Cycling in Sydney

Cycling in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia takes place for recreation, commuting and as a sport.

Sydney has a hilly topography and so may require a slightly higher level of fitness from cyclists than flatter cities such as Melbourne and Canberra.

Sydney depends heavily on motor vehicles where traffic and public transport operate at capacity.

[4] Historically, bicycle infrastructure was largely constructed in areas for recreational riding or along shared paths such as in parks.

There had been plans to extend these separated routes,[9] however these have largely not gone ahead, and some important commuter paths, like the College Street bike path, have actually been removed in 2015 at the insistence of Duncan Gay, the former Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight (who has openly described himself as "the biggest bike lane sceptic in government"[10]) with the support of Mike Baird, a former Premier of New South Wales.

Another criticism of Sydney's separated paths is that the traffic lights preference cars over both pedestrians and cyclists.

[13] While premier of NSW, Kristina Keneally bicycle commuted 10 km each way from the suburb of Pagewood to the CBD.

[20][21] New development controls have been suggested which, among other things, require increasing bicycle facilities in residential and commercial properties.

The NSW government, through the RMS, control all traffic lights (including along cycleways), arterial roads and speed limits.

Although there are plans to limit major CBD roads to private cars,[25] on-going efforts to make the city more friendly to non-motorised transport are made through agreements with the NSW state government.

[26] Other city councils also have bicycle plans of varying scope, based on funding, local demand, and current facilities.

Membership of Bicycle NSW includes personal accident and third party liability insurance when riding and a range of other benefits.

[69] There's a growing number of bike sheds and lockers at train stations, ferry wharves and bus interchanges.

Intercity trains operating Newcastle, the Blue Mountains and the South Coast frequently have a single hook at the end of the carriage.