Sydney’s bike boom rolls on


The boom in the number of Sydneysiders riding has continues, with the latest independent count showing there’s been a 13 per cent increase in the number of bike trips in the past 12 months.

The counts, conducted twice a year at 100 intersections across central Sydney, show a 113 per cent increase in bike trips since counting began in March 2010.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said such significant growth in the number of riders over a short time span was very encouraging.

“Sydney is embracing riding as a safe, convenient and healthy transport option,” the Lord Mayor said.

“We’re expecting these numbers to grow as we work to link parts of our cycleway network. Next year we will complete the final section of the Kent Street cycleway, extending one of our busiest cycling routes from Druitt to Liverpool Street.

“This is an important part of delivering the integrated transport network promised by the NSW Government’s Sydney City Centre Access Strategy, which will help achieve our shared targets to grow the number of people riding and reduce congestion on our roads.

“In 2014 we will move quickly to provide the planned separated cycleways in the CBD to create north/south connections on Castlereagh and Pitt Streets and east/west connections on Liverpool, King and Park Streets. We will also complete a cycleway between Green Square and the city centre.”

On average, around 2,000 riders are passing through each of the City’s top intersections each day, more than doubling the number of bikes on many streets compared to March 2010.

  • Liverpool St / College St / Wentworth St / Oxford St – 2,201 trips, up from 641;
  • Upper Fort St / near the Sydney Harbour Bridge cycle ramp (Watson St) – 2,156 trips, up from 1351;
  • Pyrmont Bridge Rd / Murray St / Pirrama Rd / Darling Dr – 1,980 trips, up from 1,272; and
  • Anzac Parade / Cleveland St / Lang Rd – 1,942 bike trips, up from 621

Since March 2010 some of the intersections linked to the City’s new cycleways have experienced the biggest increase in bike numbers, including Anzac Parade which is now about five times busier (383 per cent).

Macquarie Street, Kent Street and Bourke Street have all seen increases of up to four times the amount of bike trips in the same period.

“This strong growth shows the need to continue building cycleways and provide a safe and connected network of bike lanes in the city,” the Lord Mayor said.

The City of Sydney’s planned 200-kilometre bike network includes a mix of different types of bike paths, including 55 kilometres of separated cycleways.

So far, 10 kilometres of separated cycleways have been built, including more than three kilometres in the city centre. A further stretch of 5.3 kilometres is in design and consultation phases. Work on the second stage of the Kent Street cycleway will soon connect North Sydney with Darling Harbour and Chinatown.

Through the Central Sydney Traffic and Transport Committee, the City of Sydney and the NSW Government are working together to finish the design of central Sydney’s separated cycleway network.

For more information visit City of Sydney