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October 2023

IWCouncil is proposing speed limit changes for most streets in the LGA.  Most streets would be 40 Km/h , but State Roads and Regional Roads  would mostly stay the same.  Make comments on their Yoursay page: https://yoursay.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/inner-west-40

We say 30 is better. The rest of the world is adopting 30 K as its Urban Default speed limit, why not us?  Particularly on residential streets and around schools and shopping streets. At 40 there is still a 20  % chance of death in a collision., only (!) 5% at 30. 

If you need convincing Bicycle NSW and Better Streets Australia have many arguments.  Also check 30please.org.au

State Roads that are still 60, like Sydenham Rd and Railway Terrace, should come down to 50. Regional Roads, like Lilyfield Rd, should be 40 or even 30 near the new Railyard Park. 

 

May 2023

Westconnex/Rozelle Interchange.

The permanent Anzac Bridge path from Victoria Rd is now open. It swoops down from the road bridge to a join with a yet to be completed path from the Railyard Park from under the bridge, then a long climb up and over the bridge, past the Digger statue. Do keep left, and watch for pedestrians and oncoming cyclists!

For some reason the shared path at the Victoria Rd end has short flat sections every 10 m or so, which provides an unsettling ride. Maybe they are speed humps, we dont know. There are no warning signs. 

Shared path near Victoria Rd has bumps.

A future  link to Robert St will we hope be added, across the flat land in front of the Power Station. The new Metro station is now being excavated nearby, and will need good bicycle access. 

If they ever reopen the Glebe Island Bridge a bike path from the Metro past the Silos , one side or the other, or both, will be needed too. One that doesnt involve climbing up to the Digger level then losing height down to the old bridge level,  like the current path does,  would be good. 

Rozelle Railyards Bike Hub

Bike Hub Site
Bike Hub Site

The Bike Hub Alliance (a group of local people) has proposed that a Bike and Active Transport Hub be included in the almost finished Railyard Park. This Hub would be a centre for promoting Active Transport, with bike hire, repairs, learn to cycle, info on Public Transport and a cafe/gallery and meeting spaces, or even small company offices.

The site for the Hub exists, on corner of Gordon St and Lilyfield Rd, where two buildings were saved from demolition by Westconnex. One is an old hotel, the other was Gillespies Cranes offices. Transport for NSW owns them and has called for Expressions of Interest in using them. The Hub Alliance applied and is now on a list of possible tenderers for the buildings, thanks to a huge effort by local resident and environmentalist Keith Stallard.

The Hub Alliance is seeking support from the community for Grants from Inner west Council and for the tender, and being on a Management Committee if the bid succeeds.  

If interested in finding out more contact Bike Leichhardt. (See Contact Us)


April 2023

Final designs for the Greenway are out for comment. Looks pretty good, with a realigned path under Parramatta Rd and Longport St,  traffic lights to cross Old Canterbury Rd to Weston St, tunnels under Davis St and Constitution Rd,  a boardwalk or cantilevered path above the railway but under Canterbury Rd and a wider path under the railway at foot of Hercules St. Nice graphics and details on https://yoursay.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/greenway. 

The main concern now is how it connects to the local streets, which are supposed to be the “ribs” to the Greenway “spine”, and what is being done or planned to make, for instance, Davis St, Toothill St or Smith St safer for cyclists.  Also concern about the safety of the traffic light crossing of Old Canterbury Rd at Weston St, given the speed of some drivers.

February 2023

Inner West Council Bicycle Strategy Update

Good news at the Bicycle Working Group meeting. The Council has revised its Action Plan to include more main roads and streets,  such as Darling, Balmain and Marion/Ramsay. It is a long term plan, so there will be battles to be fought and priorities to be assigned in Council’s 4 year revolving Capital Works Budgeting. No guarantee any of these roads will get bike lanes but at least they are on the list. 
Bicycle Action Plan

November 2022

Inner West Council Bicycle Strategy

Up for comment on Yoursay on Council website. The Strategy is good, but the Action Plan of actual bike routes is still open for suggestions. Add some more routes and problem points to the Action Strategy, including ALL of Balmain Rd, not just Rozelle to Callan Park. 

Rozelle Interchange Railyard Park

flythrough video

Yes, there will be a path under Victoria Rd direct to Anzac Bridge. 

See full plan in chapter 11 of the Westconnex UDLP

May 2022

Bay Run Closure

The Bay Run will be temporarily closed at times between UTS Rowers and Lilyfield Rd during June to August.  A detour will be provided via Mortley Av, Boomerang St and Crescent St, Tillock St to Dobroyd Pde and Hawthorne Pde. There are some concerns about the detour, particularly the crossing of the City West Link at Timbrell Drive.   Also steep coming the other way, on Tillock St.  Council notice.

