Concerns over Hindmarsh Drive changes
Pedal Power ACT has serious concerns about the Government’s plan to get rid of the on-road cycle lane on Hindmarsh Drive.
If you happen to be traveling along Hindmarsh Drive in the coming months, you may see a change. To Pedal Power’s surprise, the ACT Government is proposing to remove the on-road cycle lane heading eastwards toward Fyshwick. While we’re not a big fan of on-road cycle lanes, the Government is not proposing to replace it with anything else. This shows a complete lack of care for riders in the area.
About Hindmarsh
Two of the busiest commercial centres in Canberra are Woden and Fyshwick. They are connected by a (mostly) five lane dual carriageway that goes over Red Hill at 80 Km/h. It is busy with trucks, utes and cars, especially during peak hours. This route is called Hindmarsh Drive. It is one of the more successful routes and it is frequently carrying very dense traffic at speed.
That traffic density shows there is a need for this route, yet you rarely see a bike on it and never during peak hours, because it is not safe enough for bike riders. The government has recognised this reality, and has included suitable enhancements in its future cycling network. We have heard from many people who live in Woden and would like this route to be built. There is a huge missing link between the town centre and Fyshwick, that a separated lane along Hindmarsh will fix. The demand is already proved and if suitable infrastructure is put in place that provides a safer and more convenient alternative, it will be used. Every user that chooses to ride a bike on that route is one less car on the road: it would be an investment in the future-proofing of this essential road.
So why is the ACT Government getting rid of the on-road lane?
Today, Hindmarsh Drive is a main on-road cycle route. It is signposted and marked as such. In a few parts, however, we get the frustrating, and dangerous, situation where this on-road cycle lane just disappears. We think that is dangerous, and, to their credit, so does the ACT Government.
In response, Transport Canberra and City Services, have told us they will be simply be removing the signs saying that it is a cycle route and replace them with signs that alert motor vehicles there will be bicycles in their lane. This will happen at on a road that is 80Km/h, on a hill with turns reducing forward visibility, sometimes in dense traffic.
We’d be happy with this, if the Government was planning on providing a safe alternative. But they’re not! Instead, they’re removing the on-road lane with a vague promise that one day in the future they’ll look at building a separated lane along Hindmarsh. Given how long it is taking to build cycling infrastructure in Canberra, this could be decades away.
Historically, Canberra has been very good in providing alternatives to forcing bikes to share lanes with motor traffic at 80 Km/h and above, whether it is with a hard shoulder or a path alongside. Pedal Power does not accept the risk that will be applied to bike riders using this road if the proposed signage change is made.
If the Government recognises that this route is unsafe they should just fix it. Getting rid of signs and pretending the problem isn’t there anymore isn’t a solution at all.
