Bicycle Network: Bike Futures Services

Record numbers of females riding to work

5 March 2013. There has been a phenomenal increase in the number of females riding to work in Melbourne.

City bound routes counted in this morning’s Super Tuesday Bike Count showed that females comprised over 50 per cent of riders at a number of intersections in the inner north, where the City of Yarra has invested consistently in improving bike infrastructure.

In Swanston Street in the CBD females comprised 32 per cent of riders.

This is an increase of 22 percent since the Copenhagen style lands were added to Swanston Street by the City of Melbourne, clearly showing that women will flock to bike commuting when the routes are made bike-friendly.

(Females are considered the ‘indicator species’ of bike network quality.)
Overall the count showed staggering increases in the number of bikes coming into the city in the morning peak.

At the Swanston / La Trobe intersection total bikes over the two hour period was 1235, up 62 per cent over the count in 2012.

At the southern end of Swanston Street, at the Flinders Street intersection, 1864 bikes were counted for all directions in the two hour period, an increase of 37 per cent over last year.

On the Main Yarra Trail at Swan Street a total of 899 bikers were on the south side of the river (38% up) and 1093 were on the north side path (22% up) over the 2 hour period.

On the Footscray Road bike path near the Costco store a total of 1450 riders were counted during the peak period, up 33 per cent on the year prior.

A sample of sites was selected to count riders without helmets. About 0.3 per cent of riders were without helmets.

There were 374 count sites in Melbourne, 469 sites in Victoria and 745 across Australia. 

Riding booming in the far north

19 September 2012. While bike commuters in Victoria were wrestling cold wind and rain getting to work, their counterparts in northern Australia were cruising along in record numbers.

Super Tuesday—the bike counting day that has become a regular fixture of the riders' calendar in the southern states each March—has a doppelgänger: Super Tuesday North.

In the north of Australia the main riding season peaks in September, so the official bike count takes place at this time of the year.

Last week more than 200 locations were counted by Bicycle Network teams in the Northern Territory and north Queensland. (Coffs Harbour was included again because a storm washed out the count there last March)

Although counting is a new concept in the north, there was no trouble recruiting riders to count at key locations.

One counter commented. "Thank-you for involving me in the count day. I thoroughly enjoyed the morning - didn't realize the number of cyclists on our roads and the varied age group travelling on their bikes.”

At right is a photo from one of our more remote locations. The Super-Tuesday t-shirt is a good colour match for the landscape.

In Darwin numbers were up between 20 and 129 per cent on key routes compared to the previous count. Alice Springs numbers were steady.

The number of sites counted in Cairns has increased considerably, but route for route the numbers were up between 18 and 59 per cent.

Moreton Bay and Townsville were also counted.

 2012 March Results

Gender mix surprise in bike count result

6 March 2012. The vigour of Melbourne’s bike riding growth has been confirmed by today’s Super Tuesday bike count showing higher than expected numbers of female riders.

At one count location this morning in Richmond women comprised a surprising 45 per cent of riders, recorded at the corner of Lennox and Elizabeth Street.

In Fitzroy the figures were 60:40 male-female.

Women are considered an ‘indicator species’ of the health of the riding environment—the more women who commute by bike, the better the bike facilities. In the top international cycling cities women comprise more than half of all commuting riders.

This year is the first time the gender of riders has been included in the Super Tuesday bike count, and the number was not expected to be this high.

“This preliminary result is a real surprise, and shows that Melbourne has made even more progress as a bike city than we thought,” Garry Brennan, spokesman for Bicycle Network Victoria said today.

“The flowering of female bike commuting shows that the investment by the inner councils and the State Government is paying dividends and riders have growing confidence in the new generation of infrastructure.

“Although there are still many deficiencies in the network, and significant investment is still needed to bring facilities up to scratch, these figures show we have reached a turning point and community-wide adoption of bike transport is spiralling upwards.”

Mr Brennan said that despite rain in many suburbs this morning overall numbers were up at the sites sampled so far today, ranging from 10 to 25 per cent increases.

