A first look at rural cycling in Australia
Regional cyclists are negotiating some unique obstacles, including trucks and high vehicle speeds, according to the first study of safety issues impacting cyclists and drivers in rural areas in Australia.
The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) partnered with the Baw Baw Shire Council to conduct the research, which aimed to identify the issues that impact regional cyclists and drivers as they share country roads.
MUARC researcher, and co-author of the ‘Bike it Baw Baw’ study, Dr Marilyn Johnson said the findings provided an important first look at the issues for country road users.
“While some of the issues are what we would expect from cyclists and drivers anywhere, others were specific to regional areas. These specific issues included poorly maintained road surfaces, high speed limits and trucks,” Dr Johnson said.
“Often cyclists were sharing the road with cars and large trucks along narrow windy roads with 100km/h speed limits. On some of those roads, there’s not a whole lot of room to move for the cyclists or the drivers.
In addition to seeking the major cycling-related concerns, ‘Bike it Baw Baw’ proposed several key countermeasures, including road quality improvement, better bike lane markings, a review of speed limits, an education campaign to correct current misinformation about cyclist and driver rights and responsibilities, as well as greater police enforcement of dangerous driver and cyclist behavior.
Baw Baw Shire’s internal research suggests that cycling is the most frequent activity conducted within the municipality each year. Approximately 30,000 trips are undertaken along the Two Towns Trail between Warragul and Drouin annually, a figure which has increased by 30 per cent each year since the trail was constructed.
Baw Baw Shire Council Mayor, Diane Blackwood said that in an ideal world more people would be riding bikes.
“Most of us have bikes at home. What Council needs to do is work with VicRoads and the local police to make people feel safer when they’re cycling. This report isn’t an end-point, it’s just the catalyst for constructive cooperation aimed at getting people on their bikes,” Cr Blackwood said.
‘Bike It Baw Baw’ was funded by a community road safety grant from the Transport Accident Commission and Baw Baw Shire Council. The research was undertaken in conjunction with representatives of Victoria Police, Gippsland Road Safety Network, VicRoads, GippsTAFE, West Gippsland Healthcare Group, Gippsland Bike Ed, Community College Gippsland and local cycling groups.