comment, editorial

Few groups are more divided in our city than cyclists and drivers, with drivers regularly complaining that cyclists take up space on a road they don't have to pay to use. Those people fuming about having to pay vehicle registration while cyclists hit the road for free should consider Pedal Power boss Ian Ross' take on the news that 469,382 riders were recorded passing the bike barometer in O'Connor over the course of a year. As reported today, Mr Ross crunched the numbers after being shown the statistics by the Sunday Canberra Times and estimated that the cyclists recorded on the Sullivan's Creek Trail alone were saving the ACT economy an estimated $5.67 million a year. As Mr Ross puts it: "We get this bizarre thing in Canberra where people say, 'You cyclists are a bit of a parasite on the road because you don't pay taxes for vehicle costs'. "What we want to say is most people who are cycling probably have a car in the garage anyway because car ownership rates are pretty high, but even so, every kilometre a cyclist cycles makes a substantial saving to the economy. It's a contribution." The economics are compelling, but there's no denying that more must be done to increase the number of people leaving the car at home in favour of a bike. The ACT government wants 7 per cent of Canberrans to be riding to work by 2026, and Mr Ross warned in March this year that with the current rate of change, that target won't be reached until 2096. Some of the impediments are clear, but the solution to overcome those barriers is often much less obvious. Parents needing to drop the kids off at school can't simply stick them on the back of the bike, while the bike barometer has shown the dampener rain can put on cyclists' enthusiasm. The barometer's lowest daily count of 156 was recorded on February 25, when 60 millimetres of rain fell in one hour. With the sun shining again three days later, 2365 people rode past the barometer to make it the trail's busiest day of the year. Then there are those people who live too far from their workplace and others who will simply never want to cycle to work. Projects like the Belconnen Bikeway will help address the concerns of those who don't feel safe as a cyclist in a sea of cars, while the government is also pouring cash into cycleways in Woden and Tuggeranong. The ACT is home to 419,200 people, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, making the bike barometer's tally of 469,382 riders on a single trail in one year simply staggering. But the territory government and cycling advocates must remain conscious of the need to give those resisting calls to jump on a bike compelling reasons to change their tune. Investing in infrastructure is important, but it's equally vital to work on attitudes and help drivers understand that cyclists, rather than being pests, are actually freeing up congested roads and saving everyone money.