Brisbane Airport Corporation: Temporary to halt cycling on Airport roads from 26 May.

[Clarke P]

Good morning,

Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) recently stated its intention to call for a temporary to halt cycling on Airport roads from 26 May 2008. BAC is strongly discouraging cyclists from using Airport roads at this time by calling for the temporary halt given the significant construction activity underway both on and around the Airport road system.

BAC is calling for the Airport community to understand its reasons for calling for the temporary halt and to elect to cooperate in the interest of safety. BAC is aware that some cyclists will continue to ride on Airport roads, but is encouraging cyclists to look for alternative modes of transport during this busy construction phase. Please be aware that BAC is responsible for discouraging cycling on Airport roads, it is not something that you or your staff should attempt to enforce should you see a cyclist on the Airport road network.

Alternatives to cycling to Brisbane Airport


Bus route 308 - servicing Chermside, Wavell Heights, Nundah, Toombul, Number 1 Airport Drive (DFO) and the Da Vinci Centre (visit www.translink.com.au phone 13 12 30 for more information).
Bus route 320 - servicing Chermside, Wavell Heights, Eagle Junction (for Airtrain connection), Bowen Hills, Fortitude Valley and the City (visit www.translink.com.au phone 13 12 30 for more information).


Please note that both bus services are operating on a trial basis, with bus route 308 due for review end of June and bus route 320 in August.


Airtrain (For information on the Airtrain, including details on discounted tickets available to Brisbane Airport staff, go to www.airtrain.com.au)
Carpooling


With more than 75,000 vehicles accessing the Airport every day, BAC sees the implementation of a dedicated on-Airport cycle path system with links to off-Airport cycle paths as key to providing safe cycle access to the Airport. BAC will continue to work with Government agencies to fast track the delivery of these off-Airport links so that it can implement its own cycle path system. We will keep you informed on the progress of this activity in the coming months.

BAC will continue to discourage cycling on Airport roads until a safe alternative for cyclists is implemented.

Yours faithfully,

Marissa Brazier
on behalf of
Brisbane Airport Corporation’s Major Projects
Telephone: 1300 732 240


Just figured i'd forward that on. :cool:

[Adam P.]

Outrageous!

[Nigel C]

By the time you cycle to Bris-Vegas to lodge your protest, the works will be complete. So stop your biatching, biatch!:D

[David Ramsay]

Bring back the scooter brigade, I say!! :cool:

[Michael Dawson]

With the traffic the way it was today cycling would have been a better alternative. It is mainly due to the amount of construction and roadworks going on around the airport. The amount of semi trailers using the airport roads has increased quite a bit. Some trips from the airport can take upto 30 minutes just to leave the airport area, not a good impression for visitors. If only the infastructure was thought of before hand.

Regards

Michael

[Craig Murray]

A slightly different take on this one from me, I seem to suspect that it's a subtle way of getting the message out to those damn annoying lane and road hogging cycle groups that like to scoot about in the early morning hours.... particularly on weekends. The AM period at Brisbane is by far the busiest with the majority of International movements occuring in this time. To have lanes on the main road to and from the airport clogged by a "cog" of cyclists ("cog" is my collective noun for a group of bike riders) is certainly not an effective use of the infrastructure that is the airport road network.

Am I correct in saying the roads are on private land and therefore Brisbane Airport Corp are entitled to make whatever rules they see fit within the boundaries of their land? If so I'd happily support the introduction of a rule banning any group dressing like they are racing in the Tour de France from riding their bikes anywhere near the airport or any other traffic critical part of town for that matter.

Perhaps it's time for an advertising campaing against the amatuer peddlers that hit the bitumen every weekend....... I suggest it be called the "Get a Car" campaign :D

I apologise to anyone here who is an avid and/or professional cyclist but years of travelling Southern Cross Drive in Sydney in the early morning has led me to believe that these people really don't take their safety seriously. Often bikes are poorly lit bikes and have riders that would struggle to pass an RTA driving test.

I congratulate B.A.C. for taking this outstanding initiative.

