Cycling in Sydney Australia
Call for submissions to Sydney Airport Corporation Limited Draft
http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/SACL/Corporate+Information/Media+Ce...
SACL is calling for public comment on their current Draft Management Plan, submissions are due by 16 December 2008.
The previous Transport Management Plan included cycling.This plan, 216 pages, has no instances of 'cycling', 'bicycle', 'bike' in the text.
Please make your presence known as potential users of the upgraded airport - it has bars, restaurants, art and everything - to Sydney Airport Corp Ltd management who have earlier this year signed on to an international agreement on climate change.
SACL is calling for public comment on their current Draft Management Plan, submissions are due by 16 December 2008.
The previous Transport Management Plan included cycling.This plan, 216 pages, has no instances of 'cycling', 'bicycle', 'bike' in the text.
Please make your presence known as potential users of the upgraded airport - it has bars, restaurants, art and everything - to Sydney Airport Corp Ltd management who have earlier this year signed on to an international agreement on climate change.
Tags: airport, alexandra, bay, botany, canal, cooks, cove, engine, green, marsh
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Lzzter on -
It's crazy Sydney Airport has no cycling facilities. Getting to the domestic terminals by bike is completely horrendous. A cycleway goes near the international terminal, though the airport makes no effort to provide a cycling path into the airport.
There's nowhere to park a bike at the domestic terminals once you get there, either short or long term. What about cycling tourism? Sydney won't get any cycling tourists, as it has the reputation of being one of the world's most anti-cycling cities.
Sydney Airport Corporation's anti-cycling attitude is partly explained by it being privatised. It's there to make a profit. People turning up on bicycles, without paying parking fees, are not seen as bringing profits.
However, for the individual shops that rent there, bicycle users can bring profits. Cyclists eat lots. They may have a beer at the look-out as they watch the planes. The international terminal has the only post office open on a Sunday.
Where does one comment on their Draft Master Plan, and its lack of consideration for cycling? Sydney Airport Corporation hasn't made it easy to find an address to post or email comments. I guess they must be hoping that nobody comments!
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Permalink Reply by Paul on -
It is very interesting. I went to their website and looked at the Existing "Approved" Masterplan that includes all sorts of references to Cyclists and Cycleways. When you compare the old one to the new Proposed one, as you have pointed out, Cycling has just vanished with no explanation.
I have downloaded the submission forms and will be writing to them and asking them why access to the Airport for Cyclists has been removed from the Masterplan. Perhaps they just think that by not mentioning it at all, people just won't notice.
Have a look at Fact Sheet 5 on the website.
I guess as a Private Airport you have to expect this kind of thing. Other airports in Sydney have suffered as well, and Hoxton Park Airport was to be closed on October 27th this year, no doubt to be sold off as a housing estate to developers. They have changed the closure date to Dec 15th this year, and some folks are holding a final fly-in. As a Pilot (currently on extended hiatus!) I am used to getting the short end of the stick from the Govt. I will be interested to see how it goes, since Hoxton Park provides the only Nth/Sth Runway in the Sydney Basin for General Aviation. With a strong Southerly wind blowing, who knows where they expect Light Aircraft to land once Hoxton is closed. I sure as heck don't want to mix it with an A380!
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Permalink Reply by Bob Moore on -
Is this a chance to request they give us back the bike shoulder they stole on GH Drive in the tunnel under the runway? At the time there was an outcry from cyclists and it was even suggested by an engineer that a tunnel for cyclists on one side of the present tunnel wouldnt be that difficult, as it mainly sand under the runway.
I suppose best way to get to the airport with bike is via the train?
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Permalink Reply by Paul on
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Except that on the train you will still have to buy a gate pass to exit at any of the Airport stations. It is an absolute rort. A return ticket from Wolli Creek or Mascot to the Airport is $21 return ($14 for a Single).
I used to work at Mascot and caught the Airport Train to Mascot station. The first time I went they wanted to charge me some insane amount to get off (I had a Travelpass which does not include the Gatepass). They eventually told me that if I bought my weekly ticket from them, I could also buy a weekly Gate Pass for $8 (which worked out to a substantial saving).
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Permalink Reply by Simon Sharwood on -
Free long term bike parking! Free long term bike parking!
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Permalink Reply by Jonathon Troy on -
As someone who works at the International airport. I can say this: There is bike parking available at the international airport behind some hordings at the same end of the international airport as the train station. It is used mostly by airport staff and there is not much of it.
The problem with the international airport (I am halfway through 3 weeks leave so there is a slim chance some things may improved while I have been away) is that the path leading in from the Cooks River CP also used by the Australian Federal Police Protective Service who park in the carpark under theDon Giovanni Brunnetti Bridge. It is a 10km/h zone and has been narrowed by carparking spaces and works on some plant & machinary on the left as you head in towards the terminal. They are serious about it being a 10km zone and have put speed bumps in.
Accessing the international terminal via the path means you will have to ride contraflow and onto the pedestian area which can be crowded at peak periods. Given I work in the large building in the carpark opposite the terminal, I know people who ride across the pedestrian crossing and into our bikeroom via a gap between the ped fence and the railing for a set of stairs. This has become popular for motorcyclists to get in and out as well so it would be no surprise if it gets closed off.
