Get the Earthmover & Civil Contractor Magazine free!

 
You are here: Home → News → 2010 → Newswire Archives → June → June 24th → Other Top Stories → Cyclist groups squabble over Sydney light rail

Cyclist groups squabble over Sydney light rail

— filed under: ,

A high speed cyclist group, Bicycle NSW, wants the NSW government to establish a high speed bike exclusive track or veloway, on what could be a second light rail line when light rail is established between Lilyfield and Dulwich Hill in Sydney.

  
Cyclist groups squabble over Sydney light rail

But cyclists from Eco Transit, reckon bikes should blend with public transport, a similar approach to that being taken by the Victorian state government, rather than destroy the viability of the proposed light rail lineby reducing it to a single line.
A public transport consultant Tony Prescott, said that if the extension was limited to one line, it would be impossible to run reliably. “All you need is for a tram to be just a little late and the whole thing goes pear shaped,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Eco Transit’s plan is for a 3m wide asphalt road, along the western side of a dual track line, which would be shared between cyclists and pedestrians. But it would not allow veloway type speeds.
Meanwhile in Melbourne, the state government is working on a $9.2m upgrade to a 24km shared path between the Maltby Bypass in Werribee, west of Melbourne and Millers Road Altona, a western suburb.
The 5km upgrade links the current trail with an off road shared pedestrian and bike path in Hyde Street Yarraville. VicRoads has completed a Millers Road pedestrian crossing and is now installing a 3m wide path as well as fencing and barriers between Millers Road and the Newport/Sunshine rail freight line. The final part of the project including a bridge over the railway, is expected to be finished by mid 2011.
Recently the government amended planning provisions, to improve the safety and ease the travel of cyclists, by ensuring bike networks are built into local communities now and into the future. Federation Trail is a major part of the state’s $115m Victorian Cycling Strategy.  
 


Weekly Top Stories

Document Actions