On Friday, 8 December 2023, the Amy Gillett Foundation and CrowdSpot released the interim results from BikeSpot – Australia’s largest crowd-sourcing cycling safety project – revealing the best and worst places to ride a bicycle in New South Wales.
The interim data for New South Wales is based on over 3,000 public submissions since mid-October 2023. Data will continue being collected until January 2024, before being de-identified and made public.
Over 80 % of the data are reports of unsafe cycling spots.
The interim results show that lack of bike infrastructure and dangerous intersections are the most common reasons people feel unsafe riding their bikes on certain roads and cycle paths.
Lane Cove scored the distinction of having the most unsafe cycle path, with the Epping Road cycle path taking out the title.
It was noted the Epping Road cycle path is off-road but contains stressful moments at intersections where motor vehicles cut across the path to either turn into side streets from Epping Road or cut across the shared path to turn into Epping Road.
Poor sight lines and lack of signage are also contributing factors to making this section of the path feel unsafe.
Dangerous Intersections
Cyclists were particularly concerned about the Cox’s Lane, Moore Street and Munro Street Lane Cove North intersections.
You can view the unsafe spots on Epping Road and comments made by cyclists here.
One of the reasons Cox’s Lane intersection was noted as an unsafe spot was:
“Drivers rarely look left for bikes coming uphill, only to the right for cars coming downhill. Signage to say there is a cycle lane is non-existent. Sight lines are dangerously restricted.
The following comments were made about the Cox’s Lane intersection.
“Ridiculously dangerous intersection. You almost must look the driver in the eye first, before attempting to cross this, just to make sure they have seen you.”
“This is another dangerous intersection along the Epping Road shared path. Drivers block the crossing when they wait to enter Epping Road, and bike riders have no priority. This end of Cox’s Lane should be closed, and local traffic detoured via the roads with signalised intersections with Epping Road. This would eliminate the hazard of conflict between drivers and bike riders.”
A Bird’s Eye View
If you have never ridden down this cycle path (ITC, did it once during the Big Family Fun Ride, and there were marshals standing at each intersection to keep us safe), watch the video below by Riding in Ryde as he takes you on a journey from Longueville Road to Macquarie Park.
Not only does he remark you must take care at the intersections noted above, he also lets his viewers know that there are other obstacles, like bin day and cars entering and exiting the BP on Epping Road. However, he still believes that cycling to Macquarie Park is quicker than driving.
Harbour Bridge Stairs
Cyclist also commented on the “infamous and inaccessible stairs” on the north side of the Harbour Bridge. This section was rated the 5th most unsafe location.
Transport for NSW is progressing with plans for a bike ramp at the northern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway to improve accessibility, but in the meantime, it remains a major issue for riders. To check the status of this project, click here.
Top Five Safe Riding Locations
The top 5 safe riding locations all exist where there is a separated cycleway. The Wilson Street Cycleway in Eveleigh is currently the number 1 safe spot. Other cycleways in the top 5 include Bourke Street (Surry Hills), Railway Parade (Eveleigh), George Street (Redfern) and the Alexandra Canal shared path (Tempe).
Lane Cove Council Bike Advisory Committee and Bike Plan
Lane Cove Council has a Bike Advisory Committee, which worked with the Lane Cove Council to prepare the 2019 Bike Plan and its predecessors. You can read the bike plan here.
A summary of all cyclist-related crashes in the Local Government Area, over a five-year period is included in the 2019 Bike Plan.
The data indicates that there have been no cyclist related crashes which have resulted in fatal injuries over the five-year period. However, approximately 70% of the recorded crashes have resulted in moderate to serious injuries. The cause of crashes varies; however, many crashes involve conflict between cyclists and vehicles emerging from an intersection or a driveway.
Cyclists Should Make Their Mark
The Amy Gillett Foundation and CrowdSpot are urging bike riders to make their mark at bikespot.org. The interactive map allows people to identify where they feel safe or unsafe riding their bike.
Anthony Aisenberg, CrowdSpot Director, said:
“Safety concerns with cycling is known as a major barrier for people getting on their bikes. The BikeSpot map allows everyone to share where they feel safe or unsafe riding their bike. This data complements historical crash statistics as it gives everyone insights into the safety-related experiences of existing riders. The data generated will be made publicly available so that decision-makers can make better data- driven decisions. The map is still open so regardless of where you are across NSW, go to bikespot.org to make your mark on the map.”
Dan Kneipp, CEO, Amy Gillett Foundation said:
“We know more people want to ride their bike, but safety concerns often hold them back. If people feel stressed while riding their bike, even along a single section of a route, this can be the reason why they leave the bike at home and take the car instead. That’s why it’s so important that we know about these areas where people feel unsafe.”
“It’s fantastic to see people making their mark on the BikeSpot map across New South Wales. We can see that where safety upgrades have been made, people feel a lot safer now. And there is some great feedback coming through about where people feel unsafe, and where we could be looking at making upgrades.”
How to take part in BikeSpot 2023
Go to bikespot.org to make your mark on the interactive map. BikeSpot will run until 31 January 2024. A report will be released in May 2024.
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