State Government News.

Minister for Active Transport Rob Stokes announced an updated Strategic Bike Network for Eastern Sydney. This signals a renewed commitment to building cycleways, after the Principal Bike Network languished for years with no funding. Notable is the inclusion of Parramatta Rd. Also Pyrmont Bridge Rd and Victoria Rd. 

City of Sydney also updated its Bicycle Strategy map, including Parramatta Rd.  Inner  West Council has a bike path on Parramatta Rd too, in its  Integrated Transport Plan.

Could we live to see a bike path on Victoria Rd? 

In other News, the Government has released its Draft  Masterplan for White Bay and the Power Station precinct for comment. This area is becoming a hot-spot for bike planning, with several bike routes passing through it, to Balmain, Rozelle, Lilyfield and Haberfield, Leichhardt and Annandale/ Glebe. Important they get it right, so connections are direct and safe, with as few hills and ramps as possible! The use of Glebe Island Bridge is mentioned, but no decision  yet as to when or if it will be refurbished and used for foot and bike travel. There will be a Metro station there too, that will need bike access.  According to the Masterplan, they need to “  prioritise walking and cycling to the Metro station”. One idea floated is  a bridge across Rozelle Bay from Glebe Point to an underpass of Anzac Bridge approach, direct to the Metro Station! Bayswest_bikelinks

 

March 2022

The Inner West Bicycle Strategy is up for comment on the Yoursay pages on council website. There is a map to put pins on  and tell Council where and what improvements are needed. You can also write to Council planner Brigid Kelly to make comments. (Email brigid.kelly@innerwest.nsw.gov.au). Comments close 11 April. [Note added in May. Comments are closed but you can see the results on the Yoursay page, by clicking on the Map link]. 

Submission by Bike Leichhardt 


February 2022

First meeting of Inner West Council’s Bicycle Working Group is on Thursday 10 March,6pm, Petersham Council Offices (Fisher St, Petersham). Open to the public. Opportunity to have a say on the Inner West Bicycle Strategy currently being prepared. Contact Brigid Kelly, Senior Transport Planner, if interested in attending. 93925204. She is keen to hear from women, young people, people of different ethnic backgrounds, not just us old road warriors.

https://www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/contribute/community-engagement/local-democracy-groups/bicycle-working-group

Labor Councillors have released their Policy for the next three years. Quite a bit on Active Cycling, and a commitment to work with local bike groups on events to promote cycling.
https://innerwest.infocouncil.biz/Open/2022/02/C_08022022_AGN_3904_AT.PDF#page128

January 2022

Council has invited Bike Leichhardt, as part of the IWBC, to a meeting in February to help select or prioritise some cycle routes for construction in next 3 years. Part of development of an IWC Bicycle Strategy, which has been a long time coming after the merger of the three councils in 2016.

Westconnex has said heavy trucks will be using Lilyfield Rd for 18 months to cart fill for the Railyards Park east of Catherine St. We are asking for a detour route to avoid Lilyfield Rd.

October 2021

Questions for Candidates for Council election in December

All candidates have been emailed by IWBC and asked to answer three questions, along with a background information package on cycling.

Clr’s Porteous, McKenna and Kiat aren’t standing, and it could be an interesting fight for control of Council given adverse findings against Darcy Byrne recently. However, a Lib/Lab alliance could see him back as Mayor. Check tallyroom.com.au for discussion on Inner West Council politics, and cityhub independent news is running candidate profiles.

[Dec 2021. Labor didnt need any help, won a majority of 8 by itself, after getting two candidates elected in three wards. Greens have 5 Councillors and there are two independents, Cllrs Lockie and Stamolis]

Transport for NSW has asked IWBC to come up with 10 major problem spots around the Inner West, as part of a rethink of their Principal Bike Network strategy, which was getting nowhere. Suggestions welcome.

A heartening bit of news is that City of Sydney has said it will look at improvements on The Crescent for cyclists, recognising it as part of their Regional Bike Network. They will need to work with TfNSW on this, since The Crescent is a State Road.

July 2021

Bay Run Upgrade

Work underway on the Bay Run between UTS Rowing Club and Hawthorne Canal. Path is being widened and improved. Funded  under the Greenway works. So far a temporary detour has been provided through the UtS car park, but a more lengthy detour through Robson Park and Dobroyd Pt on other side of City West Link is planned when work gets close to Lilyfield Rd bridge in June 2022. A new route over the bridge is planned, using the south side of the bridge, away from pedestrians. A new connection to Lilyfield Rd will be provided.

