Here's a list of answers from a very bike-friendly Cr.  At least, I hope you agree I am.  Pls forgive if not set out in great secretarial splendour - the substance is what counts.  Regards - EMMA (as in Brooks Maher, Ashfield Council)  

Here are answers to AshBUG questions.


SURVEY  RESPONSE

1. There should be more of them - one such would be trialling 40kph speed limit on all residential streets.  Another is line marking to 'demarcate' space for moving cars in centre of roadway, and thus separate from line of bike travel & parked cars at side.

2. Parallel Coucnil's very popular (and needed !) "Effective Parenting" seminar series - is involve Community Services Dept, NOT traffic or engineers.
Create programs to help kids learn about bikes and using them -  maintaining, repairing, decorating bikes, bike riding competitions, getting sports cyclist heroes to come and talk to kids, co-sponsoring programs with schools etc.  Council needs to get bikes out of the category "traffic" (which has all kinds of undertones of danger for kids) and into the area of lifestyle/sport/fun.

3. In my neighbourhood of Haberfield, pretty safe.  More marked bike lanes would help (see 1 above).

4. Difficult to say until such time as a program or plan is prepared - see answer to Q7.  Could hazard a guess at 5%, but unrealistic because the answer may be just low-cost line-marking  or it may need road re-configuration - ie big $$$.   The secret is for Council to take provision of bicycle facilities seriously - and budget accordingly.  I have been told that Roads to Recovery funding is not easily switched into special-user program.

5. Lifestyle. Up market focus on diversity of bikes, gearing technology, "status" style cycling fashions etc. Social approval for healthy living, more commitment to physical activity, etc.  Publicity concerning Tour de France etc.  Some people are just sick of being caught in traffic jams - a bike means freedom, and often travels faster than an inner city car !

6. Revive the great idea (rejected by dodo's on current Council) of allowing a hire-a-bike service to be available near the Cycleway along Hawthorne Canal.  Have more Bike Forums and Seminars.  "Meet and Greet" functions with the Australian Olympic cycle team etc. - lots of PR and general promotion.

7. Yes
Yes
Yes - but may have to be in staged phases.