This was the first year that the gender split had been counted and was initiated by the City of Yarra.

Heading into the city Canning Street was up 23 per cent, Exhibition Street northbound was up 22 per cent, and the Yarra Trail 24 per cent. Off-road trails seem to be increasing at a faster rate than on-road paths.

The construction works in Swanston Street have caused bike traffic to drop about 10 per cent on that route.

More than 1200 sites were counted today across Australia (Queensland counts in September). More than 700 locations were counted in Victoria.

The count data will take several months to analyse before being provided to the local government agencies that partner with Bicycle Network each year in the project in order to better plan their cycling networks.

While the results from the preliminary sample are sound, the locations were inner suburban and may not reflect the situation further out.

A snapshot from Super Tuesday - Melbourne

Tomorrow Australia's bike riders will make it count

What: Super Tuesday - Australia’s largest ever visual bike count
When: 7 – 9am Tomorrow - Tuesday 6th March 2012
Where: All across Australia – metropolitan, suburban and regional areas

Why: Local Government is increasingly realising the importance of good data on bike rider patterns. This data is crucial for planning infrastructure improvements that deliver benefits to riders in a cost efficient manner.

Due to the significant increase of transportation on bicycle, the count collects data about bike riding in a bid to help local councils identify how and where bicycle networking facilities can be improved.

How: Volunteers at major road and path intersections, bike paths and other vantage points will be counting riders commuting to work.

1222 locations Australia-wide:

• 701 locations in VIC
• 249 locations in NSW
• 183 locations in WA
• 46 locations in ACT
• 43 locations in SA

The first Super Tuesday bike count took place in 2007 counting the inner-city Melbourne area, as it did in 2008. In 2009 the count spread to regional Victoria and the City of Sydney, going national in 2010 and 2011.

Bicycle Network’s Bike Futures Manager, Mr Mike Williamson said the importance of these counts is imperative to better council planning and reducing congestion.

“Good data on rider patterns are critical for planning infrastructure improvements,” said Mr Williamson.

“The difference with our data collection is that it allows councils to see exactly where people are riding.”

Planning Updates

Last few remaining sites to fill

24 February 2012.  Almost 1,200 volunteers have registered to count bikes for the Super Tuesday count on 6 March but a few more are urgently needed in Caroline Springs and Hillside in Melton Shire. Please help us to fill these last few remaining count sites.
 

Calling counters on the fringe

7 February 2012.  Since Super Tuesday registrations opened on 16 January, we have had an overwhelming response, with 50% of all sites booked on the first day!   But with only four weeks to go until Australia’s biggest-ever bike count, there are still many sites to be filled, particularly in Melbourne’s Melton, Brimbank, Wyndham and Frankston areas.

It would be great if you could help out. If you know of anyone who lives or works in those areas, please tell them about Super Tuesday and the $50 reward; for everyone who registers and counts on Tuesday 6 March from 7am-9am, we will donate $50 to a non-profit organisation of their choice.

Click here to view locations of available sites (in blue).

Read the Step-By-Step Guide and learn what's involved in being a Super Tuesday Counter.

Super Tuesday registrations open

23 January 2012.  Registrations are now open for Super Tuesday and we need your help to undertake Australia's biggest ever bike count.

Australia’s largest ever visual bike count, Super Tuesday, will take place in regional and metropolitan areas across Australia on Tuesday 6 March from 7am – 9am.

Super Tuesday collects data about bike commuters with the aim of helping local councils identify how and where bicycle facilities can be improved to get more people riding.

Get involved and contribute to the future of bike riding. Counters receive a $50 reward towards a Bicycle User Group, club or school that they nominate and a Super Tuesday t-shirt.

Now in its sixth year, Super Tuesday is a very popular event with our supporters. Counters enjoy the experience and value the fundraising opportunity. So get your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours involved too!

To see the count in action, view the video clip>>>

Click here to view which councils are participating.