Greenway

Some work has been done at the Cooks River end, on Tennent, Garnett and Ness Sts. A new crossing  has been installed on Ewart St near the roundabout, and an improved shared path is to be installed up to Hercules St.

Approval has been finally obtained for the major works to build a path under Parramatta Rd and push a tunnel under Longport St. Construction slated for 2022.

Regional Route 07

A new bike path has been built on Railway Ave in Stanmore, between Stanmore Station and Liberty St roundabout, where an improved crossing has been installed. The route to Newtown from Liberty St has been sign-posted via Trade St and Albemarle St. The route is being extended to Petersham Station via Crystal St (shared path over railway bridge) and Trafalgar St and to Old Canterbury Rd via Railway Tce eventually. Bike Ashfield and IWBC is seeking a further extension on Longport St towards Summer Hill. More details and maps on Yoursay on Inner West Council website.

Lilyfield Rd

The section from Hawthorne Canal to Catherine St has been designed and is due to be upgraded in 2021-22. Council decided to postpone design work on Lilyfield Rd east of Catherine until connections to the new Railyard Park are more certain. Westconnex slow to release final plans, but Council doesnt appear to be in a hurry either. Lilyfield Rd will still be needed if going to Balmain. A request to mark an uphill bike lane near Lamb St was knocked back, after the road repaving  mentioned below. 

After almost two years the rough temporary filled cable trench down Lilyfield Rd has finally been made good, and the surface is now quite good. 

Shorts…

changes around The Crescent and Rozelle Interchange;

new bike bridge over railway and City West Link taking shape at Brenan St near Whites Ck;

skate park finally finished in Jubilee Park;

Work on Booth St at Johnstons Ck bridge continuing. Bike path being built on the eastern side of bridge, connecting to a bike lane, between Wigram Rd and Alexandra Drive. Shared path sign at Wigram Rd allows temporary bypass if the construction zone, and access from Alexandra Dr to Wigram Rd. New path emerging from Badu Park, part of Johnsons Ck project.

Contra flow lane being built on Balmain Rd between Dot Lane and Parramatta Rd, so cyclists can get to a promised shared path between Balmain Rd and Norton St. [dec 2021, installed, but dismounts required at corner of Balmain Rd!]

August 2020

Rozelle Parklands UDLP

The long awaited Urban Design Landscape Plan, which has details of the paths and connections to the Rozelle Railyards Parklands. There will be an East West path to the Anzac Bridge (A1 and A3 on the image above), from Ryan St on Lilyfield Rd, going under Victoria Rd, and North South links from Brenan St to Lilyfield Rd near Ryan St and from the Rozelle LightRail Station to Easton Park. 

Overall it looks much as we expected, but the devil is in the detail. Connections to surrounding cycling network are not shown in great detail, so much will depend on how this is designed. E.G, how do cyclists get into the park from Lilyfield Rd near Ryan? Will there be a crossing? Also, getting from Victoria Rd to Glebe will not be as easy as it is now,  when the Beattie Bridge shared path is demolished (in August they have said). 

They are also palming off the requirement E58 in the EIS to develop a cycleway along Victoria Rd, from Springside St to Robert St.

See the plan here. Chapter 11 is most relevant, but you can get some details in the other chapters. Any comments, please send them in. Also via our facebook page @bikeleichhardt.

Callan Park Plan

Good support for cycleways on the interactive plan. Please add some more comments or likes. Draft Landscape Plan

July 2020

Greenway Update. 

Works are in progress along parts of the Greenway. New concrete path along the Hawthorne Canal is being laid. Some works in train on Hercules St in Dulwich Hill. New plan submitted for tunnel under Longport St and path under Parramatta Rd. Previous plans were held up by finding a colony of bats, and Sydney Water concerns. See a map of scheduled stages of construction.

Westconnex at The Crescent and Victoria Rd.

Preparations underway for removal in mid August of the Beatrice Bush pedestrian bridge (yellow line with red dots on image) over the City West Link at Victoria Rd. New temporary bike path and road being built on north side from Victoria Rd to Anzac Bridge (green dots), so the road bridge over the old railway line can be demolished and rebuilt wider. Access to remain from Lilyfield Rd to Victoria Rd and City West Link to James Craig Rd. New shared path ramp being built from Rozelle Bay Light Rail Station to The Crescent, in front of the Mural. Current shared path to be removed soon (orange line with red dots). Access to the foreshore path along the Crescent will  be reinstated soon and access to James Craig Rd will still be possible from Railway Pde, via a new crossing of The Crescent at City West Link (green dot).

Blue hand drawn lines are some suggested routes by me through the area to get to the works area. Map supplied by John Holland Westconnex Contractors.

