At a time where cities around the world are investing into cycling infrastructure to encourage more people to cycle for short trips, the NSW Government is scrapping one of the few bicycle lanes in Sydney in William Street. The Bicycle Industry believes this is a very backward looking step at a time when petrol costs are skyrocketing and congestion is at an all time high.

Chicago is one of the many cities that has recognised the potential of the bicycle as an integral part of its transport system and has commited to develop 500 miles of designated bike routes. The city is thinking big and wants to ensure that every resident has access to a bike route within half a mile of their home. By 2015 they want to see 5% of all trips shorter than 5 miles made by bicycle.
We challenge Sydney to adapt a similar bold plan. Given that 55% of trips in Sydney are less than 5km long (NSW Department of Transport Figures 1995), this would be one of the most cost effective ways to tackle congestion. Australians purchased more than one million bicycles last year; let's provide them with opportunities to use them for every day trips.

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