The Tasmanian Governments Project Officer for its Walking and Cycling for Active Transport Strategy, recently coordinated a meeting in Hobart to identify key regional and local arterial routes. Much of the work had already been done in the Hobart Regional Arterial Bicycle Network Plan Cycling South but this meeting provided an opportunity for other stakeholders to determine their priorities relating to the plan.
Bicycle Tasmania attended and along with several others were concerned that certain routes were being prioritised despite being unrealistic commuting distances and topography’s for the majority of potential bike riders. We followed up with a submission to Janine Pearson who coordinated the workshop recommending a prioritizing system be set up using a framework based on what best makes a bicycle route including connections, distance, topography and other related factors.
The Following is the initial findings from the meeting sent out to Bicycle Tasmania and other stakeholders by the facilitator:
The highest priority parts of the Network were identified as:
Arterial Routes
- Howrah –CBD (10 points)
- Mornington – Rosny – CBD (9 points)
- Uni – CBD and local residential area (9 points)
- Kingston – CBD (8 points)
- Sandy Bay – Taroona (6 points)
- Lenah Valley – Newtown – CBD (4 points)
- Brighton – Claremont – Glenorchy (3 points)
Local Routes
- Lutana to local destinations and intercity bike path (5 points)
- Uni connectors (inter-campus, residential, other destinations) (2 points)
- Brighton area internal connections (2 points)
- Hobart CBD internal connections (2 points)
- Tolosa and feeder streets – Glenorchy (1 point).
Also rating as second order priority routes were:
Arterial Routes
- Glenorchy – CBD
- Macquarie/Davey Streets
- Lauderdale – Rosny
- Margate – Kingston
- Tasman Bridge
Local Routes
- Local eastern shore connections through to Bellerive/Rosny
- Cycleway to CBD/Newtown
Issues Identified:
- The route in relation to the Kingston – Hobart CBD link is not resolved. Whilst Bonnet Hill is currently highly utilised and favoured by cyclists, it would be remiss not to investigate whether there is latent demand for other routes such as the Southern Outlet or an off road route along the Alum Cliffs track. These alternative have not been given consideration. Whilst the Kingston-CBD via Bonnet Hill route would also service Taroona cyclists; the Kingston-CBD via Outlet route would service those living at Mt Nelson and Tolman’s Hill.
- The future of the rail corridor at various points is relevant to considerations in relation to some routes, such as the Lutana – Intercity Cycleway connector.
- End of trip facilities are significant enablers of cycling for transport. End of Trip facilities include bike storage and change facilities for work-commuters, secure bike parking for those visiting retail, services, recreation facilities, and those connecting to passenger transport. The need for lateral thinking was noted. Facilities in public car parks are capable of meeting the needs of a variety of users, and facilities might also be provided in gyms etc for public use.
- Signage – need consistent statewide approach to cycleway and cyclepath signage – improves connectivity of routes.
Opportunities
- Where by-passes are constructed there is opportunity to utilise the bypassed roads which are often wide enough to accommodate bike infrastructure as well as local traffic.
- Old tram routes are also often wide, providing opportunities for cycle infrastructure to be accommodated
- Technology such as power-assisted bikes (e-bikes) will assist in overcoming issues posed by hilly terrain and distance
Observation
- In developing cycling infrastructure, we need to focus on increasing access to CBD for people from both sides of the river and Kingborough.
- Cycling infrastructure has improved, and acknowledgement of cycling as a valid transport mode has increased.
Following the priority setting workshop for the Hobart Regional Arterial Bicycle Network we believe that there was a number of issues that need resolving relating to how you prioritise routes and what sorts or riders you consider.
Bicycle Tasmania believes you should consider:
a) Classification of riders (Using VicRoads walking and cycling literature review)
Class A – Are experienced and are happy to operate on collector or arterial streets.
Class B – Include adults and teenagers who ride more occasionally and have less confidence in traffic than Class A.
Class C – Include children, the ederly, or other in experienced populations who either do not ride on roads.
b) Destinations
Work
Shops
Schools
Entertainment/social
Access to a trails (MTB)
c)Average Trip Length
For local and regional cycling the average trip length is 6.44km and 57% of cycling trips are less than 2km. (Vic Rds International Cycling and Walking Lit Review)
A couple of US analysis’ revealed that entertainment, recreation and fitness trips cover the greatest average distance reaching 30-40km. Work trips by bicycle are the next longest trip, with most trips falling within a range of about 20km rtn. Trips for work, shopping, or access to bicycle trail facility tend to be shorter on average with the majority of trips falling within the 10km range. Studies from the Netherlands, Germany and the UK have found that the majority of cyclists riding to transit stop ride between 2-5km.
Things to consider for each route are (in no particular order):
1. Distance (eg in km/time)
2. Topography (Low/medium/high gradients) (Only includes arterial route)
3. Rider types (Low intensity/high intensity) (Class A, B, C)
4. Population and Destinations (Shopping centres/schools/major employees) (Able to access the route easily, taking into account the, distance and topography of feeder routes etc and appeal to rider types)
5. No. of Access/Feeder Routes/Additional Populations (green, educated – low socio etc) along route
6. How many people already riding (High (<100), Medium (>40), Low (<10))
We can scale these simply by the following:
Low intensity + High intensity Riders
Class A, B, C
If we use this as a net to filter the routes it makes it all a lot clearer as to which should be prioritised.
For example: Kingston to CBD (Bonnet Hill) has a very low population of potential users (only really high intensity riders), has a hill that’s too much of a barrier for most people, is further than 15km from Hobart CBD, it doesn’t really have any access points along the way to feed in more riders. Ie there is no roads or population centres along the way and finally there is a very small bunch of commuters on the Bonnet compared to heaps of other locations around Hobart.