Bicycle detours around Rozelle Interchange works

Popup Cycleways

Several temporary bike paths and lanes have been installed around the CBD and Inner City, at Sydney Park Rd, Henderson St, Moore Park Rd, Castlereagh St. Waiting for one on Pyrmont Bridge Rd. Despite some resident backlash the cycleways have gone in and may become permanent if there is enough support. Several roads in the area have had their speed limits lowered too, including The Crescent, now 50 instead of 60. (40 would be better!) Liverpool and Manly have introduced 30 K streets. 

Callan Park “Bike Boulevarde” along Balmain Rd frontage.

State Govt has released a Draft Landscape Plan for Callan Park for comment. Pleased to see a bike path is included along the Balmain Rd frontage. You can make comments or leave likes on an interactive map until September 14.

May 2020

Regular rides starting up again this weekend, with 4 scheduled. RSVP on Meetup. Limited to 10 riders per ride and safe distancing to be practised. Probably no cafe stops unless we find a deserted one, it will be takeaways or BYO thermos and cake.

Two opportunities to have your say (put stickers on maps) on important issues.

One is the RMS plan for traffic changes to the Inner West in Haberfield, Ashfield and Leichhardt/Lilyfield.  IWBC (Neil and I) had a Zoom meeting with RMS to discuss cycling aspects of the plan, and further meetings are possible. One issue is the removal of level crossings at Dalhousie St and Parramatta Rd and also at Waratah St and City West Link, to be replaced by lifts or ramps. What do you think? Put a sticker on!

The other is from Rob Stokes, the Minister for Planning, asking for improvements to your area, in particular making streets and places safer and more attractive, particularly in view of Covid-19 and need for distancing. More space to walk and cycle for instance. Less space for cars and buses, which are running almost empty. Streets could be closed to through traffic, speeds lowered, bike paths built, many ideas have been floated abroad, where the #openstreets movement is gathering pace. Even in Sydney.

Check out the many comments made by other cyclists on Stokes’ map, and add a few of your own.

Also of note, The Committee for Sydney has called for rapid construction of a bicycle network in 3 years, not 30 as in the NSW Govt strategy.

The Bay Run continues to exercise the mayors, as well as half of Sydney.

April 2020

Due to the virus risks and restrictions regular group rides have been cancelled until further notice. But if you want to keep in contact through this strange time (tell us of any rides you have done yourself or what you have noticed out on the streets) check our facebook.com/bikeleichhardt page.

Bicycle Advocacy efforts continue, with meetings via Zoom or Skype held with TfNSW on the Mod 2 revised plans for The Crescent. Some meetings coming up with the Lilyfield Rd Cycleway project team, to see what their latest plan is, and with the Inner West Council CEO Michael Deegan, for ongoing talks on bike planning. The design of the new Railyards Park will be released in May we think, by the Govt, which will include the proposed bicycle paths and links to Anzac Bridge and adjacent suburbs. Construction of 2 (yes, 2) ped/bike bridges across the railway and CWL is underway at Brenan St and at The Crescent.

March 2020

The Lilyfield Rd footbridge and access path to Anzac Bridge were closed on March 8. Detour routes have been announced by John Holland , the contractor, and rely on cyclists getting to James Craig Rd and going up Sommerville Rd under the Anzac Bridge to the foot/cycle path that runs up to the bridge, joining the bridge path at the Digger statue. 

Improvements to Sommerville Rd have been made, the footpath has been widened for use as a shared path. The footpath has also been widened at the lights at the intersection of Victoria Rd and The Crescent/City West Link. Other problems such as the poles on the path at corner of James Craig Dr and The Crescent remain. Gordon St detour does not seem very popular, as it is steep and full of traffic. Lilyfield Rd remains rough after months of cable and utility digging and redigging. We have urged JH and Council to make good the surface as soon as possible.

Quite a few cyclists are detouring back at Catherine St, down Brenan St to the railway underpass at the end of Railway Pde. The crossing of The Crescent has been a problem for years, particularly the lack of space to wait to cross the slip lane on the eastern side of the intersection. We have asked that this be addressed. This crossing may be closed later in the year as construction starts in that area for a flyover of the City West Link (Mod 2 change).

January 2020

And welcome to the new year! 

Fresh news is that The Bay Run will be cut at UTS rowers early in 2020 (note added in March-now mid 2020), for reconstruction and widening of the path by Inner West Council along the seawall between the Rowers and Lilyfield Rd bridge. A detour is proposed via Haberfield up Mortley St, to Crescent St,  but the crossing of the CWL is very poor for cyclists. A further blow to CBD commuters, who will also have the loss of the footbridge at Victoria Rd to contend with. A possible chance to get a bicycle crossing at Timbrell Dr to Mortley St. Discussions with IW Council will be held!

