CYCLE CENTENNIAL SEEKING A COOPE

CYCLE CENTENNIAL
SEEKING A COOPERATIVE OUTCOME TO THE BUNCH TRAINING ISSUE IN CENTENNIAL PARK
August 2003

Since mid-2001 Cycle Centennial have represented the interests of cyclists who use Centennial Park for training. Cycle Centennial are currently attempting to negotiate a productive and cooperative solution to the issue of bunch training in the Park. In recent months, largely fuelled by unconstructive press commentary, the momentum has swung against the interests of cyclists.

This document attempts to put some balance back into the debate. Defensive it may be; but at a time when Centennial Park Administration has suggested that bunch training be ejected from the Park, a return to fact-based debate may help.

Cycle Centennial will continue its efforts to to seek the adoption of a Code of Conduct for Bunch Training that works in a multi-user environment; and the implementation of some practical initiatives that would make the Park a better place for all users.

Marlene Krasovitsky, Acting Director of Centennial Parklands, has said more than 5 million people visit the Park every year … “it is there for everyone to share and no single group has priority” … cyclists agree, and for more than two years have been trying to achieve a cooperative solution with Centennial Parklands that allows cyclists to continue their training in the Park.

The Cycle Centennial petition, with over 700 signatures from cyclists and non-cyclists alike, is not, as Clover Moore would claim, seeking “to dictate to others”. The Petition does not seek anything more than the adoption of a Code of Conduct (see page 4) that works in a multi-user environment and the implementation of some practical initiatives that would make the Park a better place for all users, including:

•delay of formal Park opening until 7:15am on Tuesday and Thursday with Grand Drive closed to motorised vehicles, but with access through the ‘top gates’ from sunrise to allow car parking on Carrington Drive and the continuation of early morning access for all users;

•a parking solution for Grand Drive - that does not involve parallel parking on the outside perimeter;

•low level lighting around Grand Drive - to extend recreational use in winter by enhancing safety for all users (esp. pre-dawn and early evening walkers and runners);

• safer exit for all Park users - at the Randwick Gates; and

•legitimisation of bunch training - at limited times when other activities are at low ebb, specifically from 5:45am to 7:15am and 4:15pm to 6:15pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

CYCLE CENTENNIAL – FOCUSING ON THE TACTS
August 2003

Clover Moore claims … “cyclists seem to think they can dominate the Park” … walkers are (according to Alex Mitchell in a recent Sun-Herald article) enraged by “bunch cycling” which is claimed to involve up to 60 cyclists flying around the Park’s sweeping roadways at high speeds … empirical evidence suggests a quite different picture

•Cyclists do not dominate the park - between 7am and 4pm cycling constitutes only 10% of Grand Drive activity (see support material on pages 5, 6 and 7).

•Bunch training is strictly time limited – it occurs for less than 10% of available access time, from 5:50am to 7:00am and from around 4:00pm to 6:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

•Bunch training does not automatically result in oversized bunches - the afternoon bunch (Tues and Thurs) exceeded bunch size limit for only 40 minutes, the morning bunches (Tues and Thurs) exceeded bunch size limit for no more than 15 minutes which, when two laps by the St George Sunday Bunch are added, represents less than 2% of available access time.

•Bunches rotate through the Park at training speeds - the Tuesday afternoon bunch averaged 32.5kph (seven minute laps) for the first hour, 36.0kph for a couple of ‘hot’ laps and then dropped back to 32.5kph or less, while the Tuesday morning bunches were not tracked at over of 32.5kph average speed and, after 6:50am, were down to 28.5kph or less.

•Bunch training is much safer in the Park – in the last two months at least two cyclists were killed on Sydney roads and this last weekend three more were hospitalised, yet in the 29 months to March 2001 there were only 3 collisions between cyclist and pedestrian in the Park.

Note: Cycling activity tracking carried out on Grand Drive a) Tuesday 14th August 2001 (6:00am to 6:11pm), b) Sunday 26th August 2001 (6:00am to 6:11pm), c) Mon 20th through Sun 26th August 2001 at 5:00pm through 5:11pm., d) Tuesday 5th August 2003 from 3:50pm through 6:20pm, and e) Tuesday 12th August 2003 from 5:40am through 7:20am.

CYCLE CENTENNIAL – DRAFT CODE OF CONDUCT
Proposed to Centennial Parklands in September 2001

Cycle Centennial presented a draft ‘Code of Conduct’ to Centennial Park Administration on the 19th September 2001 (see text below). Centennial Park Administration did not deliver a response until 26th June 2003 – which response constituted, primarily, a restatement of the Australian Road Rules and the Park Regulations, as well as the suggestion that bunch training be ejected from the Park and confined to Driver Avenue.
All riders to wear a helmet and ride a suitable road bike. Mountain bikes, unless in the hands of experienced riders, are generally unsuitable for bunch training. Similarly, any bikes set up so that the rider must operate them by using time trial bars should not be used within a training bunch.
Usual bunch training etiquette applies:

two abreast, keeping to the left hand cycle lane wherever possible;

‘turns’ to begin and end at the CP canon opposite the Kiosk;

bunch cyclists will maintain an orderly riding pattern at all times;

bunch cyclists will call out on approach to roller bladers and slower cyclists; and

bunch cyclists will pass slower motorised traffic on the passenger side and will give all vehicles ample clearance.

Extra care and caution will be exercised at key traffic congestion points:

left turning traffic onto Parkes Drive north;

left turning traffic at the Randwick Gates;

pedestrians crossing at Children’s Cycleway; and

equestrian traffic at the Showground Gates.

Cyclists commit to considerate behaviour commensurate with activity in a multi-user environment. Bunch cyclists will treat all other park users with respect. Bunch cyclists will avoid confrontation, especially with motorists, and instead will report all such incidents to the Park Rangers. Bunch cyclists commit to an ongoing program of formal cooperation and communication. Each cycling club will appoint a ‘contact/coordination officer’ with whom Park Administration/Rangers can make contact as and when required.

SUPPORT MATERIAL – BUNCH TRAINING IS TIME SPECIFIC
Tuesday 14th August 2001, bunch cyclists in each 11-minute survey period

Time period from the hour to eleven after the hour

Note: Number of cyclists in bunches of five or more. The same bunch of 26 cyclists travelled past the observation point at junction of Grand and Parkes Drives two times during the eleven minute time period 5:00pm through 5:11pm. Note: All activity data used in this report (unless otherwise stated) was collected by Cycle Centennial – in the absence of any other activity data. All analysis of and conclusions drawn from the collected data are entirely the responsibility of Cycle Centennial.

SUPPORT MATERIAL – TRACKING THE AFTERNOON BUNCH
Tuesday 5th August 2003, 3:50pm through 6:20pm

Note: Size and time of bunches with over five cyclists as tracked past the junction of Grand and Hamilton Drives between 3:50pm and

6:20pm on Tuesday 5th August 2003. All bunch activity ended by 6:10pm. Sunset at 5:18pm. Weather clear skies and warm.
Note: During the two hour period four unleashed dogs crossed Grand Drive. One couple plus pram and three joggers were seen in the cycle lane. Only one ‘bunch pass’ was observed in which the rear third of a bunch was outside the cycle lane.

SUPPORT MATERIAL – TRACKING THE MORNING BUNCH
Tuesday 12th August 2003, 5:40am through 7:20am

Time am
Note: Size and time of bunches with over five cyclists as tracked past the junction of Grand and Parkes Drives between 5:40am and 7:20am on Tuesday 12th August 2003. All bunch activity ended by 7:15am. Sunrise at 6:38am. Weather clear skies and 7/8 degrees.