Visiting Brisbane amid the excitement of the Basin discussions, I was expecting to see a city-sized example of the worst in traffic design.  To my surprise Brisbane’s commitment to cycling is highly visible, and evidences plenty of investment in providing bikes (in the CityCycle bike hire scheme) as well as cycle lanes.

Along both sides of the river capacity for cycle lanes separate from motorists has been made.  On the sunny south bank cyclists leisurely meld with pedestrians.

On the colder northern sides, the cycle path is admittedly ghettoised under the extraordinary structure of the river bank-hugging  motorway.  Its wide, space is separately designated for cyclists and pedestrians, but you do get solid glimpses of the sky for most of the way.

Even in the inner city, space for the cyclist is highly visible.  In addition to the banks of yellow Lipton tea bikes (free for 30 minutes) the King George Cycle Centre (access shown below) is well sign-posted and its two-way bike lane is impressive.  The cycle centre is the city’s initiative to encourage commuter cycling.  It offers secure bike parking, showers and lockers.

But Brisbane also does the basics.  There are cycle lanes (though some a little anoxeric)

and options for novice and experienced rides.  Signage indicates the expectation that people will be riding bikes, whether on the road or on the footpath or the dedicated cycle paths.

All the cyclists I spoke to also assured me that Brisbane was good to cycle around.  Yep plenty for us in Wellington to learn from.