Healthy Transport Hobart

Submission to Hobart City Council Sustainable Transport Strategy 2009-2014

March 2010

Introduction

Healthy Transport Hobart (HTH) was established in July 2008. Healthy Transport Hobart is a group of Nursing, Medical, Ambulance, Allied Health and other professionals and students who advocate for increased cycling, walking and public transport infrastructure and promotion .

HTH is also the promoter of a bike ride supporting sustainable and healthy transport options in Hobart which attracts between 30 and 200 bicycle users monthly and has seen constant numbers since February 2008.

HTH’s core business is to provide a voice for healthy transport options in Hobart through weekly web based commentary on active transport related developments/events in the Hobart region as well as focusing on the population health benefits of increasing active transport.

Healthy Transport Hobart participates in consultation processes related to urban development to improve the amenity for bicycle users, pedestrians and public transport users.

Healthy Transport Hobart is pleased to respond to the Hobart City Councils Sustainable Transport Strategy 2009 – 2014. Read the rest of this entry »

The friendly staff at BikePark

Popped into the brand new ‘BikePark’ on the Yarra River and had a sneak peak at the huge range of facilities and services the team offer there. The bathrooms are still sparkling and the workshop continues to be under construction, but it seems like a pretty smart investment with cyclist commuter numbers on the rise across Australia. Check out their website for the finer details at www.bikepark.com.au

Gathering + briefing before the ride!

Katie Kingshott here, reporting from across the Bass! Last night I attended the Melbourne Critical Mass and experienced a very different vibe to that of Hobart’s monthly get together! Melbourne Critical Mass has a long and interesting history dating back to November 1999.

Highlights of the Melbourne mass include eight takeovers of the city link freeway by hundreds of bicycles, numbers up to 1000, police cooperation followed by arrests of ‘corkers’ (people who block intersections to keep the mass together) and widespread media reporting on the event and associated transport and cycling issues. Read the rest of this entry »

The Critical Mass Hobart ride was graced with the presence of Urban Planner Jan Gehl as he winds up his tour of Hobart to find inspiration for his inner city development plan. Interestingly enough we thought he might be in the area and drafted a letter of support for the councils employment of his planning firm Gehl Architects. 31 people signed the letter of support for Mr Gehl. Gehl made his mark on Macquarie St as a proud pedestrian standing in the middle of the street as all the bikes rode past (video coming). Read the rest of this entry »

HTH facilities officer Galen runs towards the finish line

HTH recently entered a team in Endorfuns summer survival bike, kayak and running race. We had a ball and put our legs and arms to good use. The multisport crew are a very fit bunch who have one less excuse to not ride to work so we are hoping they will pick on our ride to work every day and stay fit and healthy motto. We just need to start kayaking to work if we want to be competitive.

Hobart Regional Bicycle Network Plan

Breakfast Forum

Tasmanian Election Party Responses

The following is our interpretation of what was delivered at the breakfast. Any clarification or additions would be appreciated.

Lisa Singh – Labor

Lisa Singh

In the 2008-2009 Budget Labor committed $4 Million to a trail and bikeways project. They funded 5 projects including the Argyle/Campbell St on road bike lanes, the extension to the inter city cycle way to Claremont, a Bridgewater foreshore trail and the Clarence Foreshore track. They also committed $O.5 Million to improvements of the Tasman Bridge bikeway.

• Labor committed $15,000 to both bike week 2009 and 2010 and $20,000 to a share the road campaign.
• The Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources has developed a walking and cycling for active transport strategy.

We can’t find an online version of Labours plan for Bicycles.

Elise Archer – Liberal

Elise Archer

The Liberals want to form an independent body called “Infrastructure Tasmania” to respond to community needs placing independent priority on projects. They claim they will base their spending on need not politics with expert bodies taking projects from paper infrastructure. Elise said that in an ideal world there would be cycle tracks along the sides of roads and black spots would be fixed. The liberals will also look at park and cycle and cycle and ride systems. They also plan to increase sealed shoulders and off and on road bike lanes.

• The Liberals have committed $100,000 to the Launceston Cycling Classic
• They will lobby the federal government for money

For more details check out Elise Archers Web Report: http://www.elisearcher.com/news/speeches/cycling-south-forum

Nick McKim – Greens

Nick McKim

Nick stated that the greens were aware that $1 dollar spent on preventative health was $8 dollars  saved. He said the greens were very interested in soft as well as hard infrastructure including public transport accessibility for cyclists.

• The Greens have committed $8 million to retrofit state buildings so they include secure bike storage, shower, change and locker facilities.
• The Greens commit $2 Million to the Hobart Arterial bike network plan. And promise more to come.

All details here: http://mps.tas.greens.org.au/2010/02/10-million-for-hobart-rides-to-work-package-greens-support-regional-arterial-bicycle-network/

Healthy Transport Hobart Thoughts:

“Both Liberal and Labour seem to be having trouble grasping the concept of cycling for Transport versus sport and recreation. They commit no solid funding to the regional arterial bike network plan. The Greens have made a solid financial commitment to this plan and their Hobart rides to work plan is fantastic. While Labour has settled on its previous funding for cycling but a lot of this has gone to recreational projects and not urban bike transport developments. All three parties did not mention reducing speed limits in their announcements, this is disappointing considering the importance of reduced speed limits in increasing perceived and real safety for cyclists”.

