HEALTHY TRANSPORT HOBART

Gathering at Franklin Square

Around 40 people gathered last Friday for the monthly cruise around Hobart. Giles Chapman bought along a big packet of easter eggs and once again the vibe of the ride was positive, social and relaxed. Many people signed a letter to the soon-to-be-announced Minister for Infrastructure to remind her/him of the phenomenal health, environmental, social and financial benefits of active transport modes including cycling and walking. The letter also encouraged the new minister to look at DIER’s Tasmanian Walking and Cycling for Active Transport Strategy and allocate a solid financial commitment to it this year. Read the rest of this entry »

HTH facilities development officers Liam and Galen have just returned from a quick trip to Brisbane to see what one of Australia’s most liveable cities has to offer for bicycle users. While obviously only just starting to role out new developments, the city sure has some amazing new bike and pedestrian routes that would make cars jealous. During this week I’ll shed some light on what we saw and hopefully show some great examples of what is possible in Hobart. Read the rest of this entry »

Would you spend $39,000 on a car?

I saw this car today and couldn’t help thinking to myself, that if I had $39,000 in my pocket I would love to spend it on buying anything but that car. I could bring clean water and a sewerage system to a village of thousands in the majority world, or I could buy 100 decent quality bikes and offer realistic transport solutions to people who, if they had a bike, could find employment and send their kids to school. Well thats what I thought now. When I saw this car I actually thought, wouldn’t a separated copenhagen style bike lane look fantastic right on that prime realestate that car is using up. I’m looking forward to the HCC development of the Marieville Esplanade to Long Beach Bike/pedestrian highway so that valuable space like this can serve a greater purpose than a sale spot for this car. After all, if cars like that are so good, why do people sell them? I’d never sell any of my bikes… full stop. Read the rest of this entry »

Stylish bikes

I found a new stash of bikes today in a place I’d never expect to find them. While people who ride seem almost invisible sometimes because they sneak in and out of the city very quickly, every now and again I come across a new bike parking spot which presents the evidence clearly that many people are riding to work. This little spot even had an official looking sign, some stylish bikes and some quality roof cover.

Posted for the love of finding bike stashes by Liam.C

The new Victoria Street Design

I was riding down Macquarie St today when I noticed for the third or fourth time how impressive the new pavement and design of Victoria St in the CBD had turned out. I stopped to have a look and found some nice traffic calming features as well as street trees and a couple of seats. This kind of design is sure to attract people in droves to fill the newly created space once more seating and outdoor dining opportunities are provided. I was so pleased to see the council creating such a people friendly street scape that I had to send them a congratulatory letter. Read the rest of this entry »

Closing in on the Summit of Mt Wellington on Day 3

Feel like running 65 km along the Overland Track, Jumping in a kayak and paddling for 15km, having a snooze, cycling 110 km from Lake St Clair to Meadowbank Dam, Kayaking for 40km to New Norfolk, having a bit more of a snooze, kayaking another 15km to Bridgewater, riding for 60km to Richmond and Collinsvale and then running over the top of Mt Wellington to Salamanca, Hobart? Healthy Transport Hobart sent some of their most stubborn commuters to have a go in the teams and individual sections and we had an absolute ball. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo courtesy of Cycling South

Sadly I didn’t get to any of the Bike Week 2010 activities but I was there in spirit. Work and (another bike ride) got in the way so it meant a no show from HTH at what looked like a fantastic event.

Posted for the love of weeks dedicated to stuff by Liam

What a view

Having heard about the new foreshore development at Bellerive I thought I better ride across the river and check it out. This is a fantastic section of off road infrastructure most likely catering for recreational and family riders and walkers. It appears the council is slowly creating links between separated sections of the route around Bellerive bluff and on towards Howrah. Read the rest of this entry »

Watching Black Gold on the big screen

Over the past week, people space in Melbourne has been put to fabulous use with the ‘Food and Wine Festival’ attracting hundreds to many free activities. Each night there has been the showing of a foodie film including ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’.

Last night I attended a screening of ‘Black Gold’- a documentary exploring the collapse of coffee prices on the world market and the involvement of evil multinational companies exploiting the poorest in the world to maintain exorbitant profit margins. The film explored the poverty experienced by an Ethiopian coffee-growing village and demonstrated the importance of consumers to make ethical choices and drink fair trade.

Federation Square had been packed out with beach chairs, astro turf and umbrellas to ensure the comfort of festival-goers. Local companies were handing out free samples of their products and I even scored a free wooden spoon from the Abbotts Village Bakery (not to mention the ‘samples’ of their sour dough which would probably add up to a loaf or two).

Spec carts a load of groceries and some potting mix

I cycled to the festival each day on ‘Spec’ who I recently had fitted out with a basket and new handgrips (light blue with white stars). Spec’s new basket is the perfect way to cart my freebies home from all the festivals I’ve been attending and there’s no need for a backpack and subsequent back sweat which could potentially spoil ones cycle-chicness.

My local polling booth was at a primary school so we thought it appropriate to ride a kiddies bike to the vote

It has come down to election date and I’ll be voting for the only party that put a serious financial commitment to bicycle transport development. Despite my hope for across the board political support for Hobarts new bicycle network plan, Labour and Liberal failed to deliver. Read the rest of this entry »

I made the most of a spectacular afternoon on Sunday to ride up to the Botanical Gardens after work to check out the annual fundraising gig featuring Ash Grunwald, Bertie Blackman, C.W Stoneking and some other folk I didn’t get there in time to see http://www.dayinthegardens.com.au/. This kind of event is a fantastic way of utilising public space for a damn good cause providing some damn good entertainment. Hobart is definitely a great place to stage such outdoor events providing the weather behaves. Cycling to this event was a very convenient mode of transport as the parking arrangement was such that people had to walk 5 minutes or so from their cars to get into the gardens. While I think the extra 10 minutes of physical activity is excellent, the royal botanical gardens could help in providing more facilities for people coming by bicycle. Below is some photos of the current bike parking arrangements: Read the rest of this entry »

Heading onto the Bridge

Recently encountered this new treatment on the approach to the Tasman Bridge. Big thanks to the people involved in making an obviously busy bicycle intersection place value on the bikes travelling through. I know the paint went down a few months ago, but its great to see high standards. Read the rest of this entry »