An update on the detour routes to Anzac Bridge at Victoria Rd: No new announcements by John Holland on the routes (see October news) for when the Lilyfield Rd footbridge gets demolished in March (we think). The other footbridge nearby (The Beattie Bush Bridge) will go later in the year, so in general there will be no route to Anzac Bridge except via James Craig Drive or via Gordon St to Victoria Rd. The Brenan St/Railway Pde route will also be affected by construction. Land has been cleared at Whites Ck for a footbridge over the CWL into the Railyard parkland.

Lilyfield Rd cycleway design plans are being finalised for public exhibition, we are hoping for a preview soon. Council says a path into the Railyards to Anzac Bridge (under Victoria Rd) will be provided by Westconnex from near Lamb St, but that wont be for a few years most likely.

Greenway news is that Authorities are still to sign off on some details, including a problem with getting round the water pipe under Parramatta Rd (which we thought had been resolved) and there is a micro bat colony under Longport St, where a tunnel is supposed to go. CEO of Council, Michael Deegan is taking charge of the project and is attempting to get the Authorities to resolve issues and get on with it. https://yoursay.innerwest.nsw.gov.au/greenway  (hey council, needs updating)

The Crescent.  (see September News.) RMS have agreed to revert to a single stage crossing at Johnston St after very strong opposition. They have also (we think) agreed to reduce the height of the flyover proposed and shift it a few metres, so that the proposed ramp up to the light rail station from The Crescent in front of the mural can be widened to allow for a shared path. Since Buruwan Park has been demolished this ramp will be the main way to get to Railway Pde and Brenan St from the Glebe foreshore and Chapman Rd. 

Victoria Rd   The shared path off the Iron Cove Bridge will soon be cut for Westconnex tunneling work and cyclists heading to Rozelle or CBD from Drummoyne will need to detour down Byrne St or use the other side of Victoria Rd from back in Drummoyne.

October 2019

Detour routes for cyclists during construction of the Westconnex Rozelle Interchange in the Rozelle/Lilyfield railyard have been released by John Holland, the contractor. Expect some major disruption for 3 or 4 years. In the long run there will be more connectivity than before but some extra links are needed to Balmain and improved facilities on Johnston St and The Crescent, and probably Brenan St and Lilyfield Rd, and Gordon St. See the annotated (by me)  power point presentation (8 slides).  Turn on Speaker Notes for my comments.

September 2019

Lilyfield Rd-new plans. Two main options, the old Bidirectional Cycleway concept, which caused a lot of negative feeling last time, and a new “retain existing set up, with some improvements and safety tweaks”, which we favour. Make submissions before 25 September. 

The other big news is the Modified EIS submitted by RMS for The Crescent. New cycle bridge over City West Link, loss of Buruwan Park path, another bridge to the light rail station. Big flyover for cars to get to Anzac Bridge and Victoria Rd. A new intersection at Johnston St has people up in arms, as there will be four road crossings required if walking or cycling to Jubilee Park and the Glebe foreshore from Johnston St to Chapman Rd.   more…


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feb 2018
Bicycle Working Group.
Next BWG at 630 pm on 28 Feb at Petersham Council Offices, Fisher St.
Agenda and Minutespast minutes. If interested in attending let us know.

May 2018
Lilyfield Rd Cycleway.
Mayor Byrne has called a Public Meeting May 29 630 pm Sydney Secondary -Leichhardt Campus- entry from Derbyshire Rd, to discuss what the community wants from the project, which got sent back to the drawing boards by Council in March. Residents opposed one way restrictions on Lilyfield Rd, which were proposed in order to fit a separated cycleway in. Cyclists opposed the narrow cycleway down the steep hill to the canal and lack of connectivity at crucial points, like Balmain Rd.
Inner West Bike Coalition will be presenting our viewpoint at the meeting. Details here.

March 2018
Westconnex M4East-M5 approved.
State Govt has approved the tunnels connecting M4 to M5 under Leichhardt, and the start of the tunnel under Rozelle and Balmain to the North Shore. The Railyard (whats left of it) will be turned into a park, with 30 m smokestacks, but also cycleways along it and across it. One path is supposed to run from Lilyfield Rd at Justin St to the Anzac Bridge, under Victoria Rd. Both the footbridges at Victoria Rd will go. A bridge will cross the City West Link into the railyard from near Whites Ck at bottom of Brenan St. Buruwan Park is to be destroyed (at end of Railway Pde), but we think access to The Crescent will be retained around the edge. a bridge will be built over The Crescent into the railyard, and also linking to the Light Rail station. One interesting condition is that Westconnex will be required to build a cycleway between Iron Cove Bridge and Robert St along Victoria Rd, or nearby. See the Determination for more details.

