YarraBUG

Val and Faith take to the studio on an unseasonably cool December morning and share our bicycle moments which involve hail and jacarandas. We take a look at a few news items including a research released by Victoria Walks which find traders in shopping strips oversestimate the number of customers that arrive by car, and the ongoing saga of doping in cycling and Russia. We then play an interview recorded with Tina McCarthy of Wheel Women about her most recent cycling trip to Japan, cycling The Golden Route, Biwaichi, the Japanese government's interest in more cyclists visiting Japan and the logistical issues still to be grappled with. We finish up with a reminder that the Road Safety Symposium is coming up in March 2020.

On this weeks show Chris talks to Nat Bromhead from Bicycling Australia Magazine about sentencing for Jason Lowndes death in 2017, including distracted driving, what's needed to improve road user behaviour, mobile phone use, Gitta Scheenhouwers death in South Yarra, Australian states not having standardised legal responses to minimum passing laws, improving infrastructure and an apparent disconnection between sentencing and community expectations.We also chat about Commuter Cycling: will Australia embrace salary sacrifice ride to work schemes, who's possibly next in line to run the Tour Down Under, upcoming Bicycling Australia events and the next January/ February 2020 edition with three major features by women writers.Local news includes The A-Z of cycling in Melbourne that lists everything from ByK, Jetnikoff shop rides (highly recommended!), previous guests Melburn Durt and Rally for the Future of Melbourne's Transport.

Val and Faith are joined in the studio today by Dr Elliot Fishman of the Institute for Sensible Transport. We share our bike moments before taking a look at news including: Sydney Cycleways working with Google Maps and looking for user feedback on bike routing, (upload screenshots and photos using your google account), Maribyrnong Draft Bicycle Strategy 2019-2029 now open for feedback and TV viewership for womens cyclocross race in Belgium is greater than for the men's event for the first time. Elliot explains the motivation behind the Road Safety Symposium he has planned for March 2020 featuring both Australian and Dutch safety experts. We talk about the sudden increase in road deaths in Victoria, and other areas of Australia, particularly amongst cyclists and pedestrians and discuss the strategies the Netherlands has used to improve road safety over the past four or five decades and how these might be used to address Australian issues. Details about the Road Safety Symposium being held in both Sydney and Melbourne can be found here.We finish the program with a couple of events. Tuesday in Brunswick a Community Meeting: A Better Sydney Road anda Community Social Ride: River Cruise hosted by Inner West Community Bike Hub.

On this weeks program Chris talks to Robert Jamieson about using the word crash not accident, along with a free-ranging conversation about South east Melbourne transport issues. We discuss the new City of Casey Walking and Cycling Strategy, The Bike Nerds (Episode 71, Jessie Singer), The Spokesmen podcast (Episode 214, Journalists: it's crash not accident), Jeff Speck TED Talks on Walkable Communities and Transport Alternatives: Crash Not Accident campaign.Local news and events includes Abbotsford Convents Open Spaces Festival 2019 that saw hundreds of people ride and walk to the convent area, Eyewatch Moreland seeking witnesses to a crash at Lygon St/Glenlyon Road intersection on Tuesday 5 November, Albert and Lansdowne streets in East Melbourne getting a protected intersection for cyclists and Moreland Councils next meeting on Wednesday 13 November having two important bicycle-related agenda items. See Extend the Upfield Bike Path to Upfield: Extension of path to Western Ring Road stymied by Metro Trains, VicTrack and Cycling options on Sydney Road - Advocacy options (pdf)

Val and Faith welcome Andrew Talati to the studio for an update on the Neighbourly Rides program. With the backing of Brunswick Cycling Club and other supporters Andrew has been able to bring this innovative program for getting the local community back on their bikes to Moreland. You can find all the details about Neighbourly Ride and programs here.

