Yarra Bicycle Users Group: advocacy & awareness in Melb’s inner northern suburbs

The Melbourne City Council pledged to move buses from Swanston Street by November 24.

As this article from The Age now reports - clearly they have FAILED to follow their own pledge and now risk further jeopardising bicycle riders using the area until the coaches are moved - in March 2009.

The Age: Council ‘jeopardising lives’ as it misses its bus pledge (20 November, 2008)
The husband of a cyclist who died when a tour bus hit her in Swanston Street is disappointed Melbourne City Council has broken its pledge to get buses out of the street by next week.

“It is jeopardising more lives on Swanston Street,” said Jeremy Rawlins, whose wife Carolyn was killed on September 18 when a Gray Line tour bus hit her. Ms Rawlins was 12 weeks pregnant. Lord Mayor John So promised to get tour buses out of the street immediately after Ms Rawlins’ death.

But Cr So and his team — which includes lord mayoral aspirants Gary Singer and Catherine Ng — backed down on the promise. Instead, they pledged tour buses would be moved to another location by next Monday.

It emerged yesterday that tour buses will not move out of Swanston Street until at least next March.

Additional links:

• Contact Melbourne City Council
• YarraBUG November - December Newsletter
• Melbourne BUG
• The Age: In Carolyn’s name
• Melbourne Cyclist: Countdown to No BUSES in Swanston Street
• Melbourne Cyclist: Swanston?Walk? Street TODAY 13 October 2008 - Nothing’s Changed!

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Launch Invitation - You And A Guest Are Invited To Join Us For The Bicycle Film Festival 2008 Program Launch

Tuesday 21 October, Beer Deluxe, Federation Square.
Entry From Flinders St, 6pm-8pm

Performances By Flatland BMX And Melbourne Bicycle Polo Club.
Bicycle Valet Parking Available.
Please RSPV By Friday 17 October.

infoATambiguoushorse.com

See You There!

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For those who didn’t see Human Powered Cycles Bill & Joel on Friday’s ABC Lateline.

ABC Lateline: Transcript - Recycle the Bicycle (10 Oct 2008)
As people increasingly look for cheaper and greener modes of transport, recycled bikes are becoming a wanted item.

Leigh Sales, Presenter: After the dizzying events of the last week, a story with a gentler pace. In these troubled financial times, people are increasingly looking for cheaper and perhaps greener ways of getting around. Hamish Fitzsimmons reports from Melbourne on how trash is being turned in to transport treasure by a group which recycles old bikes for the city’s needy.

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Ride to Work Day Breakfast at Victoria Gardens - You’re invited!

Wednesday 15 October 2008 7.30am-9am

Where: Café Krifi, Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre, Corner Victoria & Burnley Streets, Richmond (enter off Victoria Street)

Free Breakfast And Coffee, Free Bike Maintenance Police with Engraving Tools , Giveaways and Prizes from Victoria Garden Stores and Keen Hairdressers Fixing ‘Helmet Hair’

• Click here for a Ride to Work Day Poster
• Please go to www.ride2work.com.au to register your participation in Ride to Work Day.
• For more information call 8420 1400 or visit www.vicgardens.com.au

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Enjoy a non-denominational blessing of cyclists and their bicycles, including live music in celebration of the peaceful sharing of roads.

This is the first blessing of its kind to be held in the Southern Hemisphere, come and join in the fun.

When: Sunday 5 October
Where: North Fitzroy’s Edinburgh Gardens
Time: 1.00pm - 2.00pm

Organised by the City of Yarra

• Blessing of the Bicycles - A4 poster
• Blessing of the Bicycles leaflet x2

See you on the day!

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Yarra Bicycle Users Group Radio - 10-10.30am - Every Monday on 3CR Community Radio 855 AM

Monday 15th September is Yarra Bicycle User Group’s very first Radio show and we are broadcasting live, 10 - 10.30am on 3CR Community Radio 855 AM.

A group of six people will be taking it in turns to present the show, the program presenters are Sonya, Chris, Val, Steve, Rob and Emma.

Our program intends to promote urban cycling as a viable means of transport; promote Yarra’s cycling conditions; demystify cycling technology; and help reveal the diversity of cyclists around from children, to commuters, to lobbyists.

We are hoping the YarraBUG Radio will encourage people to join in the sheer fun of bicycle riding and to also raise awareness in sustainable transport issues. YarraBUG will be broadcasting every Monday at 10am 3CR Community Radio 855am and streaming live on the web at 3cr.org.au.

We would like our show to be for everyone – cyclists or not and we would love non-cyclists to be in our audience. YarraBUG Radio is based in the inner suburbs of Abbotsford, Alphington, Burnley, Carlton North, Clifton Hill, Cremorne, Collingwood, Fairfield, Fitzroy, Fitzroy North Princess Hill and Richmond. We want to advocate on behalf of cyclists for improved cycling conditions with organisations and many other groups.

YarraBUG radio is particularly interested in hearing from cyclists who may not be residents of the Yarra area, but who commute daily through the area. Both cyclists and residents local knowledge, resources and skills are important in creating awareness and a safe cycling environment in the inner north.

For those of you who haven’t hear of a BUG before, it stands for Bicycle User Group, which is a community based organisation set up by cyclists. There are a number of different sort of BUGS, such as those defined by a geographical area or workplace or place of education such as universities or TAFE’s. The role of BUGs can be to provide a forum for cyclists to meet and discuss local bicycle issues, work with local government to improve cycling conditions, promote all types of cycling, assist others to start cycling and arrange and participate in social rides.

YarraBUG would like to thank the City of Yarra for the assistance given via their Community Grants Program to fund our show. We would also like to warmly thank 3CR Community Radio for their strong support to get the show on air and 3CR’s hardworking staff, especially Leanne, Bree, Libby, Juliet, Eleanor and Nicole.

Your feedback is welcome, so call us at 3CR on 03 9419 8377 when you can et us know your thoughts, we welcome your contribution, after all YarraBUG is here for you to help you make your cycling safe, fun and infectious for others.

To directly contact Yarra Bicycle Users Group, call Chris 0407 825 467 Rob: 0414 733 395

Email: enquiriesATyarrabug.org

• http://www.yarrabug.org
• http://www.3cr.org.au/yarrabug

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