YarraBUG

Val and Faith are in the studio today to celebrate May Day with stories of the bicycle and it's crucial role in organising workers in Australia at the turn of the nineteenth century. After sharing our bike moments we dive right in!Val kicks off with first May Day celebrations in the world here in Australia in 1891.  We take a look at when shearers fought for their rights. and the impact of the bicycle on shearer's work and organising later inthe 1890s as it allowed them to travel across long distances for work and became integral to their bargaining with employers. The Australian Worker's Union found the bicycle so useful for reaching and organising workers they developed their own bicycle corps to do just that. The role of the bicycle in building a network and recruting members continued into the C20th when Frank Anstey and David McGrath, then two young Labor MPs, toured Gippsland by bike in November 1904. Over twenty-two days with speaking events organised in eleven towns they recruited members for the Labourite League, harranged pastoralists and talked to farmers and miners in particluar about their ideas. On their fixed gear bicycles with swags slung over their shoulders they rode the notorious roads of the High Country from Rutherglen and Wodonga via Tallangatta, Mitta Mitta  and Omeo to Bairnsdale. You can read a contemporary account of their journey here

With important station work happening today at 3CR we're taking a break, so listen back to a previous interview with Marc Wion, first broadcast on 16th January 2023 plus a musical interlude with King Curly and Chicken-like BirdsChris chats to Marc about creating Streets Alive Darebin, a new community group trying to bring awareness to the challenges and opportunities to making Darebin a more vibrant, safe and liveable community and looking back at the progress, however small or big it may be along the way. Follow Streets Alive Darebin on twitter, instagram and subscribe to their newsletterProgram music Bike Song - Sleepy DreamersLinked - BonoboRiding our Bikes - Chicken-Like BirdsRiding in the dark - King Curly

With important station work happening today at 3CR, Faith and Val are taking a break. So listen back to a previous interview with Chris and Lena Huda first broadcast on 5th December 2022Chris catches up with Lena Huda from 30 Please, Safe Streets to School and Walk Sydney about her campaign for safe speeds on Australian local streets, creating walkable and cyclable local streets for children, New Zealands safe speeds around schools, the right to access public life without a car, micromobility as a disruptive technology, generational changes, launch of Better Streets campaign in NSW and speaking about Slow Down Day and presenters at the recent Micromobility Conference.

After our introductions, Chris and Steve chat about Paris Roubaix Femmes & Paris Roubaix Hommes, carbon fibre rims not handling the pavé, the 2023 Indy Pac not a race across Australia, changes to e-scooter trials, new corrals in Yarra, subscribing to the YarraBUG newsletters, Critical Mass Chapel Street article by PS Media, Curve Cycling rides and upcoming cyclocross seasonSteve discusses V/line changes to regional fares ($9.20, or $4.60 concession), planning your cycling adventures, what you need to know, being pragmatic about having flexible travel plans, issues in NSW with boxing bikes, ancient history from 2008 about bike bans on metro Melbourne Connex trains, low emission holidays starting from home and being aware of service changes and planned disruptions

After a Jane Jacobs quote and respective bike moments including new rail trails, Vancouver cycling infrastructure and truck pollution, Faith and Val chat to Dr Lauren Pearson about her research on gendered barriers to cycling, including Adults’ self-reported barriers and enablers to riding a bike for transport, Barriers and enablers of bike riding for transport and recreational purposes in Australia and What a girl wants: A mixed-methods study of gender differences in the barriers to and enablers of riding a bike in Australia. Also see The Conversation: How to get more women on bikes? Better biking infrastructure, designed by women, ABC: Limited escape routes on new Melbourne bike path a safety risk to women, cyclists say and Treehugger: Biggest Barrier to Biking Is the Fear of Cars Lauren discusses how lack of inclusivity, adequate planning and lack of safe seperated infrastructure influences how women perceive if they will ride a bicycle, as well as impacting upon mens participationNews includes recent Paris referendum on e-scooters, Victorian Road safety inquiry calls for submissions, War on Cars podcast: Feminist City with Leslie Kern and Conspiracy

