Produced and published by WestCycle Incorporated. WestCycle is supported by the State Government through the Department of Sport and Recreation.
FOREWORD
Contact: WestCycle Incorporated info@westcycle.org.au www.westcycle.org.au
Member Organisations: Member organisations of WestCycle at the time of releasing ‘Our Bike Path’ were: Bicycle Transport Alliance, Bicycling Western Australia, BMX Sports WA, CycleSport WA, Western Australian Mountain Bike Association, Albany Bicycle User Group, Australian Time Trials Association, Cycle Safe, Dismantle, Gosnells Bicycle Users Group, Hall Cycle Training, Munda Biddi Trail Foundation, Northern Beaches Cycling Club, Northern Districts Combined Community Groups Association, Over 55’s Cycling Club, Perth Integrated Health Cycling Group, Satalyst Giant Racing Team, Track Cycling WA, University Bicycle Users Group and Western Australian Tandem Cycling Advisory Council.
Acknowledgements: WestCycle would like to acknowledge the contribution of Colin Brown in the development of this document.
Photography: Photography Project, CIC Events, Travis Deane, Andres Petricevich
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Through cycling we can create a healthier and more active Western Australia. However, getting more people to cycle in Western Australia will not happen by chance. It won’t be achieved through one organisation or government agency working alone.
HON TERRY WALDRON MLA MINISTER FOR SPORT & RECREATION
WestCycle, in partnership with its member organisations and community stakeholders has developed a strategic framework for cycling - ‘Our Bike Path’. Not only does it map the course for the coordinated future development of cycling in Western Australia, but it’s also a call to action for everyone to work together to grow cycling in this State. The Government recognises ‘Our Bike Path’ as a pivotal planning framework for cycling in Western Australia and I look forward to the positive initiatives and collaboration it will generate.
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WHAT IS OUR BIKE PATH? Never before has cycling in Western Australia presents a common way forward. A plan that everyone is a part of. This plan changes all that!
‘Our Bike Path’ is different. It’s not a plan about any one cycling organisation, cycling discipline or government agency. It’s a plan for all forms of cycling and for everyone associated with developing and supporting cycling in Western Australia: our clubs, local councils, coaches, government agencies, importantly, our riders... ‘Our Bike Path’ maps a vision and framework that will be used to guide the future development and growth of cycling in Western Australia. We already know that over 400,000 Western Australians regularly ride. We want to increase this figure to over 1 million by 2020. Why? Because we know that if more people were riding we’d all be better off. Less congestion, healthier and happier communities, fewer sick days, longer life expectancy, less pollution and more money in our pockets are just some of the benefits of cycling. Despite these enormous benefits, Western Australia has never had a unified plan to bring these benefits to fruition. But we do now! ‘Our Bike Path’ is built on the principle that no single cycling organisation, club, rider, bicycle user group or government agency can grow cycling alone. It requires all of us working together as ONE cycling community – which is why we’ve called it ‘Our Bike Path’.
PROCESS The Department of Sport and Recreation commissioned WestCycle to develop this plan back in 2012. Since then, we’ve embarked on the following process to arrive at this document:
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OUR VISION Our vision is for Western Australia to be a state that embraces cycling in all its forms. A state with a safe cycling environment, a strong cycling culture and where riding a bike is the normal way our children get to school. By 2020, we want to realise the full potential of cycling to contribute to the health, wealth and sporting success of Western Australia, and the quality of life of our local communities.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO! 1. Grow a Cycling Culture We need to turn Western Australia into a place where cycling, no matter the reason for riding, is widely supported, accepted, encouraged and celebrated.
2. Create Bike Friendly Communities
Our streets, roads and local communities need to become places for people; places where people aren’t afraid to ride or let their children do so.
3. Build The Capability Of Our Community
We need to build the capacity of our cycling organisations, clubs, volunteers and advocates so that they can bring about the positive changes and cycling initiatives needed in our local communities.
4. Strengthen Our Sporting Pathway
We need to develop a collaborative and integrated cycling pathway that is focused on both growing participation for the benefit of our community as well as our sporting success.
5. Develop a Cycling Economy We need the cycling community to partner with business, tourism and government agencies to maximize the economic benefits that cycling can bring to Western Australia.
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OUR TARGETS Infrastructure Sporting Success Image To dramatically improve community perceptions of cycling as a safe and enjoyable activity.
Safety Children’s Participation Female Participation
Participation To get over 1 million Western Australians regularly riding by 2020.
Baseline 405,000 Western Australians rode a bike in a typical week in 2013 (Australian Bicycle Council 2013, National Cycling Participation Survey).
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Transport For cycling to achieve a transport mode share of 5% by 2020.
Baseline The mode share of trips taken by bike in Western Australia was 1.2% in 2009 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009).
