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Bicycle NSW in conjuction with CAMWEST and Western Sydney Cycling Network presented the inaugural WSYD Gear Up Girl Social ride on Saturday March 4th, 2023. Groups of ladies started the 15-16km ride at both Rooty Hill and Canley Vale and converged on Prospect Reservoir for a light lunch. Each of the routes were almost entirely on shared paths, slow paced, and lead by experienced ride leaders from both local Bicycle User Groups. Some riders invited their families to share in the lunch and then got a lift home. Other riders rode the additional distance to Guildford Train Station or Canley Vale. Both Bicycle User Groups are keen to organise a similar event for early March 2024. |
CAMWEST members have been busy over the last couple of months writing four submissions on projects which have been open for community consultation. These are the M7 Widening, the Prospect Pipeline Corridor - Draft Strategic Masterplan, the Duck River Parklands - Draft Strategic Masterplan and the Penrith Accessible Trails Hierarchy Study (PATHS) Implementation Plan. We have also marked some of our ideas for improvements to the cycling network on Cumberland Council's interactive map and provided comments to Transport for NSW on strategic cycling corridors for the 'Central River City'. For details on these plans or to view submissions from CAMWEST and other groups, see Community Consultation.
The upgrade work on the Prospect Reservoir spillway bridge has now been completed, and the shared path between the Prospect Reservoir Picnic Area and Chandos Rd is fully open again. See Latest Cycle Route Changes for further details on this and other changes.
Although CAMWEST is generally very supportive of shared path infrastructure, there is an issue with shared paths built alongside major arterial roads that is causing some degree of frustration for shared path users: the long delays experienced in legally crossing minor roads at signalised intersections.
Often the pedestrian and cyclist lanterns along the paths default to red. They only change to green after the user presses the button to cross, and waits until the main arterial carriageway traffic signals turn red to let the traffic on the minor road enter the intersection, and then green again. Pedestrian and Cyclist lanterns are generally programmed to change to green when the main arterial traffic signals first change to green. If the shared path user presses the button moments after the carriageway lights change, they have to wait for a complete cycle before being able to cross legally.
Pedestrians are no strangers to this issue when approaching signalised intersections on normal footpaths. It’s arguably more pronounced for cyclists, as they tend to traverse greater distances alongside arterial roads than most pedestrians would, thereby encountering a higher number of these intersections.
While a motorist turning onto a major arterial road may only have a significant wait once, the pedestrian and cyclist can experience significant waits at numerous signalised intersections. This is time-consuming for both pedestrians and cyclists.
Pedestrian and cyclists have two choices when faced with these delays:
CAMWEST riders have noted that at some intersections, particularly those utilising a separate left turn slip lane and pedestrian/cyclist island, there doesn’t appear to be any obvious safety reason as to why the pedestrian and cycle lanterns changes to green couldn’t be synchronised with regular carriageway signals on the same side of the road as the shared path. The lanterns would probably need to turn red before the main carriageway signals turned red to allow time for pedestrians to clear the intersection. Further observations at a number of intersections, including those with right-turn arrows, are required to confirm.
To this end, CAMWEST are endeavouring to conduct an audit of intersections along major arterial roads in Western Sydney to determine which may be suitable to have their pedestrian & cycle lanterns phasing changed to conform with the above. Once the audit is complete, we would approach RMS and other stakeholders with our findings with a view to asking for a reprogramming of pedestrian and cyclist lanterns at appropriate intersections.
We wouldn’t anticipate any adverse outcomes for other road users from these proposals. We are looking for pedestrians and people who ride bikes to assist us in conducting these audits. Would you be keen to help?
If so, please get in touch via the Contact Us page.
CAMWEST members have been looking at possible options for filling the 1.5km missing link in the Girraween Ck Shared path between Toongabbie and Pemulwuy. If able to be constructed through a culvert under the M4, the path would provide a reasonably flat 5 km route from the existing paths in Pemulwuy to Toongabbie Railway station.
See a Markup on Google Maps, outlining our preferred route, but also showing some other options. If you live in the Pemulwuy area and would like to become involved, please get in touch via the Contact Us page.
On Oct 17th 2019 Rob and Charlene from CAMWEST joined with Bicycle NSW, State MPs, and representatives from other Bicycle User Groups and interest groups at Parliament House for the inaugural Bicycle NSW Bike Forum. Presentations, Q&A sessions and Small Group brainstorming & discussions were held canvassing a wide range of cycling related issues during the day-long event. See further details and the full Bicycle NSW report here.