The news that SACL have signed up toan international agreement on climate change, like the trees it planted outside the multistory carpark smells of greenwash
I would like to contact other people working at the airport to see if we can get a BUG going to make some representations to SACL about access but given that I know next to nothing about the domestic few people who work at the International Terminal it will be difficult, especially with Commonwealth legislation that took away any OH&S coverage for injuries sustained going to or from work for those covered by Commcare.
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Permalink Reply by Gilbert on -
Not so much concerned with greenwash or finger pointing as getting proper amenity for cyclists who are users of the airport facilities. I would like to create rides to view the art, history, beer taps and wine cellar of the airport terminals.
I frankly cannot understand the way in which various government and corporate bodies have been co-opted into viewing all cyclists as (quote) the enemy (unquote).
European countries do a lot to attract cyclists and cater for them on all forms of domestic and international travel. If we want to attract cycle tourists - and tourists who might like the odd bit of cycling - then the Airport voted the best in the Pacific region could do more to encourage cyclist of all persuasions to visit.
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Permalink Reply by Kevin on -
One of the shortcomings of the Cooks River cycleway is that there are scant coffee or food shops at the bay end - just the Kyeemagh take-away now virtually overtaken by the Desalination Plant construction zone. If SACL had the vision to provide a safe and easily negotiated link into the International Terminal, they'd get plenty of customers. SACL makes most of its money from car parking - but their next biggest earner is the shop leasing. Very short-sighted for them not to see the opportunity.
As for greenwash, the airport is one of the largest point-sources of pollution in the Sydney Basin (just looking at the jet fuel burned, and not counting the car transport to/from which is not insignificant). Current clean-air laws deliberately exclude airport emissions. The airport can and never will be a friend of the environment. But with very little effort, they could get a lot of business from cyclists.
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Permalink Reply by Paul on
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Surely it would not be too hard to include some secure undercover bike racks somewhere. They certainly cost a lot less than building more car parks!
Personally, whenever I have to go to the airport to pick someone up, or they need to pick me up, we wait outside the Airport perimeter in a backstreet. Once the person being picked up is ready, a call is made and the other person comes in for the pickup. Doing it this way, I have not paid for parking at the airport for years.
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Permalink Reply by Lzzter on
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I don't think you can do that pick-up routine at the International Terminal any more. I think all private cars are forced into the main car park where they pay.
Apart from attracting eco cycling tourists, proper cycling facilities at the airport would allow the thousands of airport workers the option of riding to work.
The airlines allow you to put your bike on the plane, but Sydney Airport Corporation doesn't like you to ride to the airport. The airport is owned by Macquarie Bank, which appears to be going down the drain.
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Permalink Reply by Paul on
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I haven't had to use the International Terminal for some time, but at the Domestic Terminal I have sometimes snuck up to the Departures Level and moved right to the far end. The traffic controllers are too lazy to walk all that way, so when my wife arrives I can have my bags in the car and be gone in under 30 seconds.
We used Domestic recently, and there is a designated 2 minute pick-up zone, so we use this with a phone call to alert the driver when to come and get us.
Some of my friends have found that if you do go into the International carpark and then go straight out, you can still get out for free. There is probably a 15 min grace period to allow you time to exit from the car park, as would normally happen when you paid for your ticket at a machine then had to find your way out. I can't confirm this though.
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Permalink Reply by Bob Moore on
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I think SAC makes more money from car parking than from the airlines!
Anyone interested in seeing the local federal member about getting better facilities at the airport? Could form a Coalition of Sydney Cyclists to give us a name. With all the proposed changes to surface roads and access they are talking about , improved provision for cycling should be included. Seems none of the Key Stakeholders (ch 2) raised bicycle access, although "modal shift" is mentioned - to public transport.
From the chapter 10 on "landside access" - some token mention of cycling and active transport.
10.7
Incremental expansion may be required over the
planning period for regional access infrastructure
including:
• widening of Joyce Drive and General Holmes
Drive between Mill Pond Road and O’Riordan
Street by one lane in each direction
• widening of Airport Drive/Qantas Drive by one
lane in each direction
• improving capacity at the Mill Pond Road right
turn into General Holmes Drive
• an extension of Wentworth Avenue to General
Holmes Drive.
They also plan to put a bridge over Alexandra canal.
10.4 Logistic Precinct Access
To facilitate access to the planned Airport Logistics
Precinct north of Airport Drive, a new landside
bridge over Alexandra Canal is proposed.
10.1
Cycle routes are provided along the Alexandra
Canal, on the north side of Airport Drive and via
the Giovanni Brunetti Bridge. The cycle routes
provide a means of access to Sydney Airport.
and 10.8
Sydney Airport’s Airport Ground Travel Plan aims
to promote non-car modes of access to and from
Sydney Airport and, in particular, public transport.
This was the first major ground transport statement
from an Australian airport and it aims to address the
issue of sustainable access for passengers, visitors
and staff. The Ground Travel Plan has identified a
range of sustainable short, medium and long term
initiatives to provide passengers, visitors and staff
with efficient modes of transportation to and from
Sydney Airport.
The NSW Government’s draft East Sub-regional
Strategy identifies action to increase active
transport modes. Travel Smart programs provide
information and education to encourage travel
choices that support sustainable travel. Sydney
Airport welcome’s the NSW Government’s
commitment to develop and implement a
TravelSmart voluntary travel behaviour program for
the Airport and environs in accordance with Action
D3.3.1 of the Draft East Sub-regional Strategy.
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