Cycling in Geelong
Cycling in Geelong, Victoria is common for recreation and competition, but less so for utility and commuting.
Geelong has a discontinuous network of off-road trails and on-road bicycle lanes.[1]
Geelong's major shared riding and walking trails are the Bellarine Rail Trail, Barwon river, Bay, Ted Wilson and Waurn Ponds creek trails.[2]
A series of rider fatalities and the safety of bike riding in and around the Geelong has received media and political attention.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]
A 2016 announcement of plans for a two-way separated bike lane in central Geelong [13] was welcomed by bike groups.[14][15][16]
History
[edit]The Geelong Cycling Club (formerly the Geelong West Cycling Club) started in 1911.[17][18]
In 1977 efforts were made to improve cycling in Geelong with Australia's first bike plan [19][20] launched by Hubert Opperman.[21] The plan's credo was that "every street is a cycling street".[22] The plan was also widely recognised at the time as a model for bicycle planning.[23][24] As a result of the plan, a recreational cycling group called the Geelong Bicycle Riders' Association was formed in 1979 and is now known as the Geelong Touring Cyclists.[25]
Later, the 1996 Barwon Bicycle Plan[26] set out targets of achieving 8% of all journeys in the region by bicycle in the year 2000 and 15% by the year 2005,[27] but this along with the Geelong Cycling Strategy 2008–2013[28] have failed to stop the reduction in ridership in a vehicle dominated era.[29][30]
Bicycle Users Geelong was formed in 1995 by the Barwon Regional Bicycle Council.[31]
A Geelong Critical Mass (cycling) ride was started in 2010 and is no longer active.[32]
In 2014, A Priority Bicycle Network (PBN) was adopted by the Geelong Council. Its aims being to "elevate the importance of routes within the overall bicycle network and to prioritise works to be undertaken to improve conditions for cyclists".[33][34]
Competitive cycling
[edit]The annual Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is held in Geelong. The 2010 UCI Road World Championships race was held in Geelong.
Russell Mockridge and Leigh Howard are some of Geelong's best known racing cyclists. Tour De France winner Cadel Evans has lived in Barwon Heads, Victoria - a township on the outskirts of the City of Greater Geelong municipality.
Bicycle organisations and groups
[edit]- Bicycle Users Geelong
- Bikesafe (Geelong and Surfcoast)
- Cycling Geelong
- Geelong Cycling Club
- Geelong Touring Cyclists
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "GREATER GEELONG CYCLE STRATEGY" (PDF). City of Greater Geelong. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ^ "Barwon River Trail". www.geelongaustralia.com.au. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ "Plea for calm as cycling accidents skyrocket". Geelong Advertiser. 19 December 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ Jacks, Timna (11 May 2015). "Deadly hit and run driver in Geelong 'harassed other cyclists'". The Age. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ "Dad may never walk again after hit-run". Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ "Ebenezer's mum gets crash compo". Geelong Advertiser. 9 July 2015.
- ^ Cannon, Anthea (10 July 2015). "TAC pays compensation to Geelong schoolboy's mother after finding bus driver negligent in fatal crash". Geelong Advertiser.
- ^ "57 accidents involving cyclists in past 12 months". Geelong Advertiser. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ "Widow's gift to help prevent tragedy". Geelong Advertiser. 13 July 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ "ParlInfo - ADJOURNMENT : Corio Electorate: Bike Safe". parlinfo.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ "Bike rider injured in hit run on Princess St, in Drysdale". Geelong Advertiser. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ^ "Cyclist dies after colliding with truck on Ryrie Street, Geelong". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2016 – via www.abc.net.au.
- ^ http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/city-hall/city-hall-reveals-green-spine-plan-for-geelongs-innercity-forest/news-story/5328cd16e1138d84fb8e70861be129bb City Hall reveals `Green Spine’ plan for Geelong's inner-city forest
- ^ https://cyclinggeelong.com.au/2016/05/06/green-spine-to-deliver-safe-transit-through-geelong-cbd-have-your-say/ Green Spine to deliver safe transit through Geelong CBD – have your say
- ^ https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/general/policy-and-campaigns/4181/ Geelong reveals its Green Spine - Malop Street
- ^ http://www.bicycleusersgeelong.org.au/bike-lane-for-malop-street/ Separated bike lane for Malop Street
- ^ http://geelongcycling.com/about/ About Geelong Cycling Club
- ^ "Geelong Cycling Club (formerly the Geelong West Cycling Club)". www.bicyclenetwork.com.au. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/common/public/documents/8ce728dfc2de01e-GreaterGeelongCycleStrategyVol_11%20(Web%20version).pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ http://www.geelongtouringcyclists.com/History.htm History of the Geelong Touring Cyclists
- ^ "I ♥ Sydney Bike Lanes & Cycle Ways - Timeline | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ Bonham, Jennifer; Johnson, Marilyn (4 December 2015). Cycling Futures. University of Adelaide Press. ISBN 9781925261172.
- ^ "Report on bicycles" (PDF). Victorian Transport Study.
- ^ "Bike ahead - Bicycle Strategy for the 21st Century" (PDF). Department of Transport - the Government of Western Australia.
- ^ http://www.geelongtouringcyclists.com/ History of the Geelong Touring Cyclists
- ^ http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/8605219?selectedversion=NBD13985595 Barwon region strategic bicycle plan 1996
- ^ "Greater Geelong Cycle Strategy" (PDF). City of Greater Geelong. 1 March 2008.
- ^ http://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/parks/plans/article/item/8cfbd3898d2e581.aspx Greater Geelong Cycle Strategy 2008
- ^ http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/geelong/the-number-of-people-riding-bikes-to-work-is-lowest-in-30-years/news-story/50bc52e8e2ced4bded8a695324cb489f The number of people riding bikes to work is lowest in 30 years (Geelong)
- ^ "Social atlas | City of Greater Geelong | atlas.id". atlas.id.com.au. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
- ^ http://www.bicycleusersgeelong.org.au/history/ History of Bicycle Users Geelong
- ^ https://www.facebook.com/groups/criticalmassgeelong/ Critical Mass Geelong public facebook group [user-generated source]
- ^ "Council Meeting 28-01-2014 - Minutes" (PDF). City of Greater Geelong. 10 February 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
- ^ "Bike routes not safe enough". Geelong Advertiser. 4 February 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2019.