YarraBUG

Val and Faith are joined in the studio by Paul McKay, former General Manager of Bicycle Victoria (now known as Bicycle Network)  We share our bike moments before taking a look at BUGs, or Bicycle User Groups. It's thirty-five years since the first Bicycle User Groups were created in Australia in 1990 . Paul explains why Bicycle Victoria created BUGs, their role as advocates, their changing relationship wth Bicycle Network over the years, and their resilience as grass roots community advocates.   

On this weeks program Chris talks to Adam Pulford about Lime and Neuron e-scooter rental schemes in Melbourne including them no longer available in Melbourne or Yarra, a disconnect between decision makers and end users creating kneejerk reactions, how consultation processes don't necessarily work for busy people, how e-scooters provide a vital last mile/km travel option, why aren't designated on-road parking bays an option to keep footpath areas decluttered, why modern cities should be embracing new travel ideas in a environmental and cost of living crisis, state government support for e-scooters, how to plan and design streets for everyone, problems with e-scooters trials means they can be easily lobbied against as part of the so called road culture wars and what steps people can take next.Local news, Brunswick Bike Shed holding earlier sales during CERES Harvest Festival this Saturday 29 March then offering free bike checks to festival attendees from 12pm to 3pm andCritical Mass Boroondara, 5.30pm, Friday 28 March riding to the inner east for cycling infrastructure and a new Yarra river crossing,Keep signing our petition:  Don’t risk our safety in 2025 - tell Yarra Council not to remove safe cycling lanes, Infrastructure Victoria draft 30-year infrastructure strategy + Inquiry into the impact of road safety behaviours on vulnerable road usersAnd if you have a few spare hours for reading: Elizabeth Street Protected Bike Lanes: A historyProgram musicKing Stingray, Camp dog

Faith and Val are joined in the studio by Will Hartnett of Cycling Wild and Off Course bike shop. Will talks about the years he has spent exploring the Flinders Ranges and other remote areas of Australia by bike and the knowledge he has gathered showing others around on foot and wheels. While he has often shared his experience on his website Cycling Wild, he now plans to go one step further and provide supported tours to the Flinnders Ranges and other areas of Australia.  Riders who want to explore moore adventurous regions can do so without having to manage the sometimes challenging logistics by themselves. You can find out more about his first tour coming up in September and future plans at Cycling Wild. 

On this weeks program Chris talks to Mark Donnellon from Streets People Love Hobart about how they created the group, what actions they've taken since December 2024, how the campaign grew from passionate debate about improving Collins Street, showing community support for active transport in nipuluna Hobart, being guided by their fun-loving mascot, Perci the Platypus, supporting Hobart City Councils Argyle and Campbell Street bicycle connections and getting people involved with a public meeting about the Collins Street improvement trial on Tuesday 25 March at 5.30pm at City Hall, 57-63 Macquarie Street.Local news includes the Victoria Parliament finally tabling the final report of the inquiry into vulnerable road users that was tabled in the Legislative Assembly last year, you can read the report here, especially Recommendation 31: 'The Department of Transport and Planning continue to promote the installation of protected bike lanes in inner and middle Melbourne'. Most of the recommendations are supported 'in principle' which is fairly lukewarm response to be honest. Critical Mass Boroondara is coming up on Friday 28 March, Yarra and Boroondara need a new river crossing! Infrastructure Victoria has just released their 30 year plan, and it supports a cycling link from the city through to the Hawthorn - Box Hill trail. This link would need a new pedestrian and cycling bridge between Richmond and Hawthorn.And don't forget to sign our petition: Don’t risk our safety in 2025 - tell Yarra Council not to remove safe cycling lanesProgram musicKing Stingray, Camp dogCamp Cope, How to socialise friends and influence people

Val and faith take to the 3CR studio for another episode of the Yarra BUG Radios Show.