requesting that Council urgently review the line marking on Lytton Rd, Morningside/Balmoral before they simply repaint what was in place before the recent resurfacing.

In particular, on the southern side of Lytton Rd between Perrin Creek Bridge and Thynne Rd/Fifth Avenue, the bike lane should be positioned immediately next to the kerb, with any car parking (where room is available) between the bike lane and the main traffic lane.

This would mean that the bike lane would no longer be sandwiched between parked cars and moving traffic. People travelling by bicycle would no longer have to choose between riding close to parked cars—where they are in danger of being hit by a carelessly opened door—or riding to the right of the bike lane where they are likely to be close-passed by large vehicles.

(Yes, this is needed on other sections of Lytton Rd too, but this section is particularly straight-forward, as it does not involve any bus stops or major driveway cross-overs, and would not require any kerb modifications).

Lytton Road carries a high volume of heavy vehicle traffic, as it is a primary freight access route east of Lytton Rd. It is also on the agreed Principal Cycle Network Plan, and designated a primary cycle route under City Plan.

Unfortunately, Council’s response to our recent petition (signed by over 600 residents) requesting safety improvements to Lytton Road makes it clear that they do not intend to make any improvements for active travel along Lytton Rd in the foreseeable future. Indeed they will only consider doing so as part of a future road widening – which could be decades away.

The process of removing line markings once these are painted compromises the surface of the bitumen, leading to rapid weathering and degeneration. Hence it is urgent that the safer line markings be considered before the lines are painted.

Nearby, the intersection of Lytton Rd and Riverside Pl, Morningside is a horror-show. Unfortunately this isn’t an issue that can be fixed simply with line marking because Council recently installed concrete islands and a new section of curb.

East BUG are requesting a full safety audit of this intersection—including the safety for people cycling and walking (particularly trying to cross the road).

Lytton Road, East Brisbane

When the bikeway along Lytton Rd, East Brisbane was planned as part of the road-widening project, we were assured that people cycling (and walking) would have the same priority as if they were travelling on the road – i.e. they would not have to stop and wait at the intersection with Kulpurum St unless there were vehicles actually waiting to turn in or out of that minor side street.

Unfortunately we noticed this week that had changed, with people on the bikeway and footpath no longer getting a green light until they’ve stopped and pressed the beg-button – which is awkwardly placed to the right of the path.

This is quite disappointing. Imposing time penalties on people walking and cycling is not the way to encourage active transport.

Morningside Bollard Update

Also from East BUG this week, a status update on the Morningside bollards:

  • 3 of the orange plastic bollards on Wynnum Rd at the approach to Junction Road have come unstuck, but the rest are still hanging on.
  • At Jack Flynn Memorial Drive, one of the second generation of bollards has succumbed. The rest are looking very battered, but still standing.
  • Afternoon riders are approximately evenly split between those bold enough to ride on the road, and those who prefer balancing along the skinny footpath, dodging the bins.

#EastBrisbaneBikeway

Old Cleveland Road

This week marks a year since Easy BUG first posted about the project by TMR to “upgrade” the Gateway Motorway on-ramp from Old Cleveland Rd. The work to replace the cycle crossing (which was not part of the original plan) is still not complete.

We’re interested to know if the project has made any difference to the traffic queuing in the bike lane east of the off-ramp.

We’ve also taken a sneaky look at the path along Old Cleveland Rd past the Carindale Shopping Centre. It will be interesting to see what speed is set for traffic turning left off Old Cleveland Rd into Carindale St. This should have been a priority crossing for people walking and cycling; there is plenty of room for turning traffic to decelerate.

Minnippi Bikeway

We accept that completing cycleways takes time, but it’s a little annoying that construction of the new shared path along Windrush St, Cannon Hill has closed the connection to the existing path. Hopefully this will be reinstated soon.

Also: no, we can’t explain the wiggle in the path at the Billan St end. It doesn’t appear to be avoiding any infrastructure. Why not allow people walking and cycling to take the direct route rather than introducing unnecessary curves?

Gateway to the Airport??

Airport BUG noticed on the weekend that the gate at the end of Viola Place was open. Could this mean work is starting to the long awaited bikeway connection to Schneider Rd and Terminal Drive??

Climate Action

Did you know there is a Queensland Government climate action plan for transport? We checked it for mention of quickly reducing emissions from private motor vehicles by encouraging mode-shift to active transport for short trips. And what about incentives to replace family cars with e-bikes?

The plan includes some good ideas like ‘crumb rubber’ roads, LED streetlights, and electric charging stations… But nothing about bicycles.

It doesn’t mention how bicycles are the lowest-emission vehicles of all. (Yes, walking is great too, but much more range-limited). It doesn’t mention how people riding bicycles need far less infrastructure than cars or even buses.

We’d like to see more from the Queensland Government; cycling can much more than a recreational activity – with the right policies and conditions in place it can be a mainstream transport mode. Battling climate change, while making people healthier has to be too good an opportunity to pass up.

Internationally, the citizens of Berlin are taking their responsibility to act to limit climate breakdown seriously. They have submitted a petition with more than 50,000 signatures calling for a ban on private car in central Berlin, which would create the largest car-free urban area in the world.

Converting to electric cars is not enough to create the immediate emissions reductions from transport that we need. “So the only solution is to reduce the amount of driving that’s happening, not just to change how we drive.”

The bonus, of course, is that if successful, they stand to achieve a safer, healthier, and much more liveable city.

After all, what makes the perfect vehicle? Not what the car manufacturers would have you believe! Let’s have more truth in advertising. 🙂

Sunday Streets

Well done to the residents of Laura St, Highgate Hill, plus all the amazing performers and volunteers who put together the Laura Street Festival 2021 on Sunday. What a great afternoon!!

This “Sunday Streets” event demonstrates how communities can come together to make music, dance, and play when the streets we live on are not dominated by cars.

Slacks Creek Cycleway

It’s a little outside our patch, but this week Belinda took the opportunity to check out a new section of path at Slacks Creek which now joins the Pacific Highway to Kingston Rd (and the new facilities at Logan Park) along the southern side of Compton Road.

This is a highly industrial area, so provides a really useful link for people walking, cycling and e-scooting to work. It also connects to the latest section of the Slacks Creek Bikeway (more on that below). The connections at the eastern end are all quite messy at the moment, but once the Veloway works are finished, we anticipate this will be a well-used link.

Meanwhile, “Slacks Track” is a fun name for the cycle corridor along Slacks Creek in the suburb of (you guessed it) Slacks Creek.

The newest section of this path connects from the new Compton Rd shared path (subject of our previous post) to Moss St. There’s then a gap between there and Park Rd where you can pick up the older path again and ride south as far as Loganlea Road.

The cheerful yellow theme ties aspects of the path together, and we love the way the project has helped create a peaceful green corridor through an industrial zone.

We think there’s inspiration here for waterways like Stable Swamp Creek (Rocklea) and Moolabin Creek (Moorooka).

Well done Logan City Council and Logan BUG.