Ride2School from north-west to the south
We had two activations at schools on Ride2School Day this year, a collaboration of Cooee Primary and Burnie High and Risdon Vale Primary School.
Cooee Primary received a two-day intensive of riding skills sessions from our Ride2School program at the start of the week.
Bicycle Network volunteers ran a bike bus and monitored crossing to get students from the Coastal Pathway across the highway to the schools each day of the week, culminating in Ride2School Day on the Friday.
Tasmania Police helped students cross the highway on the day and Somerset Cycles and West Beach Cycles provided prizes.
At the other end of the sate, the Hobart office set up at Risdon Vale Primary School, feeding the smoothie bike and supporting the school’s efforts to get more students active before classes start.
Do drivers harass female riders more?
A Tasmanian journalist is working on a story about how female riders face sexual harassment on top of the other usual barriers to riding
If you have experienced sexual harassment while on your bike and would like to talk to the journalist, send us an email at tasoffice@bicyclenetwork.com.au. We’ll pass your details on to the journalist to contact you directly.
Newest UTAS building makes it easier to ride
The University of Tasmania’s most recent addition to its city campus, the Forest Building, has also provided easy access bicycle parking for staff and students.
With a dedicated entrance off Brisbane Street, the bike parking area is already filling up several weeks into its first year of operation.
It joins the impressive secure bike parking areas at the IMAS, Menzies Institute and Glebe buildings.
Dorset Council prevaricates on Rail Trail extension
North East Rail Trail extension opponent Councillor Wendy McLennan put a motion to Dorset Council this week to wipe the project from council plans by de-prioritising it.
The council meeting was addressed by the North East Chamber of Commerce on the importance of the rail trail extension to local businesses before councillors decided to defer the issue to the workshop instead of voting it down.
If you have thoughts on this, please let councillors know, their contact details can be found at: https://www.dorset.tas.gov.au/mayor-and-councillors
More info on the rail trail extension is at: https://www.dorset.tas.gov.au/north-east-rail-trail-stage-3
Ring Ross on the coastal pathway
Ringing your bell or calling out when passing someone on a shared path is a courteous way to let them know you are there, but not every rider does it which has annoyed one walker so much he’s had a vest made that asks them to.
Coastal Pathway devotee Ross Hartley walks the path regularly with his sticks and now sports a high-vis vest with the message “sound alert” and picture of a bicycle and bell. So if you see him on your next ride, you know what to do!
https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/9194260/walker-ross-hartley-75-is-on-a-coastal-pathway-safety-crusade/
Macquarie Street nightworks
The Tasmanian Government will replace the asphalt on one block of Macquarie Street, between Barrack and Harrington streets in April, with a single lane operating and the other two lanes and parking closed.
Work will happen between 7.30 pm and 5.30 am on the following dates:
- Road surface replacement from Tuesday, 7 April to Tuesday, 14 April
- Asphalt core sampling on Wednesday, 15 April
- Line marking from Thursday, 16 April to Saturday, 18 April 2026.
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