Why does DIER strategy have no funding?

It was great to see at least 15 people at the breakfast had ridden their bikes there

Meet 5.15 Franklin Square this Friday for good times on two wheels. Style over speed it is. Making Bike not Car. Ride through Hobart for increased investment in cycling infrastructure, reduced urban speed limits and all things that make cycling for transport in the city an easier option. All things healthy or sustainable transport related for that matter, whether it be roller skates or scooters, all are welcome.

Posted for the love of the end of the month by Liam.

Hobart has been was the company of acclaimed urban planner Jan Gehl this week to provide valuable advice to the Hobart City Council on transforming Hobart into a place for people. The Mercury newspaper has reported on him this morning http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/02/24/129851_todays-news.html and is asking for reader feedback about what they want will make Hobart a better place to live.

Jan Gehl speaks tonight at UTAS’s Sandy Bay Campus:

Free lecture by eminent Architect and Urban Planner, Professor Jan Gehl – Wed 24 February at 6.15pm

See http://www.bv.com.au/bike-futures/91111/

If you count you will get one of these awesome t-shirts

On the Bike Victoria site all count sits are taken but there has been a couple of people dropping out so if you have a spare couple of hours on tuesday 2nd March morning please email us at healthytransporthobart@yahoo.com.au

Posted for the love of counting bikes by Liam

This is public space used well

This years TROPFEST screening in Hobarts Salamanca Square was a wonderful example of public space used for a great event. Salamanca Square provided the perfect location for a perfect afternoon in the sun and evening under the stars to see Australia best short film talent for free. The event attracted several hundred people who all managed to walk their way into the square from where ever they may have come. Hobart deserves such events that offer an opportunity to saviour our city making the most of car free space. By the look of things many people made their way to Tropfest via bike highlighting the need for increased bike parking possibilities in the Salamanca Area.

The full bike racks in Salamanca Square

Andy Muirhead from ABC Radio introduces the films

Hanging Gardens of Bike-ylon ...

As a medical student, I was quite excited about the completion of the new UTAS Medical and Menzies Institute Building (corner Campbell/ Liverpool streets). The building is nearing completion, and I take this opportunity to give you the low-down on its cycling amenities.

This architecturally interesting building has 2 distinct positives – new, secure, covered, reasonably user-friendly hanging bike racks, and wonderful sparkly clean showers to be used by members of UTAS health science degrees and researchers and those who cycle or run to work and enjoy cooling off before starting work.

The access to the racks is currently around the back of the building and up a short flight of stairs, but this will change once all the building is completed, and access will be all one level, straight off Campbell Street.

sorry about the above caption - couldn't help myself!

The racks (as you can see) are bolted to the wall and once must lift their bike (or in my case, heave) to attach it to the rack. Given my lack of triceps-strength, this is proving difficult, but judging by the full up racks I’ve seen nearly every time I’ve used them, people  and their arm muscles must be getting the hang of it (haha – ‘hang’ of it).

All that is really needed now, aside from even more racks, are some lovely crochet covers (as per the Parliament Lawn ones) to keep our wheels warm in the winter … or perhaps, some bandages, sewn on with suturing thread would be more appropriate given the location!

A cluster of sustainable transport options: trains, trams, buses and bicycles!

Hi I’m Katie Kingshott and I am the new Healthy Transport Hobart ‘mainland correspondent’. I’ve just made the move from Hobart paradise to big smoke Melbourne and I’ve already seen stacks of really inspiring healthy transport developments!

Here in Melbourne, girls in short dresses cycling on vintage bicycles is the norm. There is cycling infrastructure of some sort on every street from lanes, bike boxes at lights to bicycle parking and city council signage. Like Hobart, there is an array of cyclist-varities to be observed including lycra clad roadies, dread-locked hippies with no helmet, professionals in designer suits, parents going about their shopping and uni students.

Whilst I am greatly impressed with the fast-developing cycle culture here, I must admit that despite quality infrastructure on some roads, the trams and their tracks, the massive amount of private vehicle and taxi traffic and my unfamiliarity with the area, cycling has been a pretty stressful undertaking. In a recent Melbourne study published in The Age Newspaper, cyclists were voted Melbourne’s “most hated road user”. So there is still much work to be done here on the main land! Though I can easily say that trying to drive in such an environment would be much worse and after falling over into strangers listening ipods on trams when trying to purchase a ticket, cycling is most definitely my transport choice.

cargo cycle shop

This weekend the Sustainable Living Festival was held in and each day I’ve had my bike valet parked then headed to many workshops including bike maintenance, the psychology of changing to a sustainable lifestyle and African drumming. I’ve feasted on organic foods, juices and coffees and danced to live music in Federation Square. I’m rather inspired to see a similar event take place at Salamanca sometime in the future!