To: Mayor of Leichhardt and Councillors

Maintain the $400,000 funding for the Leichhardt Bike Plan

Dear Mayor, please renew funding (to at least the level of 2012/2013 ($440,000 p.a.)) for the Leichhardt Bike Strategy (Bike Plan) in the Budget for 2014/2015. The new bike plan being prepared will be of no use unless a regular amount of funding is set aside to implement it over next 5 years.

Why is this important?

Leichhardt Council has a good reputation for its Bicycle Strategy. The number of residents and families who use bicycles is growing strongly. All parties have supported funding the plan in the past, but Liberal and Labor councillors cut to zero the $400,000 budget for new projects for 2013/14. Much has been achieved in the last 6 years but several major links and many smaller but useful works remain to be completed, and women and children are under represented in bicycle counts due to lack of safety concerns. The Bike Plan is being updated this year. Renewed regular funding is vital to complete and improve the cycling network, so the coming generation can cycle safely and easily around Leichhardt.

How it will be delivered

Will deliver the signatures to the Council before budget day.

Links

Campaign Website

Updates

2014-04-17 10:06:51 +1000

If you live in the electorate of Balmain you will probably have received the postal vote and on-line voting details for the preselection of the Labor candidate for Balmain. The choice is between the Mayor, Darcy Byrne and the former member and Labor Minister Verity Firth. There has been no indication from the Mayor in his campaign that funding for the Leichhardt Bike Plan will be reinstated in this year's coming budget, so I believe the choice is fairly clear, given the clear support for cycling by Verity Firth, in the past and in her campaign." Anyone can vote, you don't have to be a Labor Party member or supporter.

2014-02-09 17:16:39 +1100

Budget time will be approaching shortly. Please let the Mayor and councillors know over the next month or two you are keen to see funding reinstated, so that the new Bike Plan, due for release mid year, has a regular amount and source of funding. Contact details at http://www.leichhardt.nsw.gov.au/About-Council/Mayor-and-Councillors. Bike Leichhardt is looking for new members willing to carry on with bicycle advocacy and lobbying work, see bikeleichhardt.org.

2013-08-20 12:34:38 +1000

Thanking petitioners once again. I see there are still a few people signing. Council did not reinstate the Bike Budget for this year, and it is running on carryover funds only. It has found a little money to fund a new Bike Plan study (will take 12 to 18 months), and staff seem committed to doing the best with the funds available. I hope I can call on you again next year to keep the mayor to his promise to reinstate (new) funding for 2014/15.

Some bicycle safety initiatives you might support are:

Local State Greens member Jamie Parker is bringing a bill before State Parliament to have a mandatory 1m passing distance inserted in the road rules.There is background on the AGF One Metre Matters campaign and the proposed legislation, and a petition, at
http://leichhardtbug.ning.com/forum/topics/a-metre-matters-campaign.

Cycling organisations have got together to produce a website the federal Election on http://Vote4cycling.com.au.

2013-06-21 11:35:46 +1000

Thankyou all very much for supporting the campaign. The Council meets next week on Tuesday 25th June to decide on the Budget for 2013/14. I will be presenting the petition then to councillors. If you can, please consider coming along to the Town Hall in Marion St. Meeting starts 7 pm, so be there earlier if you can to get a seat. A final email to [email protected] asking simply "please reinstate the 13/14 Bike Budget for 2013/14" would be useful.
While I am here, the petition to run a regular Ciclovia or Sunday Street event is still open at http://www.communityrun.org/petitions/sunday-streets. Good news is that local councils have agreed for a trial of an event in 2014!
Thankyou
Bob Moore
Bike Leichhardt
bikeleichhardt.org