I’d be happy if my superannuation increased 30%, and it somehow seems counter-intuitive to be lamenting a similar increase in cycle commuters, where-ever they come from.

It would be amazing if we reached 10% of trips by bike. It’s not impossible, but it’s not going to happen in the space of a year. As I said, credit where it’s due: the trend is heading in that direction.

That sad situation, plus the overcrowding and timetable disruption that PT experiences in these days of low capital outlay (by managers and governments alike on PT) and over reliance on PPPs for capital outlay for infrastructure. This has directly exacerbated the drive for tollways, (PPP carnivores looking at the low hanging fruit of tollways ) to deliver a means to encourage the breeding programme for more motorised vehicle trips.

Cities have to take the initiative and ban private cars in CBDs and at the same time urban transport hubs need to change their focus from being poor cousins on the path to the CBD to be major destinations offering effective parking and node solutions for commuters and shoppers, especially to provide for those riding, with better bike storage/security and access facilties to widen the net.

The solution, not freeways, tollways or more roads and cars. The solution is better planned public transport and urban facilities solutions to encourage less use of cars and more use of PT, walking and bicycles. Paul Mees might just use some of his so called “influence” to push for that, rather than being the lacky of the meedya when it suits them.

One of the key points that just about everyone (except me) has already raised is the knock-on effect of getting people off public transport onto bikes. Scott Ratcliff and pedaller both mention it, but I’ll go with deadlion:

many of them could have been taking public transport, which as anyone who uses public transport at peak times knows, is at or beyond capacity. So all those people cycling are actually making space for more people to take public transport, and leave their cars at home.

I think there are plenty of other things that need to be done to make public transport a more palatable option for habitual drivers, but simply freeing-up space is a big part of it.

Cyclists seem to have reacted badly to Mees’ comments because of the “middle-class inner-urbanites” crack. I thought that was a bit odd coming from someone who personifies that category (he certainly qualifies more than me on all counts!) I don’t know if he meant that as disparagement, but clearly it can be (and has been) taken that way across the board.

For better outcomes for integrated, sustainable transport options, Mees could learn to get over himself and instead take heed of Peter Newman and John Pucher.