To reduce the disparity between men’s and women’s participation in cycling.
Baseline 22.3% of males and 14% of females rode a bike in a typical week in Western Australia in 2013 (Australian Bicycle Council 2013, National Cycling Participation Survey).
To move the % of kids riding to school closer to the levels of the 1970’s.
Baseline 84 per cent of children walked, cycled or used public transport to get to school in 1970 (Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics, 1970). Today 58% of children walk, cycle or use public transport to get to school of which only 5.9% cycle (ABS CensusAtSchool, 2011).
To reduce the number of serious bicycle injuries every year.
Baseline There were 1244 cycling related hospitalisations in 2011/12 (Hospital Morbidity Data System, Western Australian Department of Health).
Baseline 91% of 2800 respondents to a survey in 2011 stated that they feared sharing the road with motorists (RAC survey, 2011).
To increase the number of Western Australian cyclists winning gold at national championships.
To increase the number of cycling infrastructure facilities in metropolitan and regional WA (includes cycle paths, mountain bike trails and cycle sport facilities) every year.
Baseline Baseline In 2013, a total of 22 Western Australians won a gold medal at either junior or senior national championships across road, track, BMX and mountain bike cycling disciplines.
As of 2012 our Principal Shared Path (PSP) network was 154.1 km in length and our Local Bicycle Route network was 656 km. We also have 738km of authorised mountain bike trails of which 503km is signposted, 18 BMX tracks, 1 velodrome and no closed circuit criterium tracks.
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OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
SAFETY committed to the safety of all in every aspect of what we do.
COLLABORATION & COOPERATION
Our guiding principles are our essential and enduring codes of belief. The following principles will be used to guide the development of the cycling industry over the coming years:
We need effective communication and partnerships to achieve our vision. We believe that collective action is stronger than individual action and no single government agency, cycling group or rider can get Western Australia cycling alone. It takes all of us working together as ONE cycling community.
SUSTAINABILITY Cycling is socially, economically and environmentally sustainable. So too will be the way we go about our business. From the way we plan and build our paths and trails, to the way we operate our cycling organisations to the way we deliver events and cycling initiatives. Sustainability will be at the forefront of our minds.
RESPECT Cycling is for all. We understand that everyone comes to cycling at different stages and for different reasons and we respect these differences. We seek to operate in an environment of mutual trust and respect between riders, motorists, advocates and
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CHALLENGES challenges‌
Cycling is at a crucial junction. Despite rising participation and high community interest in the bike, there remains a number of challenges that need to be overcome if we want to take cycling to the next level.
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GROWING A CYCLING CULTURE Growing a cycling culture is about creating a place where riding a bike is encouraged, supported and celebrated. It’s about creating an environment where cycling is free from negative associations and perceptions, where cycling is embraced as a normal and respected activity. To grow a cycling culture we need to:
Expand the delivery of bike education and cycle training programs to children and learn to ride programs to adults. Increase our cycling promotion activities, particularly in the context of utility cycling and encouraging more children and women to ride.
WHAT IS OUR BIKE PATH?
More widely distribute cycling information materials such as maps, bicycle guides, online materials, phone and tablet apps, event calendars and safety resources throughout the community. Continue to encourage and support bike promotion events, such as the annual bikeweek festival, bike to work breakfasts, car free days, bike path and trail openings, ride to school programs and participation events. Expand existing behaviour change programs, which actively support and encourage Western Australians to ride. sports people and entertainment personalities to become cycling ambassadors and assist with the promotion of cycling. Introduce bike to work schemes, which support businesses and provide incentives for employees to ride to work. Integrate cycling policy into local and state government urban planning and management processes. Collect better cycling data so that we can obtain a better understanding of how often people are cycling and for what purpose. components to WA drivers’ licence handbooks, practical and theoretical tests. of cycling in all forms of media.
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We need to: Expand and improve our cycling network so that it becomes safe (mix of separated infrastructure and dedicated routes along low speed roads), direct (takes cyclists to their destinations via the shortest and quickest routes), connected (routes that link seamlessly into a city-wide and/or region-wide network) and comfortable (smooth surfaces and well-lit routes).
CREATING BIKE FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES
Increase bicycle parking and storage solutions at schools, shops, city centres and public transport interchanges. Build more end of trip facilities (bike racks, showers, lockers etc) in our workplaces. Reduce speed limits on key cycling routes and around schools, shopping centres and public transport interchanges. Introduce road and cycle safety awareness campaigns that improve the physical safety of cyclists and those around then. Develop targeted action to reduce bike rider black spots. Improve the legal and regulatory protection of cyclists. Introduce legislation and associated educational campaigns that support a minimum overtaking distance of cyclists. Introduce a coordinated and comprehensive ‘ride to school’ program that encourages and makes it safer for children to ride to school. Develop ‘bike friendly community’ guidelines and introduce a ‘bike friendly community’ accreditation program. Expand and improve our network of mountain bike trails and off-road cycling routes in areas close to the city, regional population centres and tourist hubs. Gain access to dedicated closed road circuits that can be used for cycle training and events.
