woop! says... i heart sydney bike lanes and cycleways

Half a decade ago bikes were an unusual site on Sydney’s inner city roads. Bikes not adorned by nylon-clad roadies, that is. These days they’re pretty much a fixie-ture (see what we did there?). Whether you’re of the opinion that rising numbers of riders are a result of increasingly bike friendly streets, or vice versa, matters not. The proof in the pudding is the bikes on the streets and the time is ripe for celebration. Enter Woop! The bike-lane worshiping event arm of I Heart Sydney Bike Lanes and Cycleways. They’re about to host a street-long, in-your-face-Alan-Jones bike festival to celebrate the completion of the Bourke Street bike lane. Read all about it.

Covered: IHSBL vs Alan Jones, Surry Hills street festival, 4400 on Facebook.

Kluster: Rolling festival, interesting concept. Tell us about its history, and how the idea came about.

Jackie Lau: We were so thrilled when the final bit of tarmac was laid on the Bourke St cycleway that we wanted to get out there and celebrate it en-masse. Although Bourke St is only a small piece in a much larger network, it's such a vital and symbolic one that we felt this should be acknowledged. At the time we had planned a much more casual ride with our Facebook fans but what started out as a loosely organised Sunday ride has turned into something much bigger and exciting.

And the association to the petition-beating I Heart Sydney Bike Lanes and Cycleways? What’s the connection there?

The I Heart Sydney Bike Lanes and Cycleways Facebook group was started by Jamie and myself one Sunday afternoon out of sheer frustration. We had endured a week of cycle-lane bashing led by Alan Jones who described the cycleways as one of the most disgraceful projects he has ever witnessed in all his time in public broadcasting. He then said he had a petition of more than 3000 signatures opposing the development and would be supporting legal action against the council.

We couldn't understand what was so disgraceful about the City of Sydney finally taken action, where successive NSW governments had failed, to make this city a more accessible, enjoyable and safe place to live or visit!
 
We started the Facebook page to show support for the City of Sydney Council and to prove that there was a large portion of the community who wanted these cycleways. We currently have more than 4400 supporters, which has steadily grown through word of mouth (and this is without the benefit of on-air broadcasting like Mr Jones!). We are now focussed on educating and encouraging people to get out there and experience the fantastic cycleways as the new Transport Minister Duncan Gay is already on record saying he may rip some of them up if they are seen as under-utilised.

So, I believe there is a lot of local business participation in the event. Does that mean there will be food and drinks and local wares available for the purchasing the entire length of Bourke Street?

The local business community along Bourke St has been very supportive of the event and are looking forward to welcoming a tonne of two-wheeled customers. Shops, cafes and restaurants along the way are offering discounts or special offers to celebrate the Woop! ride. Many are also donating some great prizes to the giant raffle in support of Cancer Council NSW.

And what of the entertainment?

We have live musical entertainment, a vintage bike display, kids activities and a giant raffle with some awesome prizes up for grabs. We also have bike mechanics on hand to lend assistance.  The event sites are Danks St Plaza Waterloo, Wimbo Park & St Margarets in Surry Hills, Taylor Square Darlinghurst, Sable and Argent & Cowper St Wharf in Woolloomooloo.

Bike culture is in its infancy in Sydney, but rapidly progressing to its more established teens. Do you think the City of Sydney and surrounding councils are keeping up with this development by providing riders with the facilities they need to travel safely? And what about the outer suburbs? Can someone navigate the relatively flat, say, CBD to Kogarah ride without fearing for their lives on congested arterial roads?

The City of Sydney has been trying to provide cyclists with facilities for years, however they have faced road-blocks from various government departments nearly every step of the way. Despite this I think Sydney is starting to catch up and there is certainly a lot more support for this kind of development, especially as the inner-city population grows and households opt to have one car or live without one and are seeking alternative means of transport.

As for surrounding council areas, the further away from the city you go, the harder it is to find any cycling infrastructure. Unfortunately a white line painted on the road with a bicycle stencilled on it is often deemed adequate by some councils.  It's a start, yes, but by no means is it going to encourage anyone but the brave to hop on a bike.

Commuting from the outer suburbs by bike, as you point out, is achievable as there are relatively flat routes from many areas. But to do so requires a degree of skill and confidence that most people do not have. Sydney motorists are notorious as being some of the most aggressive in the world, so imagine what it's like for someone navigating the roads on a bicycle! This is why separated cycle ways are vital if we are to encourage cycle commuting across a wide cross-section of society.

Unfortunately not all Councils have the finances or vision to incorporate integrated cycleways as the City of Sydney is attempting to do. The State Government really needs to step up and take responsibility by planning and investing in decent cycling infrastructure.

Woop! Rolling Festival takes place Sunday May 15, 11am-3pm. Check the website for full details.

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