The election campaign has been dominated by the big issues of health, education and housing but a few promises have trickled through for bike riders, including Labor's commitment to a cycling infrastructure fund with $15 million of funding in its first two years.
The current government has several cycling projects underway, which we’ve detailed on our www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/votebike2021 page, which they may feel has blunted the need to announce new commitments. However, apart from the Tasman Bridge commitment most of these will be wrapped up in the next year so we do expect to hear about new funding.
We are updating our www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/votebike2021 page when parties and candidates make announcements so keep your eye on that up until Saturday 1 May.
And if you want to contact a candidate in either the House of Assembly or Legislative Council elections, we list them all at the bottom of the page.
Liberal party
The Liberal Party's biggest promise to date is a commitment to undertake planning for the extension of the Snug–Margate path through to Huntingfield in the Franklin electorate.
This was one of the priorities coming out of the Margate to Huntingfield Channel Highway planning study, which was released in September last year.
Another recommendation out of that study the Liberals have pledged to act on is the creation of a new traffic interchange at the Algona Road roundabout, which would include provision for cycling and walking. When traffic is heavy it is very difficult to cross this roundabout on foot or on bike so another underpass would help people get to the new park and ride and new housing development. The government would rely on federal funding for this project to proceed.
The Risdon Vale and Huonville Bike Collectives will receive $85,000 from the Liberal Party.
Labor Party
The Labor Party has made the very welcomed promise of spending $15 million for cycleways over two years in partnership with councils via a new cycling infrastructure fund. This level and security of funding could accelerate the development of much-needed networks in our major towns.
We also welcome Labor's commitment to expanding the Ride2School program to secondary schools across the state so more young people can get into the habit of riding for transport.
Labor has picked up on the need to better integrate public transport with cycling with its commitment to trial bikes on buses.
Labor has pledged to spend $400,000 to build toilets and a bike washdown station at the Mt Montgomery car park which is the entrance to the Dial Range mountain bike trails in the Braddon electorate.
Independents
Independent candidate Kristie Johnston has published her main policy positions and they include more funding for cycling and walking infrastructure to encourage healthy alternatives to using a car.
Last week
ABC Tasmania has published a summary of some of the main calls for transport this election and Bicycle Network had the chance to call for an ongoing fund for cycling infrastructure so we can get the separated cycleways we need in our urban centres.
If you can get along to your local candidate forums, call in to the radio, write to the paper or contact a candidate directly in the coming week to talk about the importance of safe cycling infrastructure, please do so as the more voices there are, the stronger our call.