September 2017

Results of the first Inner West Council election came down to preferences. According to Tallyroom Greens and Labor have 5 councillors, with Labor just missing getting a sixth councillor (Linda Kelly) in Balmain ward, which went to Greens-leaning independent John Stamolis. Liberals have only 2 councillors, with 3 independents. Julie Pye lost to Victor Macris (conservative Independent) in Marrickville. Jennie Lockie (NoWestconnex) is the third independent.

Both Labor and Greens have promised substantial funding for bicycle works (which had already been approved in the budget for 2017-18 by the Administrator), so lets hope cycling will get cross-party support.

Update: In a controversial but not unexpected move Labor joined with the Liberals to outvote the Greens 8 to 7 and ensure Darcy Byrne was elected by the councillors as Mayor. Labor will have to rely on the two Liberals and one independent to control the votes on Council.

August 2017

Council elections are coming up on 9 September. The candidates for the new Inner West Council have been announced. There are 5 wards, with 3 councillors to be elected in each ward. Check out your ward and contact candidates for a chat about their opinions and policies on cycling. For comment on the parties and possible outcome, see tallyroom.com.au  (scroll down to the end). “-a fight mainly between labor and the greens”. 

Labor has got in first and is promising a $10 m “bicycle fund”, plus a commitment to finish the Greenway.

July 2017

The Bicycle Garage bike shop on Lilyfield Rd has closed. They are reopening at 1A Lords Rd in Leichhardt.

Inner West Council budget for 2017/18 has substantial funding for underpasses on the Greenway, and also for the Lilyfield Rd cycleway. State Govt is providing most of the funding for Lilyfield Rd. ($1.7m in coming year, more in the next)

June 2017

Danube Tour
The group led by Bob Dunn all arrived home safely after their Passau to Budapest tour, and say everything went very well. No doubt a few stories at the Mid Winter function coming up in July. See photos on Meetup, or maybe on this website if anyone can figure out how to load them!

Bay Run Update
New 5 m wide path installed from Timbrell Drive to UTS Rowers. It will have separate bike and pedestrian sections, as on the rest of the Bay Run.See Blog post for more detail.

New jerseys being delivered. If you want one and havn’t ordered one, we will be putting in a second order if enough want jerseys. Email us.

New jersey unveiled at Bar Italia, 9 July 2017

Westconnex. A plan for the Rozelle rail yards has been released. It shows possible bike paths along and across the rail yards. There could be a cycle bridge over the City West Link and light rail line to Whites Creek, and another bridge over The Crescent, where the traffic lights are now, but access from Railway Pde through the small park under the light rail may be lost.

Lilyfield Rd cycleway. The proposed bidirectional bike path along Lilyfield Rd looks set to be approved by Council but we havnt seen the final plans. There were strong objections to having a two way path down the steep hill to Hawthorne Canal but Council said recently they want to retain that. Bike groups including IWBC have been urging that the route should go through the railway cutting under Norton St and Balmain Rd.

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Old stuff from previous website— will have to edit this.

September 2010 Callan Park Cycling Masterplan

The Callan Park Masterplan is proceeding. There was anothercommunity meeting on Saturday 28/8 where groups discussed allaspects of the park. Transport and Access was one topic, whichincluded cycling. LBUG put forward ideas on how the park should bebased on Active Transport ( walking,cycling, buses), with car userestricted or at least not encouraged. See LBUG’s photo essay and a Google Map of the area, showing cycle routes,cycling facilities, hazards that need fixing, newopportunities.

August 2010 Bike Business Booming.

City of Sydney Media Release

Sydney’s bike economy booms

Bike shops in the inner city have almost doubled in the pastfive years as Sydney ’s bike economy continues to boom.

A City of Sydney survey of 23 bike businesses within a 10kmradius of the CBD found 10 new bike shops opened in the past fiveyears. Together the 23 bike stores employ 214 people.

Sydney’s increasing demand for cheap, efficient two-wheeledtransport has fuelled the growth with the bike stores reporting a30% increase in sales of commuter bikes in the past five years.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said; “Bike shop growth and increasedsales shows just how popular cycling is in Sydney . Thesebusinesses have done their research, observed increased biketraffic, and have forecast the growth of cycling in this city.”

Jeremy Scrivener, co-owner of Bicycle Garage and Coffee Shop inLilyfield said: “We’d never owned a bike store before but ourinstincts and research showed it would work. We chose our locationcarefully and since opening the bicycle traffic has doubled.”

