LBUG kept rolling in 2012, with over 35 day rides and several longer tours, thanks to our ride leaders. We have ten BNSW accredited leaders. Rides ranged from the regular EasyRides on the first Sunday of the month to Mike Macdonald’s 2 week tour of the Flinders Ranges. Heather Manning organised several good weekend tours to country NSW. Jamie Honan organised the Yass to Wee Jasper weekend.

LBUG members also participated in the Supertuesday bike counts for local councils (organised by bicyclenetwork.com.au) in March, raising $750 dollars. We had stalls at Marketplace and the Leichhardt Big Bike Day. I was on a stall with Try2Wheels at the Newtown Fair and the Glebe Fair, giving advice about cycling, bike groups and best routes.Try2Wheels is run by Bikewise, who do the free learn to cycle and cycling skills courses for the City of Sydney Council. (Give them a hoy if you are interested in doing the free courses.)

Our mid-winter dinner was well attended, at Cafe Gioia.

I attended the Australian Cycling Conference in Adelaide in January, with part funding from LBUG.

On the Bicycle Advocacy and Council front, LBUG has continued to be involved in the quarterly Council Bicycle Advisory Committee, plus attending various meetings with Council staff and Councillors, who have been good at consulting on what they are implementing out of the Bike Plan. Funding was increased to $455,000 for 2012. Most of the works in the Bike Plan 2007-2012 have been completed so now the plan needs reviewing and updating for the next five years. The next BAC will be in February 2013 most likely. Anyone interested can attend, dates are advertised on the Council website and on our Calendar.

The new council is now led by a Labor Mayor, Dacy Byrne, who does not own a car, so hopefully will be sympathetic to continuing support for alternatives to the car. Labor, Greens and Liberals each have 4 Councillors, so there could be some interesting alliances on various issues. Liberals have so far shown they are sympathetic to cycling.

LBUG also talked to RMS on various matters such as the Victoria Rd shared path, Sydney Ports on the Cruise Passenger Terminal access road, the Light Rail and Greenway authorities. I attended a few meetings of the City of Sydney Bicycle Committee, where it is interesting to see how they are rolling out their cycleway program, with a much bigger budget than Leichhardt. We also have a common border so need to connect up better through Forest Lodge and Glebe.

Paid-up Membership declined this year but activity increased, with quite a few new riders showing up. We need to see more of those converting to full members. Members are encouraged to join BicycleNSW, particularly for the insurance benefits, which include Public Liability insurance and Personal Injury. New members of BNSW can get a $10 rebate for LBUG by quoting a code number LEH 699 on the membership form.

Our finances are in good order, with about $3000 in the bank. Expenses are small, and we need to find some useful ways to use the money. Suggestions are welcomed. Ideas such as a team jersey, reflective vests, or a banner for stalls have been mentioned.

The website has over 200 members, and the email list has about 130 members, but many are not active. Discussion through the year on usefulness of the website has continued. Mick Saunders has offered to help anyone who needs it how to use the many features on the website. The latest emails now appear on the website.

Season’s greetings to all, and happy and safe cycling over the new year.

President’s Report for 2012

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