Just had a look at the Bassendean PSP numbers, based on the data from DoT
DoT have claimed an increase of 61% at Tonkin Highway since the new segment has been opened. That is correct in the narrowest sense (comparing June 12 to July 12). Remember that during May/June construction of the PSP was in progress, and access to the Tonking segment of the PSP was more difficult.
If you look at the average % of the total PSP measurements of January to March, and then July to Sept, the % increase is about 20%. (That is a confusing sentence, sorry, what I mean is that the counter at Tonkin Highway accounted for an average of 3.32% of all trips for Jan to March 12, and in the last three months it accounted for 3.98% of all trips.)
More infrastructre means more people cycling safely, but we should use the numbers responsibly. I am happy with a 20% increase, and I am worried that DoT informed the office of the Minister of Transport of a 61% increase.
The Bassendean section of the PSP Perth – Midland got opened by Donna Faragher and Heinrich Benz (sort of). This is the first piece of infrastructure opened since Troy Buswell has become Minister of Transport, yet the responsible departments did not manage to make the opening into a significant event. Modesty or just not savy?
yay!
This fuss over one cycle path tells me that it will take forever to get the cycle and pedestrian pathways. It should be compulsory to have both side of a road with suitable non-vehicle paths.
Parents fear for their children having to cross a road to walk on a path, and it is ridiculous that children, the elderly, the disabled and cyclists need to do this to be safe.
I want my taxes to secure active transport infrastructure.
Naomi, a connected network of safe cycling infrastructure is one of the things that need to be achieved. To get kids and parent to feel safe cycling to schools, shops, train stations and places of employment we need 30kmh safe speeds on selected suburban roads as well.
Please write to the Minister of Transport to suggest that money should be spent on active transport infrastructure instead of widening roads for cars……
Nice pic Heinrich – hope Donna appreciated your effort
This is not a Cycle path. Pity it isn’t!
It is a Shared Path. All the research tells the same story, shared paths are a place of conflict between Pedestrians and Cyclists. As a Shared Path, in law it essentially a pedestrian path, where they can continue to treat them as they do all paths in a random manner, and that is the way pedestrian paths ought to be used. The only difference is Cyclist can use them in a constrained manner, ie, keep left single file, etc. Pram users, inline skaters, skate boarders and of course pedestrians are not constrained. They can take the entire width as a group of pram users usually do!
Whata rea the stats for pedestrian use, in total and percentage increase?
Do the Stats warrant this being shared or ought it be a Cycle only Path?
If it was to be a cycling only path then more infrastructure would need to be in place for pedestrians. Cycling only infrastructure probably needs to be more along the lines of separated on road cycling paths.
There are separated cycling paths in Subiaco. Neither cyclists nor pedestrians are great at using them properly.
Also shared paths are shared, they are not high speed training paths.
Andrew
I rode this path today on a recreational ride (Bullcreek Station to Guildford, return) and given the yummy morning tea I think this trip will become a regular one. One comment…there are at least 3 places on the path between Mt Lawly Station and Collier Road where you need to cross over a short road linking the two roads either side of the railway line (I think Calendonian Ave is one example). Because the path is offset from the traffic lights, and does not have a controlled crossing, it is quite challenging to establish when it is safe to cross the road – you have to watch for traffic turning left or right from both sides of the train line, and for vehicles coming straight through the intersection. I have cycled this path on a tandem which is slower to start and stop than a normal bike, and can’t easilly fit in the centre island. Any chance of adding signals to these intersections so that traffic travelling on Whatley Cr is prevented from turning? I don’t trust drivers to see me, or give way. Otherwise the only way to make sure you can really cross safely is to wait for a train to activate the boom gates.
There you go. The Minister of Transport, Troy Buswell is sprouting the 61% increase in cyclists using the path.
Hi, Jennifer, safer crossing would be nice. Also the ability to cross safely into Bassendean would be appreciated. Despite the best efforts of ratepayers from Bassendean, ourselves and the Bassendean council this could not be achieved “due to budget constraints”. We will continue to work to get a safer environment for people on bicycles
Yeah, unfortunate…..