#Vote4Cycling in 2015 NSW Election

[Rob74]

Right......Time to Start Lobbying the Local MP's, you have to say it to them more than once.

Per Previous Post Thu Aug 15, 2013 10:09 pm

How about we get all the "Local Council Unfunded Cycling Strategy Web Pages" Highlighted to the Local MP Incumbent & Prospective Candidates...may as well be upfront....they have sold the Newcastle Port...should be plenty of coin left over from that!!

=>> Lets make the Cycleway Funding a "NSW Govt Priority",

Start with sending an email or Letter to the Local MP Incumbent & Prospective Candidates highlighting the Local Council Cycling Plans that have yet to be funded.
Here are some in the Hunter Valley
http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/service ... g_strategy
http://www.lakemac.com.au/cycling-strategy-2021
http://www.maitland.nsw.gov.au/Recreati ... #cycleways

Rob

[Rob74]

Consider something like the DRAFT Letter below to suit your specific Location/Area


****************
Hi YYYY,

As State Member for XXXXXX, and therefore in a position to bring about change as part of the upcoming NSW State Election, I would like to bring to your attention the unfunded Local County Council (LCC) Cycleways Strategies located at the following LCC web addresses:
http://AAAA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://BBBB" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://CCCC" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Obtaining funding for the Local Council Cycleways strategies is an opportunity not to be missed. It will energise the local area providing options for cycle touring and lifestyle changes for Hunter Valley Residents similar to the success of the Fernleigh Track.

This coupled with funding for remediation then completing a Transport Interchange at Clyde St Gas Works Site and installing either:
a) light rail along the existing heavy rail corridor into the CBD from Clyde St Gas Works Site.
or
b) running buses along the Heavy Rail corridor into the CBD from Clyde St Gas Works Site. (and take all buses off Hunter St)

In the case of both a) & b) there is the opportunity to provide an additional off road cycle path along the existing heavy rail corridor between the Newcastle CBD and the Clyde St Gas Works Site.

With the approval of the Newcastle University Campus on Hunter St, provision of a direct off road cycle route between the Hunter St Campus and the Callaghan Campus at Waratah is of upmost importance.

Further to encourage people to combine cycle commuting with train travel eg: between Newcastle & Maitland, or any train station and Newcastle University Callaghan or Hunter St, it is necessary to change the train carriage design so that bicycles can be easily carried on trains, rather than having to stand in the breezeway in the rear most carriage and payment of the additional 1/2 fair. This video shows the limited bicycle hooks/bike stowage areas that are provided

http://www.bicycleinfo.nsw.gov.au/maps/ ... rains.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The bicycle stowage of bicycles on trains at present is very limited, peak hour commuting with a bicycle on trains is a challenge

http://www.transportnsw.info/sites/en/t ... oards.page" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Discusses and outlines the challenges of transporting bicylces "On regional trains

You need to make a reservation for your bicycle, surfboard or snowboard when buying a ticket to travel on the NSW regional trains and coach network. There is limited space for this equipment – 5 spaces on XPT and 3 on XLORER trains, and 2 spaces on each coach.

Book your equipment when purchasing your ticket by phone or at a booking office (it cannot be done online).
Bicycles must be dissembled and packed in a bicycle box. Boxes can be obtained from bicycle retailers or at the station.

There is no charge for a folding bicycle to ride on NSW regional trains and coaches. Folding bikes must be in a protective cover and no larger than 79cm length x 59cm height x 36cm width."

Other Countries provide Additional Bicycle Stowage
http://www.seat61.com/bike-by-train.htm#.VOAdz8ZnWkE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Shows a picture eg "Cycle compartments: This is the cycle compartment in the City Night Line sleeper train from Amsterdam to Zurich..."

=>> The ability to take standard bicycles on trains with ease is essential in improving the transport bottlenecks and encouraging people to combine cycle commuting with train travel.

Thanks for considering the above & looking forward to your support.

Regards,
Your Name Here

[Rob74]

Sep. 1, 2014 - Bicycle NSW Newcastle’s CycleSafe Network Announcement

cyclesafenetwork.org.au

Aug. 29, 2014, - Hunter could be the cycling capital of Australia

Sept. 1, 2014, - Cycleway costs well worth it

Feb. 23, 2015 - Cycleways would transform how we live

Rob

[Rob74]

Noted this:
*****************************
*****************************
See Change Forum - Safe Cycling Infrastructure

The City of Newcastle and the CycleSafe Organising Group invite you to a See Change Forum.

These Forums present prominent speakers to help inform, inspire and develop an understanding of city revitalisation in Newcastle.

Time: 6:30pm – 8.30pm,
Date: Thursday 5 March 2015
Where: FREE at Newcastle City Hall, King Street. Light refreshments provided.
Register: Places are limited. Email: Deborah.Moore@heartfoundation.org.au

Speakers and panel:
Paul Bevan – MC
Dick van den Dool – With 25 years’ experience and a strong commitment to the community and environment, Dick is well known for his research into traffic planning. Bringing fresh ideas from Holland, his current focus is designing for bicycles and pedestrians with a view to creating a healthy planet, people, and places.
Sam Reich – Secretary of the Newcastle Cycleways Movement and member, CycleSafe Network Organising Group.
The City of Newcastle - Presentation on latest revitalisation projects.
Liesl Tesch – Paralympian and advocate for people with disabilities.
Sara Stace – Director of LinkPlace and Bicycle NSW board member.

