Reports Officer comment:-
The year 2007 has seen a change in the way the Cairns City Council administers CBUG reports. Reports from cyclists in the community are forwarded to council staff via the council website. After some uncertainty about how the system works and liason with council officers, we are required to detail not only individual reports but all individual items within that report and submit them separately. If a report goes to the council email we get no reply. If a report goes to the Resdients Response System on the website we are given a confirmation email but no job number. After sending many reports we found that the correct way to send reports was to "request for service" on the website and then as well as a confirmation email we get a "job number". 9 reports and 31 responses have been sent so far this year.
This year sees Queensland Transport and Cardno, a consulting firm, produce the FNQ Cycle Regional.Network Plan. CBUG has made a submission and will attend the workshops. This plan will be incorporated into the FNQ 2025 Regional Plan and hopefully will receive funding to implement the goals to increase cycling with cabinet approval. The study team has reported that cycling numbers are decreasing probably due to increased traffic on our roads. It could also be possible that narrow road shoulders and bike lanes could also deter cyclists from riding on the road. Hopefully this plan will help to correct that and will actually increase cycling for the many benfits to our community. Our CBUG reports will prove to be a valuable tool for the consultants when they produce the cycle network plan
Over the past 12 years, 246 reports supported by 31 responses have been reported are now in the process of being recorded, inspected and continual communication with many people and we have achieved a considerable degree of awareness and improvement in the bikeway network, not only for cyclists of all ages but for people with disabilities who ride tricycles and wheelchairs, people pushing prams and walking the dog, pedestrians etc. Many works still need to be done. We are concerned that small works such as a pot hole is quickly done but more important safety issues and attention to detail is not so readily attended to such as standard width bike lanes, road to path connections and much more. By looking through these reports we get to understand the enormity of the problems out there for people in our community.
It is also recognised that increased cyclist numbers on the road provides greater safety by creating more awareness of their presence. In the name of road safety, black spot intersections will be treated with "green paint" on the bike lanes. Will increased cyclist numbers also have the same effect? Green paint is expensive and funds are also needed for widening those dangerous road shoulders to provide standard width bike lanes. See the subject list and find out where our dangerous roads are.
The Bikeability Toolkit - Bikeability Web
Site
The bikeability Toolkit is a resource that every one can use,
engineers, planners, advocacy groups and cyclists in our communities. We would
like to suggest that our cyclists have a go at using this tool to enhance their
reports. Here are a few simple steps:-
1. Go to the bikeability web
site.
2. Click on Route Based Checklist.
3. Save to your computer.
4. Print 2 copies and study the questions.
5. Select a bike route from home to
your most travelled destination.
6. Ride the bike route and make notes and
take photos as you go.
7. Then fill in the questions on the checklist.
8. Send to CBUG and keep the second copy for reference
9. Keep us informed about the progress of your report
SUBJECT COLOUR CODE: Red, Dangerous; Orange, Hazard; Green, good; Black, completed
| DATE | No | SUBJECT | LOCATION | AGENCY | PROBLEM | ACTION | STATUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25/11/07 | 247 | fence | Kamerunga Rd, Stratford | CCC Division 10 | squeese point - fence too close to edge line | dangerous for cyclists in heavy traffic | request to MR to move fence |
| 3/11/07 | 246 | railways crossings | Lower Freshwater Rd | CCC Division 10, 12 | slippery lines - cycling accidents | cyclists needing ambulance attention | request to CCC to erect warning signs |
| 9/10/07 | 245 | roundabout | Machans Beach School | CCC Division 10 | fence obstruction | high fence at corner of the road obstructs vision of cyclists entering roundabout | RR 30 |
| 6/9/07 | 244 | bike lanes | Greenslopes St | CCC Division 8 | various road conditions | sections of road need widening - new surface needed before line marking bike lanes | RR 29 - CCC Pedestrian and Cycle Strategy Works 2007/08 |
| 29/7/07 | 243 | bicycle parking | Botanical Gardens | CCC Division 8 | old bike parking | bicycle parking needs upgrading in line with gardens projects | emails to CCC - no response |
| 29/7/07 | 242 | glass on roads | Cairns | CCC All Division - MR | glass not swept | cycle lanes made hazzardous | emails to MR and CCC - no response from CCC |
| 23/7/07 | 241 | contra-flow | Woodward St | CCC Division 8 | no bicycle facility | cyclists cannot travel contra-flow on the road - access to footpath needed on south side - access to footpath and missing footpath needed on north side | emails to CCC |
| 15/7/07 | 240 | bike lanes | Collins Ave | CCC Division 8 | narrow bike lane | bike lane includes gutter between traffic lane next to centre island and unsurmountable kerb - bit of asqueese beside a bus or large vehicle | emails to CCC - construction done - too late to do anything |
| 2/11/07 | 239 | road to path connections | Collins Ave | CCC Division 8 | no transition | cyclists cannot safely exit bike path and enter or cross road at Saltwater Creek and western end of Collins St bike path | inspection needed |
| 9/10/07 | 238 | traffic lanes | McLeod St | CCC Division 6 | widths | querie re traffic lane and bike lanes widths | emails to CCC |
| 24/6/07 | 237 | traffic calming | Downing St | CCC Division 5 | narrow bike lane | cyclists and wheelchairs forced to travel in single traffic lane for two way traffic | emails to CCC - no response |
| 30/4/07 | 236 | path connection | Veivers Rd to Cedar Rd | CCC Division 11 | no transition | cyclists have no facility to travel between the two roads | RR 21 - 2007/08 Pedestrian and Cycle Strategy works |
| 30/4/07 | 235 | road to path connections | Henley St and DeJarlais Ave | CCC Division 4 | bad transition | cyclists cannot safely exit paths to enter the road | RR 17,18 |
| 9/4/07 | 234 | bike lanes | Lake St | CCC Division 6 | bike lanes | inconsistent surface of road shoulders need to be improved before bike lanes can be marked | RR 15 - CCC Pedestrian and Cycle Strategy works 2007/08 |
| 9/4/07 | 233 | bike lanes | Bicentennial Rd | CCC Division 2,3 | bike lanes not finished | road widening for on-road bicycle facility to connect to Robert Rd | RR 14 - no response |
| 9/4/07 | 232 | foot path | Poolwood Rd school | CCC Division 11 | continuity of footpath | obstruction at western end of school - no cutouts at road entrance to school - no footpath in road reserve | RR 12 |
| 2/4/07 | 231 | bike lanes | Holloways Beach Access - Oleander Dr | CCC Division 10 | bike lanes | no bike lanes at culvert and corner of road | RR 11 - 2007/08 Pedestrian and Cycle Strategy works |