For cycling, ACT Labor is the driving force. The ACT Greens in comparison have proven unable to deliver on their ideas. Worse still, the ACT Greens have failed to approached cycling advocacy strategically. ACT Labor is delivering on its election pledges, although the achievement humble, as ACT Labor do not plan to do much. They lack the ambition necessary to get cycling moving in the ACT.
Tag Archives: Belconnen
30 year history: cycle infrastructure in Belconnen
Belconnen Town Centre opened in the late 1970s. Over the last 40 years, we have had many plans to improve the cycle infrastructure but the progress has been slow. Here maps for the Belconnen district from 1992, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2022
18 years later and still not built!
We must remain sceptical of consultations. The consultation for (ACT) Ten Year Master Plan Trunk Cycling and Walking Path Infrastructure 2004, shows us that the recommendations have still not be implemented 18 years later. The process in 2004 has an eerie familiarity to the 2021 District Planning consultations.
Belconnen Circus Precinct moves forward
The redevelopment of the Lake Ginninderra foreshores continues with an update from the Suburban Land Agency (SLA). The process is esoteric but the process will decide what if any cycle infrastructure we will get in Belconnen along Emu Bank. It is not clear what the cycle infrastructure requirements are, which is worrying.
CBR Cycle Routes C1, C3, C4, C7
CBR Cycle Routes C1, C3, C4 and C7 connect the town centres of Gungahlin, Belconnen, Civic and Woden. Lake Burley Griffin and the Molonglo Rivers Reserve forms a barrier, cutting Canberra in two. Hills and ridges do the rest, giving Canberra its north-south elongated form. How straight can the C1, C3, C4 and C7 be made?
Lost Benjamin Way bikeway
The bikeway along Benjamin Way in Belconnen lost funding and now seems to have been forgotten 8 years after its conception. The development of Belconnen Town Centre was further complicated in 2021. Will we ever see a grade separated bike path on Benjamin Way?
Town centre bike infrastructure 2022 versus 2019
Comparing the town centre maps from TCCS between the years 2019 and 2022. Recently, all the CBR Cycle Route maps for the town centres were updated on the TCCS website. A good thing to be sure but how much has actually changed?
Guidelines for community path repairs and maintenance
The standards for the maintenance of ACT community paths is famously documented in the Guidelines for community path repairs and maintenance at 30 June 2012. Even without getting off your bike, as cyclist, it is clear to observe that the criteria for intervention is often exceeded.
Maintenance on bike paths lacking – still!
Back to bike path maintenance. Over the last 20 years, path maintenance has been a weak spot in the ACT. TCCS is responsible for “presentation” which includes lawn mowing and maintenance of public space. The bike paths struggle to get the most basic attention. Here are recent photos from 2022.
Many pieces moving but few immediate gains
If you are riding on a bumpy bike path, you would hope the bumps would be fixed in a few months or one or two years at the most. The politicians and government officials that make up our government will tell you to be patient, and they are working on it, but we have a discrepancy in the time frame. Cycle infrastructure projects in the ACT take 6-8 years to complete – two legislative terms.
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