[Greens-Media] Keneally fails her own bike test: plan one year over due

[Lee Rhiannon]

MEDIA RELEASE
14 May 2010


Keneally fails her own bike test: plan one year over due

Welcoming today's release of Sydney City Council's bike plan Greens MP and transport spokesperson Lee Rhiannon said Lord Mayor Clover Moore's leadership highlighted Labor's failure to upgrade cycling infrastructure. 

The City Council commissioned plan shows that an extensive network of bike paths would create economic benefits nearly three times the cost of building them. 

"Premier Kristina Keneally should today release the NSW government's bike plan that is nearly a year over due," Ms Rhiannon said. 

"The Premier needs to play catch up politics with Lord Mayor Clover Moore on cycling issues as Sydney City Council is so far out in front. 

"In March the NSW Upper House passed a Greens motion calling on the government to immediately release 'an updated, comprehensive bike plan for NSW'.

"Labor voted for this motion but two months later still no announcement from the bike riding Premier and no bike plan released to the public. 

"Ms Keneally sounds like she understands the growing enthusiasm for cycling but under her watch Labor government action on cycling has stalled.

"According to the NSW State Plan the government should be preparing for 5 per cent of all trips to be made by bike by 2016. 

"Without the release of the long overdue NSW Bike Plan and a boost in spending on bicycle infrastructure this target will not be achieved. 

"The Metropolitan Transport Plan released earlier this year allocated $15.8 million a year for ten years for Sydney cycling facilities.

"This puts cyclists a poor second, especially when you compare it with the $4.4 billion budget for roads allocated last financial year.

"And it does not stack up when compared with the City of Sydney's $28 million spend this financial year," Ms Rhiannon said.


For information: Lee Rhiannon - 9230 3551, 0427 861 568