The bike businesses reported a variety of factors underlying thegrowth in sales: a perception that bike riding is now safer, thatit is more ‘doable’ in terms of fitness and length of the ride, andthat it is a cheap transport option in times when the cost ofliving is high.

Morgan’s Bicycles of Alexandria opened in 2008 selling Velorbisbikes that are highly popular in Europe . Last month Japanese cyclestore Tokyo Bike opened its first store outside of Japan in SurryHills, near the Bourke Street cycleway.

One shop, Ashfield Cycles, said that 5-10 years ago theycouldn’t sell commuter style bikes, but now they represent 75% ofsales.

Mike Shaw of Clarence Street Cyclery said: “In the last fiveyears, people who are cyclists have come in looking for a hybridbike for commuting. In the last two and half years a lot ofnon-cyclists have come in looking for a bike to commute towork.”

Industry associated with bike sales is also growing. RenegadeCycles of Lane Cove has taken on an apprentice bicycle mechanic tohelp service the bikes they sell. Israel Leichterman also saw aneed for more bike mechanics and after doing his own researchopened his repair store, Bicycology, in Pyrmont earlier thisyear.

The popularity of cycling is evident in BRW’s top 100 growingcompanies with Cell Bikes of Stanmore making the list.

Source- Maya Catsanis
Media and Communications
City of Sydney

July 19 2010- The Greenway has been included in the lightrail extension. Includes a shared path from Cooks River to IronCove, with underpasses of major roads like Old Canterbury Rd, and abridge over Parramatta Rd next to the light rail bridge. Details inthe Product Definition Report from Transport NSW.(Don’t ask me, that’s what it is called!)

May 17 2010- New NSW Bike Plan released. The Greenwaygets the nod as does the Harbour Link project, Naremburn to MilsonsPoint. See Forums for discussion.

April 24 2010 – New bridge over Hawthorne Canal

A new bike and walkers bridge is to be constructed over HawthorneCanal near Blackmore Park, so that cyclists can bypass thedog infested path on the Leichhardt side, which is also beingbroken up by fig tree roots, and the crowded area near Cafe Bones.The 10 K shared zone will be extended further along the canal roadup to the boom gates. Cyclists who use the bridge can then use thebike path on the Ashfield side up to Marion St and further on toParramatta Rd.

April 21, 2010 – Victoria Rd Upgrade

The RTA advised Leichhardt Council they are anticipatingstarting work on the upgrade for cyclists along the Victoria Rdcorridor from Gladesville Bridge to White Bay in next month or two.See more on the background to this project under CAMPAIGNS on topbar, and News from Dec 10, 2009, below.

Bay Run Upgrade- March 2010. Verity Firth has announcedthe State Govt will fund the paving of the Bay Run between theRowing Club at foot of Glover St, Leichhardt, and the lower sportsoval of Callan Park. Currently it is a big open flat grassed ordirt areae, quite good if it is dry, but muddy if wet. It will bebetter if paved, with a separate bike and walking path, and Billand I wont have to go down and smooth out the rocks and roots everyso often!

Hope they also improve the rough connection to the road networkat the eastern (cricket oval) end, and maybe Verity Firth couldurge the Dept of Health to do some urgent repairs to the otherroads in Callan Park, which are very dangerous in places because ofyears of neglect- pot holes and rough gravel in a number ofareas.

The Park is still in the control of the Dept of Health, untilLeichhardt Council and the State Govt work out the handoverdetails, a slow process. Road repairs should have been done as partof general maintenance of the Hospital grounds, not left to belumbered on to the Council.

Photos of Callan Park and the Bay Run.

Light Rail and theGreenway – The light rail extension to Dulwich Hill hasbeen approved by the State Govt. The Greenway project, which has asits aim a bike way and a green corridor from Cooks River along therail corridor, is ready to go and can be included in the Light Railproject – light rail and bikes can coexist in the same corridor, atleast between Cooks River and Iron Cove. Write to the Premier and your MP usingthis GreenWay formletter 0310.doc supplied by the Greenway group, oremail them.

Wednesday Feb 10 – Leichhardt Bicycle Advisory Committee630 pm Leichhardt Town Hall, downstairs meeting room. If interestedin the implementation of the Council’s BicyclePlan come along. Can park bicycles inside. Entry from side dooron Marion St side. BAC meetings are usually held quarterly. Agendasare on the Council web page. Next meeting is inMay.

Jan 21- Rides calendar for 2010 now online.Includes proposed Tours (two days or longer). If interested in anyof the tours contact the leaders as soon as you can to makeplanning easier. Also join the Touring group on Ning (see underGROUPS on top bar above).

