Latest newsArgyle St bicycle parking cageJuly 2010. Workers in the city looking for a safe and secure location to park their bike will be able to use the new bicycle parking cage in the Argyle St carpark. Access is via an electronic swipe card and the cage will be under CCTV surveillance. The facility will be accessible during the normal operating hours of the Argyle Street Car Park. Lockers will be provided within the facility and public toilets are located almost immediately adjacent to the facility access. This secure bicycle facility will be a membership based, fee for service facility. The fee for a 1 year (52 week) membership of the facility will be $50. A refundable deposit ($50) for the electronic swipe card will also be required. Membership applications are available from the Hobart City Council Customer Service Centre or
Hobart Council website. Click here to view a
diagram of the cage.
Hobart Rivulet Linear Park Masterplan & Molle St improvements
July 2010. Works have commenced on the improved crossing of Molle St for Rivulet Track users which includes a bike lane in the design (see photo). It's a good example of incorporating a bicycle facility as part of another project.
Jan 2010. Hobart Council will be undertaking a masterplan of the Hobart Rivulet Linear Park which will also include the multi-user track. Council has finalised arrangements for land purchase of the former Boags Brewery site at Anglesea St which will provide a continuation of the track along the rivulet for walking and cycling, avoiding the existing steep bypass over the hill. The land is situated on the northern side of the Rivulet between Anglesea Street and Council owned parkland. It comprises approximately 0.7 hectares and is wide enough to allow for a separated bikeway and walkway. The Council will now begin the planning process to develop the land for public access and recreation. "Part of the planning process will involve community consultation with nearby residents and the broader community, together with the removal of a number of sheds as well as a building,” said the Lord Mayor. In addition, the crossing of Molle St will be improved through the installation of kerb outstands to reduce the crossing distance of the roadway, a reduction in motor vehicle lanes from 3 to 2 and a bike lane along a section of Molle St. For more see Hobart Council website.
Hobart City Council adopts Sustainable Transport Strategy
Dec 2009. At its Monday 14 December 2009 Council meeting a Sustainable Transport Strategy was adopted in principle. This strategy outlines a vision for the future transport sustainability of urban Greater Hobart and beyond. The Council welcomes public comment on the document and will be running public displays at the Hobart Council Centre during January and February 2010 along with special attended displays in Waterside Pavilion, Mawson Place on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 January and Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 February. Feedback forms will shortly be available from the HCC website and will be available at the displays. Comments are appreciated by 1 March 2010. For more see http://www.hobartcity.com.au/HCC/STANDARD/PC_1406.html
Hobart installs first permanent bike counter
Dec 2009. The counter has been embedded in the intercity cycleway at the Hobart Cenotaph end and will be counting cyclists 24 hrs a day / 7 days a week. |  |
Bicycle parking for local shopping areas in HobartDec 2009. Hobart City Council has carried out consultation with shop owners and is intending to install bicycle parking rails at a number of local shops in Hobart including Raw and Lipscombe Larder in Sandy Bay, Hill Stshops in West Hobart and shopping area at Cross St/New Town Rdin New Town. This is good news for people making quick trips to their local shop by bike with the provision of secure bike parking at the front door. Additional bike parking will be installed at other locations in the next round.
Argyle & Campbell St bike lanes are in26 May 09. Hobart Lord Mayor Rob Valentine and the Minister Assisting the Premier on Climate Change, Lisa Singh, officially opened the bike lanes. See
The Mercury website.
The idea for the bike lanes was first raised at a Hobart Bicycle Committee meeting over 3 years ago so it's exciting to finally see the paint go down on the road. Argyle and Campbell Streets were chosen for the first lanes as they had adequate width to install the bike lanes without removing parking or travel lanes. It was a good trial project for the traffic engineers and designers who haven't done this sort of treatment before. Hobart Council has produced a
Frequently Asked Questions Fact Sheet about the bike lanes, including the reasons why the Campbell St bike lane is on the right hand side of the road.
Hobart Council carried out extensive traffic surveys of the routes beforehand and found they could remove a right turn lane at Burnett St without impacting on traffic flow. The bike lanes also improve consistency for drivers along Argyle St by providing two continuous travel lanes and eliminating the merging that used to occur at the intersections.
It's the first time green lanes have been used in Tasmania (they are located at potential conflict points where motor vehicles have to cross the bike lanes, usually at intersections) and it's Hobart's first bike lane on an arterial road. It is hopefully the beginning of a network of bike lanes across the Hobart region. For more on the bike lanes see
Hobart Council website.
Cyclists were already using Argyle St and Campbell St and the new bike lanes will increase the safety for them and make it more attractive for more people to cycle. Because they're new, many people won't know the road rules around bike lanes. For road rules see
Rules and Guidelines webpage. The
Sharing the Road in Tasmania flyer outlines a summary of rules relating to bike lanes and riding bikes.
Argyle St at Patrick St | 
Argyle St at Warrick St |
Campbell St at Warrick St | |
New bike parking hoops in South Hobart
Sept 08. Hobart City Council has installed new bicycle parking hoops along the South Hobart shopping strip.