Click here to REGISTER NOW

Earlier news

4 January 2012.  We hope you have all had a safe and restful Christmas holiday break.  While you were on holiday, our Super Tuesday T-Shirt design went to the printers.  You can view the 2012 T-Shirt design with our new Bicycle Network logo by clicking here.

15 December 2011.  We are excited to announce Tuesday 6 March as the date for Super Tuesday in 2012 and we need you to be on board again!

Super Tuesday is Australia’s biggest visual bike count. The data that you collect will help participating councils make good decisions about where to invest their funds in bike infrastructure.

Don’t forget that the additional benefit is that your work will raise money for your BUG, school or sports club - $50 for each valid, two-hour count completed. So make sure you get your friends, colleagues and fellow parents involved.

If you have counted before, registrations will open on Monday 16 January 2012 at 9am. Get in early to claim your preferred count site!

If you are new to Super Tuesday, you will be able to register from 9am on Tuesday 17 January 2012.

We will be in touch in the New Year.

Click on this link to see which councils are participating in 2012.

7 December 2011.  Planning for Super Tuesday 2012 is well under way with councils having submitted their site locations.  Next year, 43 councils are participating in the count, 8 of them for the first time.  Click here to see if your council is participating.

  2011 March Findings

27 May. This image was from an article in the Cockburn Gazette Community

Wicked weather dampens bike trend

4 March 2011. Melbourne’s record big wet summer has slowed the march of bike commuting across the city, according to this year's annual Super Tuesday Bike Count.

A preliminary analysis of a handful of count sites around Melbourne shows numbers down, with fewer riders than the same day last year.

While some Melbourne routes were as much 15 per cent down, in warm sunny Adelaide major bike routes were up by the same amount.

The corner of Swanston & Flinders tallied 1510 riders in all directions, an 18% decrease. At Swanston & La Trobe there were 896—a similar drop, and at Brunswick Street & Victoria Parade there were 589 riders, a 14% decrease.

The preliminary figures confirms the results of other counting over summer, which have also shown lower numbers.

Strengthening works under the Monash Freeway, diverting the Main Yarra Trail, caused a massive 25 per cent drop in rider numbers. This shows that riders won’t ride on routes unless they are direct, attractive and feel safe.

A full analysis of the count data will take weeks. Full results should be available in early May.

Some 1150 volunteer counters were out on street corners, bike paths, bridges and other vantage points in five Australian States to capture the count. (Queensland and NT counts are in September)

Eighteen Melbourne municipalities participated with 546 count sites to measure the 7-9am morning peak. There were also counts in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Shepparton and Albury-Wodonga.

This is the fifth year of the count, known as Super Tuesday. The annual project is managed by Bicycle Network Victoria and the data supplied to participating Councils.

The event has provided vital information to council and government planners, tracking the expansion and location of bike commuting in recent years.

The Super Tuesday project aims to establish a reliable annual benchmark for bicycle commuting to allow those providing for bike riding to base their judgements on accurate, relevant and up to date information.

Super Tuesday is designed to complement the Commonwealth Census, and the surveys run on a regular or occasional basis by individual Councils and other agencies.

  2010 September Findings

 15 November. The Gold Coast recorded the busiest site in the September Super Tuesday Bike Count, with 194 riders recorded.

The intersection was:

Gold Coast Hwy, Connor St, Gold Coast Hwy towards Brisbane and the Esplanade

Other significant locations recorded on Super Tuesday from each participating municipality were:

Cairns:
Esplanade, Florence Street and Esplanade was the busiest commuter route in the Cairns municipality, with a total of 135 riders.

Sunshine Coast:
Alexandra Parade, Okinja Road and Alexandra Parade was the busiest commuter route in the Sunshine Coast municipality, with a total of 133 riders.

Moreton Bay:
Smiths Road, school entrance, Smiths Road and Del Rosso Road was the busiest commuter route in the Moreton Bay municipality, with a total of 49 riders.
 