For more information visit
http://www.cyclesafenetwork.org.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

*****************************
*****************************

Rob

[Rob74]

A List of the "Local government cycling strategies"

So find yours and send a letter to your local incumbent or prospective local member highlighting that $ should be allocated to complete them and all the other "Local government cycling strategies" .

Rob

[find_bruce]

Did laugh at my local clowncil - Canada Bay Bike Plan (2005). In that 10 years their bike plan has consisted of build bits of the 7km bay run, tick, splash some white paint randomly around the burbs & call em bike lanes

[AUbicycles]

Your council must be loaded with all of that cash to spend on bicycle stencils.

[find_bruce]

Your council must be loaded with all of that cash to spend on bicycle stencils.

Bingo draw for upper house is now done - http://candidates.elections.nsw.gov.au/default.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - Cyclists Party is Group X. No land tax drew the coveted donkey vote

[Mulger bill]

Your council must be loaded with all of that cash to spend on bicycle stencils.

Bingo draw for upper house is now done - http://candidates.elections.nsw.gov.au/default.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - Cyclists Party is Group X. No land tax drew the coveted donkey vote

"No parking meters" party?

So there's a group of motorists campaigning solely for the right to be even more subsidised by taxpayers?

[find_bruce]

Nice to see Omar out on the hustings riding his bike.

I hadn't realised in NSW that you can put your preferences for the upper house "above the line"

The extra option voters have in NSW is 'above the line' preference voting. A voter can vote above the line 1 for Party A, and 2 for Party B, and preferences will be imputed to be for the candidates of each party as listed, first for Party A's candidates and then Party B's candidates. Alternatively, voters can vote 'below the line' for candidates, but a minimum of 15 preferences must be shown.

The only preferences that count in NSW are those filled in by voters themselves. There is no Senate-style party control of preferences.

[Rob74]

Political parties lack long term vision for bike riders

"26 March 2015. With the New South Wales election only two days away, all major parties have now made policy announcements relating to bike riding, and they don't set the world on fire."

looks like there is only one real choice....

Rob

[AUbicycles]

Because this is generally for forum / site related announcements (rather than external news) I would like to move this to the cycling safety and advocacy section which is relevant for the ACP.

[find_bruce]

Seems like a sensible place to move it to Christopher.

Omar was out on the hustings again this morning, this time outside the Pyrmont Bridge Hotel. At least I think he was campaigning - could just have been enjoying the early opener & stepped outside for a breath of fresh air.

Vote early, vote often

[Rob74]

Hey Chis,

We can always Vote for Goats!

Rob

[Xplora]

Upper House ballot paper was interesting. Seems that all the major parties had a lot of candidates. I wonder if it was a deliberate ploy by Omar to stack the party to lend legitimacy? Well played if it was.

[find_bruce]

Upper House ballot paper was interesting. Seems that all the major parties had a lot of candidates. I wonder if it was a deliberate ploy by Omar to stack the party to lend legitimacy? Well played if it was.

To be a party & have votes above the line, you must have 15 candidates. Currently 39% of the vote counted, Australian Cyclists Party has 0.4% of the vote - need a bit under 5% to be elected

[Alex Simmons/RST]

[Xplora]

Need for a more positive agenda? That's punishing... would have hoped for more forward motion - although I do wonder if there is a backlash against minor parties right now. Every time they start getting power, things seem to go bad and all the minors get punished.

[biker jk]

Over a quarter of a million reasons why compulsory voting is stupid.

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Need for a more positive agenda? That's punishing... would have hoped for more forward motion - although I do wonder if there is a backlash against minor parties right now. Every time they start getting power, things seem to go bad and all the minors get punished.

How's Senator Muir doing for the Victorian motorists right now?

[Xplora]

Who knows Alex. His vote has completely dropped off the agenda. Arguable that he hasn't affected policy at all for quite some time. I was hoping that Omar might have been able to convert to a seat, because he would have pushed the agenda quite well, while being unable to block legislation. He isn't responsible for disfunction inthe Parliament then.

[find_bruce]

The figures are a little bit misleading with respect to minor parties - eg while No Land Tax is showing 44,602 votes there are 110,406 votes "below the line" that had not been counted. Some of those will be informal, how the rest will be distributed is anyone's guess.

Over a quarter of a million reasons why compulsory voting is stupid.

136,826 reasons anyway - the votes labelled other is because "All votes cast below the line, and all ballot papers where there is a discernible first preferences, are tallied as "Other". These ballot papers will be data entered in the fortnight following the election, at which point ballot papers will be assigned to candidates on the ballot paper. The total for Others will begin to fall once data entry is underway."

[hugh stone]

The key to success with this is not necessarily to have the highest vote - but to have preference deals with other minor parties who have less primary votes so they 'flow' and keep you ahead of the least popular ticket for as long as possible and long enough that the required quota drops (from preferences being exhausted) or you collect enough votes to reach a quota.

[biker jk]

The key to success with this is not necessarily to have the highest vote - but to have preference deals with other minor parties who have less primary votes so they 'flow' and keep you ahead of the least popular ticket for as long as possible and long enough that the required quota drops (from preferences being exhausted) or you collect enough votes to reach a quota.

True, although the ACP rejected working with the "preference whisperer" Glenn Druery.

[find_bruce]

No longer true in NSW - "NSW got rid of Senate-style preference tickets after the 1999 tablecloth ballot paper debacle. Parties no longer have any say over preferences. The only preferences in the count are those filled in by voters themselves. Parties can only try to influence preferences by distributing how to vote material. Voters can direct preferences to parties by voting 1, 2, 3 etc above the line, an option not available in the Senate."