I ride to La Perouse via Randwick and Maroubra Beach regularly with LBUG and others, coming back via Denison and Banks Sts and always enjoy the run but there are a few places that bug me along the way, so I decided to email Randwick Council with a photo of the offending places. I figure you might as well point out problems and hazards you observe to Councils because, you never know, they might fix them and make your next ride better, or some other cyclists will benefit. And it helps to get it off your chest anyway.
The first was the roundabout at the T intersection on Todman Av, which has a cycle lane leading up to it which stops just before the roundabout and directs you smack into the kerb. It would be easy enough to install a bike bypass on the grassy area to the left. Then there is the pedestrian refuge in Malabar Rd which juts out into the nice green cycle lane recently put in, forming a nasty squeeze point, on a left bend too. And on the return trip there is a series of bumpy brick road humps along Banks St, where the bricks have come loose or have sunk into the road surface.
Today I got a phone call from the Randwick Transport Planner saying she had just got the job and was getting into all the cycling issues. She agreed the problems I raised had some merit and she would see if she could get them addressed. Not only that, the Banks St humps were actually in Botany Council area, so she would contact them and pass on my concerns.
With more staff like that on Councils we could get a lot done. Hope Botany is as responsive. I didnt catch her name but many thanks- brightened up my day. Got me in a good mood for the Leichhardt BAC tonight, which went quite well. I was pleased to see Eleana at the meeting, from Bike Sydney. Leichhardt also has a new transport planner- first in a while, the previous guy got dispirited and left. The new man used to work for South Sydney and has had some experience of bikie plans here and overseas. Council has $400,000 to spend on bikes and is getting on with the 3rd year works in the Bike Plan, which must be a record for maintaining enthusiasm. Just need the RTA to come good with works on their roads in the area, like improving crossing points on the City West Link and on Victoria Rd, dropping their objections to bike lanes in Johnston St, approving advanced storage boxes and actually giving the Council some matching funding for a change- gave a measly $30,000 last year.
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