14 September. The first September Super Tuesday Bike Count was conducted on Tuesday 14 March 2010. This was successfully delivered into four municipalities including:

• Gold Coast
• Moreton Bay
• Sunshine Coast
• Cairns

2010 March Findings

22 June 2010. Please click here to read an article published in the Moonee Valley Leader, regarding the results from Super Tuesday 2010!

4 June 2010. The data collected in the 2010 Super Tuesday Bike Count is now available. The image above highlights the volume of riders approaching the Melbourne CBD.
For a more holistic, national perspective, please click here to view the National Executive Summary for Super Tuesday 2010.

2010: Bikes trend upwards & onwards:

9 March 2010. Initial analysis shows strong rider numbers in all states. The following data provides a snapshop of rider numbers in the 7 - 9am peak at key sites in the non-VIC states:

• In Brisbane, despite the torrential rain people are still riding: 310 riders were counted on the SW side of the river at the Goodwill Bridge/Stanley St junction.
• In NSW, 755 riders were recorded at the Burton Street approach to the Harbour Bridge
• In Hobart there were 299 riders on the bike path at the Domain Hwy/Tasman Hwy intersection.
• In Adelaide, at the King William Rd/Greenhill Rd junction, 415 riders were recorded.
• In Perth, 699 riders were recorded on the Riverside Drive path at the Kwinana Fwy site.

2 March 2010. The amazing increase of people riding bikes to work in Melbourne continues, with record numbers recorded again in the 2010 annual Super Tuesday Bike Count.

An early sampling of a number of count sites around Melbourne shows increases ranging from 12 to 50 per cent.

The corner of Swanston and Flinders tallied 1795 riders between 7 and 9 am, a 25 per cent increase over last year on the key route into and through the CBD. At the other end of Swanston, at the intersection with La Trobe, total numbers were 1166, 27 per cent up on last year.

At the corner of Brunswick Street and Victoria Parade numbers were up 21 per cent with a total of 687 bikes. And at the corner of Napier Street and Johnston there was a spectacular 51 per cent increase, probably the result of the installation of bike priority traffic signals at that location.

At the junction of the Yarra Trail and the Gardiners Creek Trail the total number of peak hour bikes was 1407, a massive 50 per cent lift. (Note the 2009 figure at this location may have been atypical because of a diversion on Gardiners Creek Trail because of M1 freeway construction.)

These early figures show that State and Local Governments have the job ahead of them in buildings facilities to accommodate the big switch to bike commuting.
 

2009

21 May 2009 More people are riding bikes to work, according to the latest annual census of rider numbers in Melbourne.

Overall numbers are up 10 to 15% across the city and suburbs, continuing the long-term trend that confirms Melbourne's love affair with bike transportation.

The data was collected on one day in March for the "Super Tuesday Bike Count" an annual observational count of bike commuters undertaken by Bicycle Network Victoria in conjunction with ten local councils. The count is now in its third year.

Not only does the count show numbers on the rise, it demonstrates that riders are altering their routes to work, seeking out upgraded and less troublesome roads, lanes and paths.

For example, since its recent upgrade, Rathdowne St, Carlton, is now the most popular route into the city from the north, overtaking Swanston Street.

Flinders and Swanston remains the busiest intersection in the city with 1438 riders, but the count location in Banana Alley on Yarra Northbank registered a 54% rise, indicating more people travelling the city fringes.

The count shows higher growth in the eastern suburbs, while numbers in the west and bay suburbs were lower than the overall trend. (Note: there was local rainfall on the morning of the survey; wet weather typically accounts for about a 10% variation in commuter rider numbers).

Each participating council has a full report with complete data and analysis of rider movements within the municipality.

Other notable results:

City of Melbourne
8% increase in the number of riders on routes entering the CBD.

City of Yarra
Strong growth in the Rushall Station precinct, and in Napier St as key routes.

City of Stonnington
14% growth in rider numbers on the Main Yarra Trail.

