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Cycling Infrastructure in Brisbane

Thanks, Madam Chair; I just rise to talk on clause A of the presentation about Queen’s Wharf Brisbane. We also in Committee did express our concerns about the reduction of dedicated cycling facilities along the Bicentennial Bikeway there, and certainly share some of those concerns. In terms of the drawbacks of shared zones, where cyclists are frequenting an area, we know there are conflicts there. Obviously the DEPUTY MAYOR has just talked about South Bank.

I’ve got examples in my local ward—Brighton Foreshore, of course, highlights the drawbacks of shared zones that are too small a space for what is really required there. But I think in terms of what cyclists will take of this and out of this commentary, Madam Chairman, is that they could be forgiven for thinking that the DEPUTY MAYOR is being a little hypocritical when it comes to implementing a shared zone for cyclists.

We only have to look at the changes that are going to occur on the Victoria Bridge, another river crossing point there, where cyclists are going to be forced into a shared zone. The last Transport Plan for Brisbane said that another bus bridge with dedicated, separated cycling facilities should be built across the river. We don’t see that, Madam Chair.

So what we have here is, on the one hand the DEPUTY MAYOR jumping up and down, saying this isn’t good enough here on some other project, on someone else’s watch, but when it’s on his watch, he isn’t getting those fundamental principles right, the ones that he is espousing right here on record today, that shared zones, when we are decreasing cycling capacity from separated cycle way to shared zone, it’s not good for cycling.

The only river crossing we’ve got in that point, then, if this bridge is to be pedestrian only, those cycling facilities be reduced and the additional cycling facilities that were called for in the Transport Plan that is about to be superseded haven’t been delivered, Madam Chairman. So in terms of cyclist facilities, it’s pretty disappointing all round, not just for the Queen’s Wharf Brisbane development, I think, but also projects on the DEPUTY MAYOR’s watch.

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