On this weeks show Chris catches up with Julie (Port Phillip Bicycle Users Group) and Victoria (Stonnington Bicycle Users Group) about local active transport issues including Inkerman Street, Chapel Street, what local councils are doing (or not doing) and this weeks Critical Mass - Chapel Street ride at 5pm, Fed Square, Friday 31 March with a halfway pick up point: 5:45pm Fawkner Park (corner Park Street/Toorak Road) and ending 6:30pm, Alma Park West. Local news includes Yarra Council installing a new counterflow lane in Lambert Street, Richmond, Bike Melbourne organising a get together on Tuesday 28 March, Streets Alive Darebin newsletter with updates, progress on St Kilda Road protected lane construction and previous guests, Better Streets NSW becoming a national organisation.Program music:Cycling is fun - Shonen KnifeOur Streets - Dan Abrahams

Faith and Val are joined in the studio by Brunswick resident Paula Hanasz. We all share our bike moments and take a brief look at local news before turning to the Brunswick level crossing removal project.Like many Brunswick residents Paula and her family rely on bicycles to get around and are concerned about the impact of the project while the Upfield shared path is closed down. Questions around detours, whether they will match the Upfield in separation from traffic and directness, are a major concern for residents. Like most areas of Melbourne, Brunswick is over-reliant on a single traffic free route and it will now be out of action for lengthy periods. We also look at the opportunities the project provides to improve transport accessibility across Brunswick into the future.  Merri-bek Council are collecting feedback on what issues and opportunities residents can identify around the project. Have your say here. For listeners who heard our show about Dervla Murphy last year, Val has found this interview with her that you might enjoy.

On this weeks program Chris catches up with Tina McCarthy from Wheel Women, topics include almost ten years since we first spoke, creating rides for women, skills and confidence to get women on their bikes and future goals.Tina discusses issues regarding cycling infrastructure design processes, particularly the Westgate Tunnel Veloway ('Limited escape routes on new Melbourne bike path a safety risk to women, cyclists say', 5 March 2023), womens perceptions of personal safety in public space, a lack of understanding about designing fit for purpose cycling infrastructure for different types of riders and working towards inclusive city design.Local news includes Response to Footscray Road cyclist fatality after Angus Collins' death in February 2023, due to public opinion and the cycling communities response.Program music:Cycling is fun - Shonen KnifePeople are people - Depeche ModeBicycle - filous feat. klei

On this weeks show Chris talks to Nathan Reading from Bicycle Network about help required for the Yarra leg of Super Tuesday bike counts on 7am-9am, 7 March 2023 plus count details, information, how you can assist and also get a donation to local organisation or charity of choice for volunteering.Pierre from Bike West catches up for a interview about Critical Mass: Franco Cozzo Edition held on 24 February, the route details, a striking video of the ride taken by Maribynong Truck Action Group at Hopkins Street, increased freight movements creating dangerous conditions on our streets, active transport advocacy in antagonistic times, the bike lift at Franco Cozzo, Sydney vs Melbourne attitudes towards bike lanes and future plans for Critical Mass to head south.News includes, in no surprise to anyone, congestion continues across naarm Melbourne due to car dependency and Critical Mass goes to Chapel Street on Friday 31 March 2023Program music Cycling is fun - Shonen KnifeAlright - TychoGo West - Pet Shop BoysBicycle - filous feat. klei

Val and Faith kick off the show with the bike moments: a ride along the new section of the MTM Rail Trail from Yackandandah to Beechworth and joy sparked by a reminder of an old school component maker. We take a look at the statement from the Victorian Government on the death of Angus Collins on the Footscray Road protected shared path which you can read here, and recommend you read John Symon's from Bike West's article on safe system design and the shortcomings in its adoption in Victoria. We also celebrate ten years of Melbourne Bike Rave and eighteen years of World Naked Bike Ride in Melbourne. We take a look at the Brunswick LXRP Project and the opportunities and challenges this will provide. Initial local consultation is underway here with more consultation to come from the LXRP themselves. And finally a reminder about some local events: the important Critical Mass Ride Footscray edition to protest the lack of safe routes in the west of Melbourne is coming up this Friday February 24th and on Sunday March 5th the Vintage Cycling Club are hosting a Lazy Sunday Ride.