This interesting article from Momentum Mag (“smart living by bike” looks at some cities that encourage more use of bicycles.
Getting a city more suitable for people riding bicycles is not a European thing. It is a city by city thing. The article mentions Copenhagen, Seville, Paris, Brussels, London, and Barcelona, New York
The article has this observation why some Lycra cyclists are indifferent to create a safer cycling environment:”
…(They) enjoy the adrenaline rush of rubbing shoulders with fast-moving cars. The clear message sent by such cycling is that you need to be something special to ride a bike. In a place where your grandmother could cycle to work (one-handed, with an umbrella in the other), you would no longer get the respectful (or uncomprehending) looks you get from friends and co-workers for riding your bike to work.”
And of course the consistent observation: “European cities with a tradition of cycling all have separated cycling facilities”.
And watch out for the three stages of cycling development:
1. Bikes as a toy (no political element)
2. Bikes as a traffic safety problem (politically controversial)
3. Bikes as an opportunity (political controversy has, for the most part, been overcome and cycling is part of the standard transportation repertoire)
Perth would clearly be in stage 2
I think most of the public are still at stage 1. For them Kids have bikes, adults have cars!
However, many of the planners are still at stage three. The only ones not at stage 3 are the ones adminstering public transport. The intergration of bicycles and buses seems miles away ,,,,