Bikeway means cyclists will beat commuters

IT will soon be faster to cycle from Holland Park West into the CBD than to drive a car or catch the bus thanks to a new bikeway.

Stage E of the Veloway cycleway from Tarragindi to the CBD

IT will be much faster to cycle from Holland Park West into the CBD than to drive a car or catch the bus once the Veloway 1 is finished, a Bicycle Queensland (BQ) test has revealed.

Transport minister Mark Bailey this week announced a tender had been awarded for the last stage of the huge project, Stage E.

It will provide an elevated bike freeway from Birdwood Rd, Holland Park, to Gaza Rd, Tarragindi and complete the 17km, $45 million dedicated cycleway, between Eight Mile Plains and the CBD.

Stage E would be the largest package of V1 works and included construction of almost 1km of the cycleway on an elevated structure.

“Rider safety will be improved with physical separation from motorists along dedicated bike bridges over Marshall Rd, Sterculia Ave and Bapaume Rd at the Gaza Rd off-ramp,” he said.

L-R: Belinda Ward from space for cycling; Bicycle Queensland CEO Ben Wilson; Member for South Brisbane Jackie Trad; and Member for Yeerongpilly Mark Bailey at the Greenslopes stage of the Veloway, last year. Picture: Peter Cronin

“This will improve bike riding connections to other cycle networks, hospitals, shops, schools and public transport.’’

McIlwain Civil Engineering starts work this month and will complete it by mid-2020.

BQ chief executive Anne Savage said Stage E would provide a fast, flat, flyover.

“Impressively, bike riders on the V1 are likely to arrive in the CBD more quickly than car drivers, avoiding congestion and traffic chaos,’’ she said.

“They’ll also get home faster after work.

“800,000 Queenslanders currently ride every week, and 14 per cent of Australians have now replaced car travel with walking or cycling.

“The V1 is a game changer for southside traffic – enabling people to ride safely and seamlessly to get ahead of the traffic to beat gridlock.”

A Bicycle Queensland comparison of journey times from the start of the V1 at Holland Park West to QUT Gardens Point found a bike to be the quickest form of transport, at about 17 minutes compared to 24 minutes in a car and 28 minutes on a bus.