Cycle Queensland
Bicycle Queensland
What's new
BQ sets calendar for 2009
Bicycle Queensland today announced the dates for its 2009 events.
- 14-22 March 2009: Bike Week.
- 22 March 2009. The Great Brisbane Bike Ride and the BDO Kendalls Brisbane Coot-tha Challenge.
- 5-13 September 2009. Cycle Queensland.
- 11 October 2009. The Wilson HTM Brisbane to the Gold Coast Cycle Challenge.
Details of Cycle Queensland and Bike Week will be available soon on the sub-sections of this website.
Charities get big boost from bike ride
Bicycle Queensland president Bill Loveday (left) and Wilson HTM Investment Group chief operating officer Alex Ihlenfeldt (right) presented cheques to Heart Foundation CEO Cameron Prout, and Diabetes Australia - Queensland CEO Michelle Trute.
17 November 2008
The search for a cure for heart disease and diabetes has been given a boost with more than $227,000 raised through the recent Wilson HTM Brisbane to the Gold Coast Cycle Challenge.
Diabetes Australia - Queensland Chief Executive Officer Michelle Trute said the funds raised by the event will assist them to increase their education and awareness-raising services, while Heart Foundation Chief Executive Officer Cameron Prout said the Heart Foundation would use the donation to fund a new Queensland based research project for the next two years.
Slow down Brisbane's CBD
Bicycle Queensland has long advocated a slower speed limit for traffic in the CBD. Interest is gathering momentum, with the city wanting to claw back its amenability, so safer cycling is important in this.
BQ has submitted that calming the speed of traffic in the CBD will make negligible difference to motor-traffic accessibility but is a great help for cycle safety.
BQ invites members to express their desire to make our CBD a more inviting place to cycle, and to walk, shop and recreate by slowing traffic down to a reasonable level of the proposed 40kph.
Brisbane City Council has a feedback page on this issue. It's titled "Pedestrian Safety in Brisbane's City Centre". Go and take the online survey.
Updating bikeway closures
4 November 2008
- Riverside Drive. The Hale Street Link building team has announced that Monday 10 November is the date when a short section of Riverside Drive will close (Bouquet St to Merivale Rail Bridge). Detours will be place from Riverside Drive onto Bouquet St and Montague Road. See a 1.6MB PDF with the details.
- Dutton Park. Cycle access to the Eleanor Schonell bridge has been restored.
- Tank Street Bridge works at Kurilpa Point. The South Bank bikeway has been diverted around the work site for the Tank Street bridge until July 2009.
They did it!
Congratulations to the 7800 cyclists who took up the challenge and participated in the 2008 Wilson HTM Brisbane to the Gold Coast Cycle Challenge. This year's ride raised over $200,000 so far (and still counting) for the Heart Foundation and Diabetes Australia - Queensland. A special thanks to riders who donated extra cash with their entry or who raised money via sponsorship.
The Wilson HTM Brisbane to the Gold Coast Cycle Challenge is the state's BIGGEST bike ride and every year it keeps getting bigger. The ride has grown from 2,000 riders in 2005 to almost 8,000 - an increase of 400% in four years. It is exciting to think about what the future holds for this event.
It was fantastic to see such a diverse range of people participating in the ride - some did it in under three hours while many others took it at a more leisurely pace!
Check out the Wilson HTM Brisbane to the Gold Coast Cycle Challenge event website for updates on prize winners, and fund-raising updates.
Hale Street Link affects Bicentennial Bikeway
10 September 2008
There are two upcoming changes planned to the Bicentennial Bikeway at Milton as part of the Hale Street Link project. On Friday 12 September 2008 alignment of the bikeway will change slightly from its current position. In mid-October 2008 there will be more significant changes including: an extension of the initial diversion and installation of a temporary ramp from the diversion to the existing bikeway. This PDF (560Kb) has a diagram showing the diversions.
City Reach Boardwalk closed again
27 August 2008
The Port of Brisbane Authority has closed the City Reach boardwalk in front of Admiralty Quays for urgent maintenance. It will be closed for about eight weeks. The detour is via Macrossan and Boundary Streets.
More magpie news
13 August 2008
A couple of weeks ago BQ received the first reports for 2008 of the infamous Nudgee Road/Toombul Road magpie swooping cyclists.
BQ has had the EPA-approved bird-catcher onto this problem for the past week, and yesterday he called with the news that he has trapped a male magpie in that location. There are no guarantees ... but BQ would like to hear from anyone who has ridden through this intersection since Tuesday 12 August and still been swooped. Phone 3844 1144 with any information.
The bird-catcher's name is David, and his phone number is 3352 7822. He also would like to know if he's caught the right bird.
Update 14/8: One bunch reports no swooping on this corner on Ekka Wednesday. We still welcome any information to the contrary, but that's a positive sign.
See our page on cycling hazards for a link to a map showing active magpies from 2007. See also this discussion on the Roadgrime forum about one rider's experience with this bird last spring.
Taking up the challenges
While our focus is on the Wilson HTM Brisbane to the Gold Coast Cycle Challenge, we recognise that there are some other great challenge rides out there that Queensland cyclists might like to attempt.
