YarraBUG

On this weeks program Chris catches up with one of our regular guests, Dr John Symons from BikeWest, about ongoing safety issues for bicycle riders with Dynon Road, Footscray Road, the Westgate Tunnel Project and if the Victorian Government will act upon 56 recommendations contained in Legislative Assembly Economy and Infrastructure Committee: Inquiry into the impact of road safety behaviours on vulnerable road users. The final report was tabled on 1 May 2024 and to directly quote, 'The Government has six months to respond to the report from the tabling date"We discuss Brett Wallace's incident on Dynon Road, as reported by Rhiana Whitson ABC 7.30 (Cycling safety warnings ignored – until tragedy happened), Angus Collins death in February 2023, BikeWest advocates forcing the authorities to act via FOIs, ongoing WTG safety issues, a lack of safe systems in road design and the right to public life regardless if people drive a car or not.News includes 87th Melbourne Cup on Wheels, Cezary and Leo returning to naarm Melbourne after their incredible Two Birders Two Bikes journey to raise funds to build schools in Timor Leste, womens rides, Info session: Student Visas & Work Rights at Gig Workers Hub and the new WXSHP ride hub in Northcote.Program musicCamp dog, King StingrayCycling is fun, Shonen Knife

Val chats to Nik Dow on the recent councils, the birth of Streetspeoplelove and unreasonable people.

On this week program Chris talks to Charlotte George, Greens candidate for MacKillop Ward in Yarra Council. We discuss the last week of local council elections in Victoria and the importance posting your ballot by 6pm Friday October 2024. Topics include Streets People Love candidate scorecards, public accessibility, footpaths, public transport, connectivity, living in a car-obsessed society and the importance of providing alternatives from local councils.Charlotte talks about being a filmmaker, activist and local parent, her new black comedy Buried, about a terrible day of parenting with a unfortunate cyclist as a plot point, of which in a better world, wouldn't exist with more modal filters, slower speeds and protected infrastructure. She discusses safer streets, creative thinking needed in all levels of government, being involved in local community, Harrison Watts and Katie Patrick collab for a vision of Johnston Street, Hobart City Council Collins Street bike lane trial, public debates going to the outlier and finding more equable ways of transport alongside rising living costs and environmental issues.Local news includes ABC Four Corners: Australian drivers are paying billions on major Transurban-operated roads, and the costs will keep rising, Transport Integration Act 2010, Yarra Council 30km/h trial, Melbourne City Council elections, Critical Mass North this Friday 25 October riding to Northcote with a pickup point at Nicholson and Gertrude in Fitzroy, Jay's GoFundMe: Help my disabled sister Christa have an accessible cargobike.Program musicCamp dog, King StingrayThe Bike Song,  Anecdata

On todays program Chris catches up with Anthony Aisenberg about the BikeSpot project that contributes valuable data that can inform future cycling infrastructure improvements across Australia. We discuss BikeSpot history, expanding nationally, the last 12 months, the collapse of Amy Gillett Foundation, BikeSpot National, NSW and Greater Bendigo reports, interactive archive, key findings, Upfield shared path, St Kilda protected lanes, changing road use, accessibility, BikeSpot as tool for evidence based research, funding arrangements and future plans. We discuss Critical Mass Sydney Road, this months 2024 Victorian Council Elections, along with the Streets People Love candidate scorecards, and local news includes Critical Mass North, 5.30pm, State Library, Friday 25 October 2024.Program musicThe Bike Song, Anecdata

On this weeks program Chris catches up with Geoff Smart from Back2Bikes including St Kilda protected lanes, council elections and his recent observations of riding in Copenhagen. Geoff talks about recent activities at Back2Bikes, volunteers, working with over fifty community partners, community pop up bike services, donating, refurbishing bikes and a recent article, Sustainability Victoria: Guide to running a bicycle repair and recyclers program. We talk about Nature-Fest on the Birrarung, free bike tune-ups at South Melbourne Market, courses, workshops, Women’s Introductory Bicycle Maintenance Classes and general tips to stop bike theft.A major challenge for Back2Bikes is finding a new home due to planned redevelopment of 525 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne. Please get in contact with Back2Bikes if you know of a suitable location and long term leasehold.Local news includes spring has sprung, it's time for a Critical Mass! Critical Mass Sydney Road, meeting 5pm, State Library, Thursday 26th September 2024 going to Brunswick!Program musicMonkey, Bicycle SongBonobo, Flashlight

