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Premier fails bike test with underfunded plan
Monday 17 May 2010
Commenting on the NSW government’s bike plan, released yesterday one year late, Greens MP and transport spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said Premier Kristina Keneally’s work in this area has been a disappointment as the plan is limited, underfunded and is a reannouncement.
(SMH, page 4, http://bit.ly/cgEMva)
“This new bike plan does little but cement NSW as a state stuck in the cycling dark ages and is a kick in the teeth for those keen to grow the cycling renaissance,” Ms Rhiannon said.
“Ms Keneally has not been the advocate for cycling many enthusiasts had hoped for as the annual $15.8 million bike plan budget is below the allocation proposed a decade ago and paltry in comparison to the RTA’s total road budget.
"In 1999 Labor costed its Bike Plan 2010 at $25 million per annum. It is a set back that the Premier could not even equal this amount.
"Today’s plan appears to be a reannouncement of the Metropolitan Transport Plan released earlier this year that allocated $15.8 million
a year for ten years for Sydney cycling facilities.
“The statistics show Sydneysiders have a renewed interest in cycling, but this plan does little to promote bike riding which could do so
much towards reducing congestion and combating climate change.
"The paltry amount suggests Ms Keneally's love affair with bike riding stops at providing sufficient funding to build world-class bike
infrastructure across NSW.
“While those aspects of the bike plan that link up existing cycleways is welcome this can barely be called a ‘plan’.
“What Ms Keneally released today is short on vision. NSW needs a statewide plan for cycling infrastructure with the resources quickly
allocated to deliver the network.
“The Greens back the call of many bike users that five per cent of the road's budget should be earmarked for cycling infrastructure.
“And this money should be used for projects across NSW, not just in
Sydney.
"Former NSW treasurer and well-know bike sceptic Michael Costa dismantled some of the early work on the government’s Bike Plan 2010.
“Today’s announcement shows that the influence of Mr Costa still lingers on, as the $15.8 million allocation effectively means a
reduced bike budget, something the former treasurer frequently advocated.
“The way to erase the damage Mr Costa brought to cycling in NSW is to provide the much needed funding boost," Ms Rhiannon
said.
For information: Lee Rhiannon - 9230 3551, 0427
861 568
More information at -
http://leerhiannon.org.au/news/premiers-bike-love-affair-stops-at-funding
