Current Issues

2008 ACT Election

Build, sign and maintain our cycle network

The ACT Election is on October 18, 2008.  We have focussed on building, signing and maintaining our cycle network in our election submission.  It's a big chance for us to improve cycling conditions in Canberra (and stop our cycle paths crumbling away!).  You can read more about it here.

 About Pedal Power advocacy

"More Canberrans cycling, more often, for a better community".  That's our mantra and that's our objective.  We advocate to the ACT Government and other authorities the solutions that will get the most Canberrans cycling, more often, for the least cost.

We:

• Choose and advocate the best solutions (whether it be a bike path design, bicycle parking guidelines, more buses with bike racks on them);
• Market cycling generally, and in particular, our cycling solutions in submissions, meetings, the media and our website;
• Build relationships with the relevant people; and
• Encourage and help our members and others to also promote cycling.

The advocacy team is composed of volunteers and our cycling advocate, Ben Battisson.  We meet regularly (at homes with food and wine!) to get things done.  We're focused, streetsmart and happy (because we cycle!).  For more information, contact advocacy@pedalpower.org.au.  The advocacy team leader is Tony Shields.

Over recent years, the solutions we have advocated and have been implemented include:

• $3.6 million in funding for cycle projects in the 2008-09 ACT Budget including Cotter Rd cycle lanes, Jerrabomberra wetlands path, directional signage and State Circle cycle lanes;
• The building of the $2.75 million Downer-Woden on-road cycling link;
• The best bicycle parking guidelines in Australia;
• Bike racks on intertown 300-series buses;
• Much-improved cycling and walking engineering design standards;
• Many kilometres of cycle lanes that make cycling and driving quicker and safer.  These have often been marked as part of re-sealing when lines have to be re-marked anyway, so adding a cycle lane is cost effective;
• Implementation of a 50 km/h speed limit. As a result of our campaign, 328 residents asked the Minister for Urban Services for a 50 km/h speed limit;
• Signage for bicycle paths; and
• A new ACT cycleway map.

From 2005 to 2007, we were awarded community grants by Australian Ethical Investment to do our work, including a $6,600 grant in 2007.

We have won the Cycling Promotion Fund's:

• 2002 National Bicycling Achievement Award for Advocacy;
• 2003 National Award for Media; and
• 2004 Honorary Cycling Advocate of the Year (runner-up)

More recently, we have given other groups a chance to win some awards.


How you can get what you want

Canberra is still a small place and it is easier to get things done than you think.  The ACT Government's Sustainable Transport Plan for the ACT aims to increase cycling from 2.3% of journey to work trips to 5.0% in 2011, so there is a generally supportive environment we're operating in, but we still have to do work.  Below are some ideas on how, with a little bit of work (sometimes 5 minutes!), you can get things done.  The important thing is to do it.  However, if you don't do anything and just whinge to others, it's like peeing in your wetsuit: if gives you a nice, warm feeling, but no one else cares!  Remember: the squeaky hinge gets the most oil.

How to write to a Minister

A good thing about living in the ACT is that it is small compared to other Australian states and, therefore, government is more accessible.  Often, an ACT MLA will personally respond to your letter/email.  As a consequence, your correspondence has a lot more impact than elsewhere.  If you want to improve something for cycling, don't waste your effort whinging to friends; email a Minister!  If it is a cycling hazard you wish to report, please follow our guidelines for reporting it.

Some pointers:

• The Sustainable Transport Plan for the ACT aims to increase the percentage of work trips by bicycle and, since 2001, the ACT Government has put this into practice by creating new cycle lanes, bike racks on buses and new bicycle parking standards.  Of course, we would always like them to do more.
  
• The Minister for Territory and Municipal Services is John Hargreaves (as at Feburary 2008).  He is responsible for roads, cycle paths, etc., so he is the Minister you will most likely want to contact.  The ACT Legislative Assembly website lists the MLAs in each electorate and how to contact them.
  
• Generally positive, happy, sensible emailed letters work best.  Politicians get a lot of negative criticism, so positive letters stand out and it will show you are not a deranged nutter!  As Gandhi said, "A teaspoon of honey catches more flies than a gallon of bile."
  
• A picture is worth a thousand words.  If you can attach a photo of what needs to be fixed, then please do!  A picture can make it immediately clear what the problem is and leaves the reader in little doubt.
  
• Brevity is next to godliness.
  
• Your letter or email message does not have to be a literary masterpiece, but you do have to send it.  Great is good, but done is better!
  
• Include your name and address to give your letter more credibility.

Here is an example:

Dear Minister

I am writing to ask that Canberra's cycle paths be better signed.  It's great that Canberra has so many cycle paths, but it is frustrating and discouraging when you get lost on them.  I recently moved to Canberra and rode back from Woden to Manuka last Wednesday evening.  What should have been a 30 minute ride turned into a two hour ride when I got lost in Yarralumla with darkness falling.  Signing the cycle paths would prevent others suffering my fate and would be good for tourism, too.

I hope you can help.

Sarah Smith
123 Green Street
Manuka ACT 2602

Other resources

How to get a cycling hazard fixed

What to do if harassed my a motorist

This page is maintained by Ben Elliston.

Last updated: Friday, July 25, 2008