Two events run by organisations that BQ partners with are Bicycle Victoria's Around the Bay in a Day, and the Lake Taupo Challenge, run by the community of Taupo. Why not check out the websites for these events ... it might inspire your training for our Challenge, and beyond!
2009 Great Escapade announced
The 2009 Great Escapade is on in the south west of Western Australia. WA in autumn anyone?
2009 Great Escapade, 28 March-5 April 2009. Take the challenge of a riding adventure. Cycle through the dramatic landscapes of Australia’s western coast, from the beachside wineries of Margaret River through state parks and country towns. Freewheel down into valleys, feel the oxygen pumping on the climbs. Cool down with a swim in Big Brook Dam or settle down to watch a spectacular sunset with new friends. Check it out at: http://www.bv.com.au/great-rides/41200/
Tennis Centre impacts on both ends of Tennyson site
Cyclists using roads around the new State Tennis Centre development at Tennyson should take care over the next few months with the construction of a new roundabout and the opening of a new intersection on Fairfield Road.
Construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Softstone Street and King Arthur Terrace has started and will continue until October. There are concrete barriers in place along King Arthur Terrace and most of the construction work will take place behind these barriers. At times, there will be closure of part of the road and traffic controllers will direct traffic flow.
Mirvac is aware that this road is often used by groups of cyclists, and will continue to sweep the road on a daily basis to remove dirt and debris. Some contractor parking will also be occurring on local streets, cyclists need to be alert around parked cars.
In July, the new intersection on Fairfield Road (opposite the Yeerongpilly railway station) will be opened. Mirvac asks cyclists to take extra care along this stretch whilst works are underway. Mirvac will continue to keep Bicycle Queensland up do date on progress of the construction work.
For further information, contact the Tennyson Community line 1300 659 694 or visit the Tennyson Community website www.tennisattennyson.com.au.
Cycling cuts millions off nation's waist line, bottom line
A report launched by Dr Rob Moodie, Professor of Global Health at the University of Melbourne's Nossal Institute, has found cycling currently saves an estimated $227.2 million per year in health costs in Australia. The report Cycling: Getting Australia Moving has placed a dollar value on cycling participation.
Dr Moodie said "this report demonstrates the considerable benefit offered to individuals and governments by cycling. Addressing the barriers preventing more Australians from cycling will deliver substantial savings to both government and the community".
As well as uncovering the economic benefits of cycling, the report examined the barriers currently preventing more Australians from getting out on two wheels.
Editor of the report and policy advisor with the Cycling Promotion Fund Elliot Fishman said "Safety concerns, a lack of skill/knowledge and limited bicycle friendly infrastructure and urban design were all found to impact negatively on cycling participation."
The report identifies a strong economic basis for investment in bicycle friendly programs and infrastructure. "Cycling is not just good fun, it's a good investment - delivering returns in health, climate change, congestion and petrol price relief," Fishman said. See the Cycling Promotion Fund's website for more, including PDFs of the full report and an executive summary.
Rocks access road petition
A section of Seventeen Mile Rocks Rd from Oldfield Road to Counihan St roundabout has for many years had a parallel service road that cyclists and walkers have used to stay off the busy main road. The service road has now been closed, by its new private owner. Some local cyclists and parents have begun a petition to keep the access open, as it is an important connector from Edenbrooke estate to Rocks Riverside Park. Check the link to see whether you believe this cause is worthy of your support.
Survey shows 35% of cyclists without proper lights
A roadside survey conducted in Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney has revealed that thousands of bike riders are riding at night without proper lights.
The study which logged 1,220 riders on roads after sunset in the four centres showed that 65% of riders had both lights, 17% had only one light and 19% had no lights.
The study revealed some differences between the centres.
- Brisbane had the most riders with lights. 76% had both lights. 11% had only one light and 13% had no lights.
- In Sydney 69% of riders had lights. Only 11% had no lights - the lowest number nationally.
- In Canberra 68% of riders observed had both lights and 80% had at least one light.
- Melbourne riders were least compliant. Only 59% had both lights and 22% had none.
"These results are very disappointing, giving us an indication of what is happening all around the country. The steady growth in bike riding across Australia is a positive thing, but now there are thousands of people who are putting themselves at risk by riding without lights at night," Harry Barber, spokesperson for the National Light Up! campaign run by member based bike riding organisations across Australia, said.
"Bike lights prevent collisions. Everyone who rides on the roads at night must fit them to warn other road users and protect themselves," Mr Barber said.
"We are asking for police bike patrols across Australia to help us encourage everyone who rides at night to have working lights," he said.
"Bike lights today are relatively cheap and so much better than they used to be. There really is no excuse not to have them if you are riding at night," Mr Barber said.
A test of widely available bicycle lights conducted with Choice magazine and representatives from the police, the RACV, road authority and bicycle retailers and riders showed that you can get a great set of lights for $60. BQ members can pick up an adequate set of commuting lights for $36 in the BQ Shop.
The full text of the National Light Up! Media Release, with survey data, is here.