Hobart Sustainable Transport Strategy - comments wantedSept 08. The strategy outlines a range of issues with our current transportation system and suggests initial goals for Council to pursue to create a more sustainable transport system. A short list of immediate projects to pursue also forms part of the strategy. The sections of immediate relevance to cyclists are 5.3 and 5.4. Input from cyclists is important in shaping the development of this strategy. See
Hobart Council website for details. Comments by 30th September 2008.
Hobart Council approves funding for bike lanes9 Sept 08. Last night's Hobart City Council meeting decided to allocate $160,000 for bike lanes along Argyle Street and Campbell Street into the city. Trial bike lanes along the top end of Argyle Street have operated for some time.
One of the reasons Argyle St was chosen for bike lanes was the generous width of the road space which enabled Hobart Council staff to come up with a high quality design which includes green lanes at intersections and painted chevron barriers to increase separation between cyclists and motor vehicles.
The Lord Mayor Rob Valentine says the new lanes are subject to equal funding from the State Government, making the project worth $320,000. "That cost to council would be $160,000 providing the government agrees to a dollar-for-dollar funding arrangement, so we'll be writing to the government in those terms and hoping that they will see fit to fund it," Alderman.
Hobart Principle Bicycle Network - Public Consultation
Aug 07. The Draft Principal Bicycle Network has been identified by the Hobart City Council Bicycle Advisory Committee to assist Council in providing improved cycling facilities for Hobart residents and visitors. This is in line with the Hobart 2025 Vision to create a city that is: “
Highly accessible through efficient transport options.” The intention of the Draft Principal Bicycle Network is to identify the arterial corridors, or the initial ‘spine” routes for cyclists that cater for commuting, recreational and training cyclists. The intention has
not been to identify every street or area where cycling paths and facilities could be located. Routes identified in the Principle Bicycle Network include:
- Argyle and Campbell Streets
- Davey and Macquarie Streets
- Sandy Bay Rd
After the Principal Bicycle Network has been established the aim of the Hobart City Council Bicycle Advisory Committee will be to identify a local bicycle network within suburbs to further enhance safer cycling options. The Hobart City Council will, over time, develop concept designs and undertake individual consultation with stakeholders for all the identified arterial routes.
Tasman Bridge link
June 07. Ald Zucco has called for investigations to be carried out into improving the Tasman Bridge to a cycleway standard by widening one of the walkways. For more on the Tasman Bridge see
Southern Tasmania Projects page.
Argyle St bike lanes
| Feb 07. New bike lanes were installed on Argyle St between Lewis and Federal St in mid-February. They are the first bike lanes on an arterial road in Hobart and were installed as part of the Blackspot Prgoram. The bike lanes create greater definition of vehicle lanes and will assist with traffic calming, improving this section of road for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. |  |
CyclingSouth would like to thank DIER and Hobart Council for modifying the Blackspot plans to include bike lanes. These lanes are the first step in developing a network of bike routes in Hobart.
Trial Fern Tree Bus-Bike Shuttle ServiceFeb 07. Hobart City Council is subsidising a trial of a Fern Tree Bus-bike service to transport cyclists uphill from Hobart to Fern Tree. It starts on Tuesday 6th of Feb and will be run for 10 weeks until Thursday 12 April by Island Cycle Tours. The service will run twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, departing from the Tasmanian Tours Information Centre (corner of Davey and Elizabeth Sts) at 5.40pm.
Payment is either up-front, $70 for a 10 week pass (2 trips / week @ $3.50 per trip) or $4.00 for casual use. Payment for both the pass and daily ticket is made on the bus to Island Cycle Tours, who are running the service. They will accept credit card payment for the 10 week pass (both fares are cheaper than a return trip by Metro bus).
People can request stops in South Hobart (e.g. Grayling Ave), top of Strickland Ave, Chimney Pot Hill Rd and Fern Tree. We may also be able to negotiate a drop-off in Ridgeway on the way back to town.
Bikes are carried in an enclosed trailer behind a mini-bus and both the front and rear wheels are secure, so risk of scratches or damage to bike s is minimised. Bike seats
may need to be lowered to fit in the trailer.
For further information contact Island Cycle Tours Ph 0400224942. The success of the trial will determine if an on-going regluar service is viable, so it is up to you to show your support !!
Tree surrounds at Constitution Dock
Aug 06. Work has commenced on altering the tree surrounds at Constitution Dock to create more space for pedestrians and cyclists using this popular route along Davey St that connects to the Intercity Cycleway.
New BBQ area on Cycleway
 | Aug 06. Work has commenced on the new picnic area near the start of the Cycleway at the Regatta Grounds. Paving and landscaping has been carried out so far. Members of the Hobart Bicycle Advisory Committee planted 64 new trees on 30 July 2006.
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New Projects
Feb 06. Hobart Council has approved the following cycling-related projects:
In 1997 Hobart Bike Plan was developed with input from a Council Steering Committee chaired by Alderman Jeff Briscoe. The objectives of the study were to review the previous 1984 study, estimate current levels of cycle useage and propose strategies to better support existing cyclists and encourage and increase in cycling numbers.