[Raymond Rowe]

It is as bad down here. Maybe the solution is to make them pay a rego fee and licence fee to ride in Lycra.

[Mick Raftery]

The Loop Roaders will miss them !

http://i27.tinypic.com/11b0qkm.jpg

Mulga Bill

[Craig Murray]

The Loop Roaders will miss them !

Holy snapping Canon shutters Mick! Like every rule, there are obvious exceptions and she certainly appears to be one of them! Welcome to the board mate, your first post was brilliant..... I am sure you can maintain the high standard you've set for yourself.

Anyone care to insert the pic into a "caption this" thread :D

[Mick Raftery]

Thanks Craig - spotting the fokkers is a wheelie good hobby.

;)

[Adam P.]

I'm not nearly as good looking as that one, sorry. However...

While I see the point about the so-called 'lycra louts' taking up whole lanes... the truth is these guys are generally actually pretty quick - upwards of 50km/h being the norm. They don't hold up traffic that much!

I do however have a problem with this...
encouraging cyclists to look for alternative modes of transport
A bike IS an alternative mode of transport! If it's anything like Sydney you'll find there are a fair proportion of people who actually cycle to work, ie as a means of commuting. I used to belt around Ross Smith Ave at YSSY when I was working at the heliport. It's just the way I get around - preferring to leave the car at home because a) my bike is usually quicker in peak hour and b) as an added bonus I get the the fitness and environmental benefits.

I also have a problem with this....
Maybe the solution is to make them pay a rego fee and licence fee to ride in Lycra
Sigh. This chessnut gets rolled out whenever there is any sort of media story relating to cyclists. Anyone in Sydney especially will have seen the recent coverage of the so-called 'road rage' incident on Southern Cross Drive the other week. A letter in the paper said something about making cyclists pay road taxes. This was a reply from a mate of mine...
"Many people who drive and pay licensing fees also have an interest in cycling and the safety of cyclists. Road building funding comes from consolidated government revenue. Vehicle registration fees ... are largely made up of a weight tax - to repair the damage caused by these heavy vehicles which are largely used for the transport of a single occupant.... the cyclist is defraying expenses by causing minimal impact on the roads"
Most cyclists also drive a car, thereby paying rego fees and having a drivers' licence. Most drivers do not cycle. There is a certain lack of understanding as a result of this.

Motorists also like to complain that a bike in traffic 'slows them down'. Fact is, many studies have shown that over distances of 10km or less in typical city traffic, the bike will usually come out faster. This certainly makes sense in my experience.

End of the day? Cyclists and motorists continue to have run-ins. Remember the stakes are far higher for the guy on two wheels. Be careful and considerate out there!
a "cog" of cyclists
Very clever, Craigo!

[SteveW]

Am I correct in saying the roads are on private land and therefore Brisbane Airport Corp are entitled to make whatever rules they see fit within the boundaries of their land?

I could have swore there used to be a sign as you came off the airport roundabout that had words to the effect of "This is private land owned by BAC". I can't recall seeing it for some time now though ?

I often then wonder why the police sit in the median behind bushes trying to ping drivers on private land (and why they don't move cars on that park in the bushes etc)

[David Knudsen]

I often then wonder why the police sit in the median behind bushes trying to ping drivers on private land (and why they don't move cars on that park in the bushes etc)

The private road signs are still on Lomandra drive coming from the Pinkenba end - if you ask the police why they were on private land they'll give you one of 2 responses "We are here at the request of the BAC" or "We can go anywhere we want".

I've got a good speed camera shot here from airport drive where 3/4 of the image is a bush in the median strip.

[SteveW]

I still don't get how they can police private land though? If I was loaded and owned a huge place with a 1KM driveway, does this mean they could set up shop outside my front door and ping visitors as they drove up my driveway if I had erected 10km/h speed limit signs ?

[Clarke P]

Local Councils & QLD State Govt do particularly care what's going on in their areas, thus you'd need to negotiate with them before making plans -- as I assume BAC would have when considering cycling etc.

But according to someone above - they're there at the request of BAC, which sounds quite right to me.