Unveiling of comprehensive 'Bike Ahead' strategy

24/10/96

Premier Richard Court has unveiled a multi-million dollar plan for a metropolitan bicycle network to encourage people to make cycling part of their everyday routine and leave the car in the garage.

Mr Court said the comprehensive 'Bike Ahead' strategy, which involved initial funding of $25 million over the next four years, included 540kms of local bicycle routes to better link neighbourhoods and an innovative plan to install commuter cycle paths beside rail lines to encourage people to ride to work.

He said 50 Local Bicycle Routes would be built in the metropolitan area, connecting frequently-used destinations such as schools, shops, recreation areas and train stations. They would also be linked so they could be used to travel across the metropolitan area.

"The Local Bicycle Routes are a very important initiative, because we believe there is considerable scope to cut motor vehicle traffic congestion and emissions by getting people to use bicycles for short journeys," the Premier said.

"Department of Transport research has found that a third of car journeys in Perth are less than three kms in length.

"We have all been guilty of jumping into the car to pick up a carton of milk at the local shop - that is the sort of journey we could be doing by bicycle."

Bikewest has described the Local Bicycle Route strategy as a 'value for money' initiative because it builds upon existing infrastructure and focuses on identifying 'missing links'.

"This strategy is built around the missing links and filling them in," Mr Court said.

"For instance, many suburban streets have been blocked off at certain points to make them suitable for local traffic only and this has succeeded in making the streets quieter and safer. Bike paths can easily be put through those block-off points or cul-de-sacs to provide a continuous cycle route in these areas."

The plan also gives priority to increasing the number of people cycling to work by creating commuter routes that would be designated as Principal Transport Routes.

In a move that is already attracting interest from transport planners in other States and overseas, some of the routes will be built along rail reserves.

"Rail reserves are about 40m wide, so there is ample room for a cycle path and they are ideal for this purpose because they have few road crossings and the routes are generally flat," the Premier said.

He said construction work on the first cycle path would begin soon near the Showground station in Claremont. A small section of bike path had also been installed east of City West Station.

As part of the strategy, some existing cycle and dual use paths would be upgraded and new paths developed to connect existing cycle facilities.

"By getting more people to use bicycles, we will be creating a healthier city," Mr Court said.

"It is not only the cyclists who will benefit, our city as a whole will be the winner as we reduce car numbers and emissions."

Media Contact: Casey Cahill 222 9475