On this weeks program Chris talks to Tim Read, MP for Brunswick and Cr Jackie Fristacky from City of Yarra.Since Tim and I first spoke in July 2019 about the Sydney Road Improvement Project, the state government have back tracked on VicRoads survey results and have possibly delayed any trial until level crossing works are finished in 2021. Tim Read talks about taking a proactive approach, working to improve accessibility and allowing Moreland Council to conduct a seperated bike lane trial. Come along to a upcoming public Community Meeting: A Better Sydney Road on Tuesday, 19 November 2019, St Ambrose Community Centre, 259A Sydney Road, BrunswickCr Jackie Fristacky speaks about her observations between 2012 and 2019 on Vancouvers sustainable transport success, how the city achieved mode share goals, strong emphasis upon safety, building seperated bicycle lanes, differences between US and Australian funding mix and Transportation 2040 which sets out a long-term strategic plan for the city that will help guide transportation and land use decisions and public investments.Local news includes Bike Maintenance workshop part of the Community Climate Action Workshop Series, Saturday, 16 November 2019, 20 Murray Rd, Coburg North

Val and Faith are joined in the studio by Herschel Landes. We all share our bike moments before taking a brief look at some news, specifically a Dutch Cycling Embassy report that finds weather is not one of the factors influencing peoples' choice to use a bike for transport trips. Discussion turns to the Safe Cycling Corridor pilot in the City of Glen Eira, an attempt to link existing cycling infrastructure with a route across suburbs. Of the potential routes Inkerman Road lends itself well to this sort of infrastructure and would enable 8-80 cycling in an area which has a high level of car dependency. Herschel discusses the benefits of the route for the local community in terms of enhanced transport mode choices, improved access to local services and ammenities and community building as well as the fears voiced by those against the project. A first for the City of Glen Eira, this is a project that will be followed with interest. As an ongoing project be sure to send the City of Glen Eira your thoughts if this project has the potential to affect you.

On this weeks program Chris talks to film maker Liz Canning about Motherload, her crowdsourced cargobike documentary with one hundred co-directors. Liz speaks about her families journey to discovering cargobikes as fun, freedom, a transport solution and creating a world-wide community over eight years. You can join the Motherload community by hosting a screening, following on YouTube and subscribing to newsletters (scroll down page)Local cycling-themed news includes City of Melbourne Transport Vision 2030, two Yarra Ride2Work Day events on Wednesday 16 October, 7.30am-9am at Abbotsford Convent and Smith Reserve, 180 Alexandra Parade, Collingwood, the new Bennett Street Priority Crossing consultation from Yarra City Council and Upfield Shared Path at Railway Place, Brunswick consultation from Moreland City Council.You can assist people-powered radio by subscribing or donating to 3CR and help to keep one of the best community radio stations on air!

Val and Faith are joined in the studio today by guest Jenica Brooke of Melbourne Commuter. We all share our bicycle moments before taking a look at some news including; the 2019 cycling participation results which show a decline in cycling across Australia, the opening of Quarry Park in Footscray this coming weekend and the Australian Walking and Cycling Conference coming up in Adelaide later this month. Hear more about it in this earlier podcast. Val fills us in on VACRO, the organisation behind our awesome sponsor, Second Chance Cycles. Discussion turns to the 2019 Bicycle Network elections in which both Faith Hunter and our studio guest, Jenica Brooke are candidates. Two positions are open on the Board and each member has two votes. Faith and Jenica talk about what they think they can bring to the Board, the future they hope to see for Bicycle Network and its strengths as a cycling advocacy organisation. Voting is open from October 1-16 for all Bicycle network members. Read more about all the candidates here.

On this weeks program Chris talks to Jeremy Miller about the 2019 Australian Cycling & Walking Conference to be held at Port Adelaide from 24-25 October 2019 with the theme Active Transport in a Changing Environment, key note speakers including Professor Billie Giles-Corti and Associate Professor Paul Tranter, challenges facing creating a inclusive walking and cycling enviroment, whats in the program, creating a affordable, volunteer-run conference, side events including Outer Harbor Greenway ride, Adelaide Bike Fest 2019 + Motherload screening on 13 October. Motherload is a crowdsourced documentary about a new mother’s quest to understand the increasing isolation and disconnection of the digital age, its planetary impact, and how cargo bikes could be an antidote.Local news includes Glen Eira Safe Cycling Corridor Listening Post at Caulfield Park on Sunday 6 October, also please ensure you add feedback to the consultation here, Boroondara Councils Proposed Amenity Local Law review 2019, a screening of the above-mentioned Motherload as part of Bike Palooka Bendigo launch Friday 4 October, WeCycle in Northcote having a Open Morning, Thursday 3 October, Jenica Brooke and fellow YarraBUG Radio presenter Faith Hunter standing in the 2019 Bicycle Network board elections and a reminder about the Giant BikeWest Fest launch on 12 October.