City of Port Philip

Growth of 17% in rider numbers at the Clarendon St and Normanby Ave intersection.

City of Banyule
Heidelberg Rd a key commuter corridor with a total of 141 riders.

City of Boroondara
Growth of 17% in riders on the Main Yarra Trail at Chandler Hwy intersection.

City of Darebin
Busiest intersection: St Georges Road roundabout – total of 750 riders. This represents growth of 17.5%

City of Maribyrnong
Busiest intersection: Footscray Road Bridge – a total of 434 riders.

City of Moreland
Busiest intersection: Nicholson St and Capital City Trail – 792 riders, with the Upfield Bike Path also popular route with 481 riders.

City of Whitehorse
Participating in the Super Tuesday Count for the first time in 2009, with busiest intersection: Koonung Creek Trail at Elgar Rd with a total of 67 riders.

The count was conducted by a team of more than 500 volunteer counters on street corners, bike paths, bridges and other vantage points around Melbourne (and Sydney which participated for the first time). There were 295 count sites to measure the 7-9am morning peak.

The event has provided vital information to council and government planners, tracking the explosion in bike commuting in recent years.

2008

Mar 08 The second Super Tuesday count took place between 7am and 9am on Tuesday 4 March 2008.

In 2008 we invited our volunteer Counters to nominate a recognised community bike riding organisation, triathlon club or service club to receive $50 as a reward for their efforts. Our counters also received another special Super Tuesday 2008 t-shirt.

Feb 08 By February, 13 Councils had confirmed they would be taking part in Super Tuesday 2008 and we were working to get more including regional centres.

Jan 08 Bicycle Network Victoria coordinated Australia’s largest ever bike count once again in 2008.

After the four IMAP councils led the way in 2007, Bicycle Network Victoria decided to cast the net further in 2008.

The data collected as a result of Super Tuesday 2007 helped the Councils involved to better understand rider movements and prioritise routes for improvement.  It also assisted the Inner Melbourne Action Plan (IMAP) Bike network review and assisted the City of Melbourne in the development of the Melbourne Bicycle Account, as well as being the basis for Lord Mayor John So pushing for more bike lanes in the City of Melbourne.

 Word of these successes spread and many other Councils around Melbourne indicated that they wanted to participate in Super Tuesday 2008.

2007

Apr 07 The Super Tuesday results are available (see link on right). We presented the data in a detailed map that compared rider flow on different routes.

Highlights from the Super Tuesday 2007 count include:

• Overall, onroad numbers are up by 10% since last year.
• Rider numbers are up by 20% on offroad/separated routes since last year. Anecdotal evidence would suggest this represents new riders.
• Numbers from the western side were up by an incredible 37%.
• Riders will go out of their way to reach a 'quality' route, such as the Main Yarra Trail or Canning St, rather than using a more direct route.
• St Kilda Rd is a major destination in itself. For every 2 riders going up Swanston St into the CBD, there will be another heading out of town southbound to a workplace, most likely north of Commercial Rd.
• The majority of Chapel St riders are heading north to use the Main Yarra Trail (south side).
• Morrell Bridge is a major interchange, with riders coming from the north or swapping sides of the river to suit their destination.

Mar 07 The first Super Tuesday count was carried out at over 90 sites in central Melbourne between 7am and 9am on on Tuesday 6 March 2007.

Over 100 people volunteered to help us complete the count, and these Counters were mainly from the BUG and Club community of Melbourne. Every Counter received a limited edition Super Tuesday t-shirt to wear on the day of the count – and afterwards. We extend a big thanks from Bicycle Network Victoria, the IMAP and cyclists throughout Melbourne. The time put in by these Counters is much appreciated.

Feb 07 The Inner Melbourne Action Group (IMAP) asked us help them get a better understanding where riders go and where the priorities lie in their bike network. The 90 sites to be monitored for this inaugural Super Tuesday are in City of Melbourne, Yarra, Port Phillip and Stonnington (west of Kooyong Rd).