Bicycle Network: Bike Futures Services

The invisible trail user: Dogs!

22 February 2011. The management of shared trails may have to be rethought after the first comprehensive count of trail users revealed that an interloper has joined the bikes, joggers and walkers—the family mutt.

Dogs were a surprising presence on a number of the trails counted in the first Super Sunday shared path count, held in November.

Along the Maribyrnong River Trail, one count site recorded 14 percent of path users as dogs.

This figure has policy implications for councils responsible for managing these facilities, as the interaction of dogs and bikes comes with considerable risks.

The Super Sunday count is a sister program to the Super Tuesday count. It was started in order to gather data on path usage and track the development of recreational riding, which is booming as a family activity on Melbourne trails.

The Capital City Trail, Main Yarra Trail, Maribyrnong River Trail and Bay Trail were all counted on 21 November, 2010, and participating councils now have the count data.
Some other conclusions:

The Capital City Trail showed the highest incidence of commuter overlap, according to the qualitative survey also included in Super Sunday.

The other three trails did not show much incidence of commuter use during the week, suggesting that the correlation between user groups that ride on weekdays and on weekends may not be strong.

As is perhaps predictable, usage of all kinds dropped as the trails moved away from the city.

Walkers were in the ascendancy at sites located close to tourist destinations or attractions, especially prominent along the Bay Trail.

Bike riding was the major use on other, through routes

Bike riders semed unaware of the connection of the Bay Trail to St. Kilda at the Fitzroy Street bicycle lanes crossing. Only 83 bike riders were counted crossing there. Nearly 900 bike riders were counted at the previous site, and almost 500 at the following.

Bikes were the dominant user group along the Capital City Trail, except along the south bank of the Yarra. On the other trails, the competition between walkers and bike riders for usage supremacy was closer, and more back-and-forth.

No pattern about best times for usage was revealed. Some trails were busier during the morning session 11am - 1pm, and some were busier during the afternoon session, 1pm - 3pm. Some has consistent usage throughout the day.

Numbers are in for Super Sunday

8 December 2010. The Bicycle Network Victoria project to count recreational riders, the Super Sunday bike count, had an auspicious birth in late November, despite a weather delay.

Sixty-six counters recorded bike riders, walkers, dogs, prams and all other trail users at 48 sites along the Main Yarra, Bay, Capital City and Maribyrnong River Trails.

The numbers collected are now being compiled and analysed. The real value of the figures will emerge in future years as successive annual counts build a solid picture of when and where people are riding.

The count mirrors Super Tuesday, the annual national count of commuter riders, which is now a major source of data for policy makers and infrastructure planners.

Super Sunday will play a similar role for the weekend recreational rider, assembling reliable data on riding trends which can be used to ensure wise investment in new facilities.

Next year the count will be expanded to reach more rides on more routes.

Counters were on duty in two or four hour shifts on the day. Thanks go out to them for making the inaugural Super Sunday effort a big success!

Gaining significant traction in its first year, Super Sunday will become a regular feature of the Bike Futures program, and will expand in 2011. Be sure to monitor this page for updates and to be the first in the know about whether it is coming to a trail near you in 2011.