Faith and Val are joined in the studio by Dr Elliot Fishman of the Institute for Sensible Transport. We share our bike moments before taking at brief look at some local news. The Amy Gillett Foundation has been resurrected with an unfortunate focus on distracting flashing lights for riders, and nominations are open for local council elections, check the Streets People Love campaign to see who is running in your area and how they stand up for active transport. Elliot was one of five researchers who worked on the AustRoads research report Prioritising Active Transport, which focuses on interventions to grow active transport and reduce incentives to use cars, and evaluates the effectiveness of various measures aimed at increasing the walking and cycling mode share. Elliot takes us through some of the key points from the comprehensive report, includinng those ingterventions which are most effective, and those that aren't. We also look at how interventions work together to be effective. To read the full report or watch the three webinars created to explore the report take a look here. We finish up with a quick reminder that the next Critical Mass ride will be on Thursday September 26th.

On this weeks program, Chris talks to Alice Humble about her families journey riding a Urban Arrow cargobike in Ballarat, Wadawurrung Country, you can follow Alice's adventures on Life on a Cargo Bike. Alice talks about being a mum and teacher, cues for deciding to buy a cargobike, keeping a daily exercise routine, having kids, starting off with a bike trailer, trying out e-cargobike options, retaining the ride to work, dealing with the school drop-off, what needs to happen to make the school zone safer, having a less stressful journey, better interactions with her children, being inspired by school streets in Paris, better parking enforcement, slower speed limits around school zones, reducing fatalities due to speed, safe cycling infrastructure for everyone, learning about cargobikes, carrying stuff, positive impact on the household budget, why can't Australian governments pivot to supporting ebikes similar to electric vehicles and new opportunities to making commutes enjoyable. Program musicMonkey, Bicycle SongTycho, Dream as memory

Faith and Val are joined in the studio on yet another epically windy morning by Mathieu Cadet of Port Phillip Bicycle User Group. We all share our bike moments, before taking a quick look at some news including an update on the La Trobe Street bike lane which appears to have re-opened and the start of Women's Health Week. After the break discussion turns to Port Phillip BUG and why they have joined the Streets People Love campaign. Streets People Love is a statewide campaign supporting and promoting the efforts of local government to create safe and pleasant streets for people to live, work, play and move in.  Mathieu fills us in why it is so important that residents in Port Phillip think about the candidates they will vote for at upcoming Council elections and how he believed Streets People Love will help them to do this with respect to their support for the safe streets residnets often say they want. The recent state government report for the Port Phillip covid pop-up bike lanes showed overwhelming support for the lanes and not only an increase in ridership but a significant reduction in vehicle traffic, and yet these outcomes aren't finding support at the Council level. We finish up with a quick reminder about the next Critical Mass ride on September 26th, - heading up Sydney Road!

On todays show Chris catches up with Cezary and Leo aka Two Birders Two Bikes One School, who previously had a chat on 3CR back January 2024. They talk about starting their 15,000km journey along the east coast, combining birding and bike packing, a side quest to Tasmania, then central Australia, birding in Timor-Leste, the fight for independence, raising funds for a school, what barriers school kids face, meeting with Dulce de Jesus Soares and José Ramos-Horta, returning to Melbourne to continue their fundraising ride.Local news includes Better Streets: Streets for People: How Yarra’s 30 km/h zone can grow across Melbourne event being sold out, so hopefully it will be recorded by Streets Alive Yarra, the escooter debate across Victoria: Victorian Premier hopes council will have 'change of heart' over hire e-scooter ban, The Age: Northern mayors flag e-scooter republic in swerve to avoid Melbourne City’s ban, Critical Mass Sydney Road on 26 September and a screening of Motherload at Bargoonga Nganjin, North Fitzroy Library.Program musicThe Bike Song, AnecdataNgurra Ngampa, Tjintu Desert Band

Faith and Val are joined in the studio by Yana Lim of Bite Sized Rides. We all share our bike moments before touching on some local news including; City of Melbourne candidates already eyeing off protected bike lanes just in case it garners a few votes, and Bicycle Network calling for volunteers and donations for Streets People Love, a new campaign leading in to the 2024 Council elections. Yana Lim tells us all about how and why she started Bite Sized Rides, a community for people of colour in Melbourne who share bike rides and lunches. She touches on the importance of feeling comfortable and safe and the power of community to deliver lots of firsts; first ride, first overnighter, first aurora borealis! While only a new group she has built a strong community and has plans for the coming spring and summer. Get in touch at Bite Sized Rides if you'd like to know more.