The same applies to Cambridge, Brighton, etc.
We need to be working out from the Hobart CBD or established CBDs like Bellerieve, Glenorchy, Kingston. Rather than working out to in. It might be developed the other way but I think it needs to be presented this way!
Arterial Routes
Hobart CBD: South– Sandy Bay – Taroona (Via Battery Point)
1. 9.6km
2. Low
3. Low, Mod & High Intensity + A, B &C
4. High
5. Medium
6. High
Hobart CBD: North – Newtown – Glenorchy
1. 7.2km
2. Low
3. Low, Mod & High Intensity + A, B & C
4. High
5. High
6. High
Hobart CBD: North West– North Hobart – Lenah Valley
1. 5.1km
2. Medium
3. Mod & High Intensity & A + B
4. Medium – High
5. High
6. Medium
Hobart CBD: South– South Hobart (Cascade Gardens)
1. 3.1km
2. Medium/high
3. Mod & High Intensity & A + B
4. Med
5. Low
6. Medium
Hobart CBD: East – Bellerieve
1. 7.4km
2. Medium
3. Mod & High Intensity & A + B (If Using Ferry then open to Low Intensity & C)
4. Low (Med/high if ferry)
5. Low
6. Medium
Local Arterial Routes to Central Business Districts
Glenorchy CBD: West– Tolosa (Merton) (Humphries Rivulet)
1. 3.5km
2. Low
3. Low, Mod & High Intensity + A, B &C
4. High
5. High
6. Low
Glenorchy CBD: North Claremont/Montrose/Rosetta/Chigwell/
Berriedale/Austins Ferry
1. 7.0km
2. Low
3. Low, Mod & High Intensity + A, B &C
4. High
5. High
6. Medium
Glenorchy CBD: East – Lutana
1. 3-4km
2. Low
3. Low, Mod & High Intensity + A, B &C
4. High
5. Medium
6. Low
Glenorchy CBD: South – Moonah/West Moonah/Newtown/(Lenah Valley)
1. 5.3km
2. Low
3. Low, Mod & High Intensity + A, B &C
4. Medium (Counter flow to Hobart)
5. High
6. Low
Bellerieve CBD – Howrah (Rokeby – Clarendonvale)
1. 4.2km (7.8)
2. Low/Medium
3. Low, Mod & High Intensity + A, B &C
4. High
5. Medium
6. Low
Bellerieve CBD – Mornington Roundabout
1. 3.2km
2. Low/Medium
3. Low, Mod & High Intensity + A, B &C
4. Medium/High
5. Low
6. Low
Bellerieve CBD – Lindisfarne
1. 5.1km
2. Medium/high
3. Mod & High Intensity & A + B
4. Low/Medium
5. Low
6. Low
Kingston CBD: East + South East – Kingston Beach/Blackmans Bay
1. 3.8km
2. Medium/high
3. Mod & High Intensity & A + B
4. Low
5. Low
6.
7.
Kingston CBD: South– Huntingfield + Redwood Drive to Algona Rd section
1. 2.7km + 3.1
2. Medium
3. Mod & High Intensity & A + B
4. Low/medium
5. Low
6. Low
Kingston CBD: West – Summerleas Rd
1. 2km
2. Low/medium
3. Mod & High Intensity & A, B + C
4. Medium
5. Low
6. Low
Bicycle Tasmania believes that the following should be included:
Major Hobart Arterials
Hobart CBD: South– Sandy Bay – Taroona (Via Battery Point)
Hobart CBD: North – Newtown – Glenorchy
Hobart CBD: North West– North Hobart – Lenah Valley
Hobart CBD: South– South Hobart (Cascade Gardens)
Hobart CBD: East – Bellerieve
Local Arterials
Glenorchy CBD: West– Tolosa (Merton) (Humphries Rivulet)
Glenorchy CBD: North Claremont/Montrose/Rosetta/Chigwell/
Berriedale/Austins Ferry
Glenorchy CBD: East – Lutana
Glenorchy CBD: South – Moonah/West Moonah/Newtown/(Lenah Valley)
Bellerieve CBD – Howrah (Rokeby – Clarendonvale)
Bellerieve CBD – Mornington Roundabout
Bellerieve CBD – Lindisfarne
Kingston CBD: East + South East – Kingston Beach/Blackmans Bay
Kingston CBD: East + South East – Kingston Beach/Blackmans Bay
Kingston CBD: West – Summerleas Rd
With priority placed on the routes with the greatest yield for growing rider numbers.
- Uni – CBD is covered by Battery Point/Sandy Bay Rd so doesn’t need to be separate
- Kingston to Taroona/Hobart CBD does not come anywhere near the other arterials on the scale I’ve set. Only low potential for increase no matter what is done.
- Local routes should really be connecting to major desintations ie pseudo CBDs with Major Shopping Centres/Schools etc.
- Brighton is too far away, if you are including it then why not Margate? Sorell? Lauderdale?
- Hobart CBD Internal Connections should really come under Arterial Routes to the CBD. Like Macquarie and Davey for Cars, straight through the guts.
- Southern Outlet/Alum Cliffs concepts are too ambitious for the time being as are facilities for Tomans Hill and Mt Nelson.
- There is no convincing evidence that end of trip facilities are enablers of cycling for transport in general. They may well be enablers for high intensity commuters but for the trundlers they have no relevance. A fairly comprehensive study from the US cycling rates by region didn’t find a worthy correlation between end of trip facilities and rider numbers. (HCC library has it) A safe network is leaps and bounds ahead in priority. Ebikes still need a safe and connected network.
We would appreciate any ideas members have relating to this setting of priorities for the development of Hobart’s main cycle commuting routes.