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Dec 11, 2009- Learn to Cycle classes in Leichhardt MandySmith at Leichhardt Council has got a grant from Austcycle to runcycling classes at the Secondary College. Run by qualified coachesthese classes will be good for new cyclists or anyone wanting tobrush up skills and gain confidence. Concentrating on womencyclists so far, but men’s classes also.

When – Start – Late Jan, Feb and March 2010.
Time – 3 x Saturday’s (1 hour courses) Time negotiable
Where – Sydney Secondary College – Leichhardt Campus
Cost – FREE!!
Bring – A bike and helmet – everything else provided

Contact Mandy on 9367 9281. Courses filling fast but more can beorganised.

Dec 10, 2009-Victoria Rd Upgrade for Cyclists The finalPlan has been released. Have until Dec 23 to submit comments,although we have asked for an extension due to the pre Xmasdeadline. There is a lack of design detail in the published Plan,which makes it hard to comment on unless you have been involved inthe project. The main point is they have only gone so far, whenthey could have spent a little more and done much better. $2 m ofthe $5 m budget is for a connecting foot/cycle bridge from HenleyMarine Drive to the new Iron Cove Bridge, which really should havebeen in the Victoria Road/Iron Cove bridge budget, not the cyclewayupgrade budget. The full plan and REF (Review of EnvironmentalFactors) is at http://www.innerwestbusway.com.au/CyclistsandPedestrians.htmas a 16MB pdf, or download the shorter brochure giving a quickoverview. Sections 2 and 3 of the REF have most of the importantinfo.

See under CAMPAIGNS in top bar above for past history of LBUG’sefforts to get the cycleway upgraded.

September 2, 2009- Victoria Rd Upgrade for Cyclists TheRTA and the consortium (BTBA) building the new Iron Cove Bridge andbusway on Victoria Rd have said the final plan for the cycling upgrade part of the project will bereleased for comment soon. Please keep an eye out for this releaseand make a comment. From our involvement over the last 2 years theplan will only go part way to addressing all the problems alongthis route. Still no solution to the “cyclists dismount” sectioncoming off the Gladesville Bridge, and inadequate clearance behindthe bus shelters on the shared path (except at White Bay, which isone good thing to come out of the campaign).

July 4, 2009 – Sydney Metro – The Sydney Metro isan underground rail line from Central to Rozelle, with eventualextensions to Parramatta and Malabar, and possibly to the NW. Couldbe a major addition to Sydney’s transport if it ever gets built.Cycling and walking are supposed to have priority in getting peopleto the Metro stations according to the Preliminary EnvironmentAssessment, and the Metro says there will be no commuter carparks.

LBUG went to the last info session at Balmain Town Hall to findout more. Be great if they really intend to make the roads safe forpeople to ride to Rozelle to catch the train, but found thedesigners hadn’t done much to identify a network of cycle accessroutes. One good thing we found out is that the construction of thestation at Rozelle means there will be more footpath space(buildings on the corner will be demolished to provide access tothe underground), so we are hopeful the bus shelter problems on theVictoria Rd shared path at Darling St can be fixed. Theconstruction of a stabling yard on the Rozelle Goods Yard alsomeans there is the opportunity to build cycle routes along andacross the Goods Yard area. See more under Campaigns.

Note added in August 2010– the whole Metro project was ofcourse scrapped, but maybe some of these bike route ideas willsurface again with the redevelopment of the Rozelle Goods Yard andthe Bays Precinct.

April 28- Herald editorials on cycling– The Heraldcontinues its pro-bicycleeditorials on 28 April, and an article by Paul Bibby, with the usual flurry of cycling letters onfollowing days.

April 19, 2009Acoustica Festival Birchgrove -valet bike parking – volunteers needed. Details…

The April 15 BAC meeting discussed a paper by Robert Johnson to amend the Bike Plan to includebicycle routes in the Rozelle Goods Yard and White Bay area (BaysPrecinct), in view of likely developments there in the near future(CBD Metro, cruise boat terminal, White Bay Masterplan, M4 eastextension, light rail, Greenway). His paper was accepted and arecommendation was made to amend the Bike Plan. More…The Bicycle AdvisoryCommittee meets quarterly (next meeting July15) and will beconsidering priorities for the next years works, and monitoringprogress on implementation.

Feb 28, 2009- Increase in Bike Budget

The Greens have increased the bike budget. They intend spendingan extra $260K on the bike plan before June 30. (Current budget forthe year is $165K, so its a big increase.) The money would comefrom postponing the start of a new council building and otherreallocations. They are also considering charging residents a feeif they have more than 2 parking permits, and changing the s94 planso developers money that was supposed to go towards providing carparking could go towards other more sustainable transport projects,like bike ways or bike parking. They had legal opinion that theycould amend the plan.