Making the cycling environment safe is the creating a bike friendly community. We need to transform our streets, roads and local communities into places for people where cycling is safe and normal. Our key challenge here is to create an environment where adults aren’t afraid to ride or let their children do so.
management schemes are checked to include plans and consideration for all types of cyclists. Gain direct representation for cyclists on the Road Safety Council.
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BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF OUR COMMUNITY Our cycling organisations, clubs, groups and volunteers are the lifeblood of cycling in Western Australia. They are our conduit for reaching out to local communities and boosting participation. We need to support and build the capacity of these groups, clubs and individuals so that they can effectively deliver and sustain the cycling initiatives needed in our communities. We need to: 17.
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Our challenge is to put in place an integrated pathway structure that enables Western Australians to achieve their full potential in cycling, whether that is as a rider, a coach or is focused on both growing participation for
STRENGTHENING OUR SPORTNG PATHWAY
sporting success. We need to:
People ride for many reasons. Some ride to maintain an active lifestyle, others for social connection, some for the thrill of competing while others have their hearts set on winning medals for Australia.
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DEVELOPING A CYCLING ECONOMY
Identify, promote and support the development of cycle tourism opportunities throughout the state. Grow and evolve Western Australia into a world class on and off-road cycling destination. Develop a trails sustainability framework, which supports and promotes a state-wide system of environmentally sustainable mountain bike trails. Encourage and support bike hire and bike share schemes in the city and in tourist centres.
Cycling contributes
Encourage and support bicycle tours in tourist centres. Encourage and support commercial cycle coaching and training ventures.
productivity and wealth of Western Australia. Not only does it save the economy money through reduced congestion and health costs, it also creates jobs in retail, repair and service, event management, building infrastructure, trail infrastructure, planning and tourism. To maximize the value adding and to Western Australia we need to:
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Encourage and support bike maintenance programs, bike doctors and mobile bike servicing ventures. Support, promote and expand bike friendly business accreditation programs. Develop and implement a mountain bike strategy for Western Australia. Form closer alliances with the bicycle retail sector to strengthen the voice of the cycling industry, better promote events and encourage local bike sales. Develop a major events strategy for Western Australia, which provides a blue print for investment into future major cycling events in this state. Expand the statistical monitoring of commuter, cycle sport and mountain bike trail networks. Partner with universities and educational institutions to support and contribute to further research into various aspects of cycling.
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Every cycling organisation, club, group, advocate and government agency has a role to play in For its part, WestCycle will take the lead role in coordinating the activation of the plan. This means WestCycle will: Enlist government, industry and community support for ‘Our Bike Path’; Lead a collaborative approach across the entire cycling community, industry and government to deliver on the plan; Work with stakeholders to determine priorities and develop an implementation plan to accompany ‘Our Bike Path’;
MAKING IT HAPPEN ‘Our Bike Path’ is a call to action for collaborative effort across the entire cycling community, industry and government.
Seek to grow the funding pool available to support Allocate grant funding to deliver on the strategies Monitor, evaluate and report on progress.
‘Our Bike Path’ will be implemented progressively over the next 6 years until 2020, as funding and resources allow. Through renewed focus and energy, and a more cooperative approach across the entire industry, we can get the whole of Western Australia cycling. We hope you join us for the ride!
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ABOUT WESTCYCLE
We embrace all elements of cycling. We are for long rides and short rides. For riding to work, weekend rides, racing, BMX rides, bunch rides, riding to school, riding at the track, hitting the trails and for quick spins around the block. We are the industry representative body for cycling to government.
WestCycle was established as the peak body for cycling in Western Australia in 2011.
We operate at a strategic level to lead and coordinate the growth and development of cycling in Western Australia. We do this by creating and implementing strategies and plans that position Western Australian cycling for future success. We work behind the scenes to build the capacity of our cycling organisations. We distribute grant funding on behalf of the Department of Sport and Recreation to our member cycling organisations. We create operational efficiencies so that our state based cycling organisations are spending less time on administration and more time on delivering the events and initiatives you want to see on the ground. We share an office with our state based cycling organisations, which ensures we are connected with what’s going on at a grassroots level. It also makes it easier for us to promote coordination, cooperation and collaboration amongst the cycling community. We advocate and campaign to government on a range of cycling related issues, including road safety. We are a non-profit organisation with an independent board of directors. Our membership comprises of cycling organisations, groups and clubs rather than individuals. We are working to make this plan a reality.
www.westcycle.org.au
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