YarraBUG

Faith and Val are joined in the studio on a stunning spring morning by Alsion McCormack, CEO of Bicycle Network. We spend far too long sharing our bike moments before moving on to the current consultation on the Wellington Street improvements. Open until Monday October 13th the project looks at ways to improve the street and make it safer for vulnerable road users. Make sure you check it out, part...

On this weeks program Chris interviews Sally from Streets Alive Darebin about ongoing issues with risky St George's Road intersections, crossovers and connections. We discuss historial changes, including 2009 change from a roundabout at  Northcote to signalised intersection, working on building a direct connection to Merri Creek Path, Northern Pipe Trail connections to the north, safety issues wit...

Andrew from Neighbourly Ride joins Val on the tandem to chat on the power of the humble bicycle  to bring people togeather, enhance our physical and mental health and bring moments of unexpected joy into our lives. "You have to try very hard not to have fun on a bike."https://neighbourlyride.com/

On this weeks program Chris speaks to Angelica and Alex about community concerns in Brunswick about increased Moreland Road volume, traffic speeds and requirement for more safe infrastructure, especially after man was killed during a hit run incident, while walking a bicycle in the bike lane, on Sunday 24 August 2025. This is the second fatality within six months on Moreland Road. Brunswick Voice:...

Faith and Val are joined in the studio today by Dr Afshin Jafari Research Fellow at RMIT's Centre for Urban Research. We all share our bike moments before taking a look at two local pieces of news. First a reminder that the proposed ban on people travelling with e-bikes is open for consultation until today.  You just have time to have your say! Once you have done that make sure you contact your lo...

On this weeks show, Chris has a radio edit of the Future of North Richmond - People, Bikes, Cars and Housing forum held Thursday 7 August 2025 with presentations by Karen Hovenga (see Elizabeth Street, North Richmond housing) and Jeremy Lawrence (see Councillor vs. Officer Plans), that also involves Elizabeth Street protected lanes 'narrowing' and adjacent issues. The next Yarra Council meeting on...

Faith and Val are joined in the studio today by Elliot Fishman of the Institute for Sensible Transport to discuss the Victorian State Government's proposed ban on people travelling with e-bikes on trains. We share our bike moments and our first ever sponsorship by Bicycle Network. We discuss the policy and data vacumn within which this decision is being made, the ensuing lack of impact assesment a...

On this week's show Chris chats to Rochelle Anderson from Surrey Hills Neighbourhood Centre about the new Boroondara e-bike library trial programme, what's involved, providing locals to try out a top of the range e-bike, the bikes, training, how the Merri-bek e-bike trial went, responsibilities, survey follow up and more. The topic de jour everywhere is e-bikes and safety concerns on public transp...

Faith and Val are joined in the studio by Andrea Bunting, Secretary of Climate Action Merri-bek. We share our bike moments and take a look at some local news including the death of Brian Dixon, co-founder of Bicycle Network, and the recent suggestion that e-bikes should be registered as motorbikes. We remember our friend John Englart who passed away suddenly last week and his incredible legacy as...

Faith and Val are joined in the studio by Mathew Peckham and we all share our bike moments, including the 2025 Melburn Roobaix and installation of a long overdue prioirty crossing on the Inner Circle Trail at Alfred Crescent. We note the improvement to the City of Melbourne bike lane budget since last week. while also noting it still won't deliver the projects in the Transport Strategy. Mathew tel...

On this weeks program Chris catches up with Cr Sophie Wade from City of Yarra about local walking and cycling initiatives, her recent European trip that illustrate how London, Paris, Rotterdam and many European cities are providing active transport options for their citizens, including micromobility, bike hangars, 30km/h zones, school zones, allocating road space to people and smooth transitions o...

Fresh from a brief technical gremlin wrestling session Faith and Val warm up the mikes by sharing their bike moments. We check in on our Radiothon fundrasing target and remind everyone of the different ways they can make a donation to keep 3CR and Yarra BUG Radio on air! If you'd like to make a donation you can do so here: https://www.givenow.com.au/cr/yarrabugradioshow Every litlle bit helps! We...

On this weeks program Chris talks to Kathryn Good from the Story Bridge Active Transport Alliance about the sudden footpath closure earlier in 2025 apparently due to Cyclone Alfred, difficulties with any answers being given, poor communication from Brisbane City Council, poor detour arrangements, discovering reports about the bridge being being at risk of further damage from the elements and vehic...

Our 2025 radiothon show has a bit of everything with Val, Chris, Steve and Nik in the studio, Dr Moss Cass' contribution to community radio, the Great Ride of Return, bicycle moments, the rebirth of Critical Mass since 2022 and how it has changed, including local advocacy mobilisation in response to Yukako Fukuharas tragic death on King Street in May 2022 and that Melbourne City Council on June 20...

On this weeks program Chris chats to Hiroyuki Yuzurihara about his world cycling journey that started as a homage to his grandfathers attempt to write a novel seventy years ago, his adventures, reasons for traveling, what he's experienced, how he's found Melbourne, the kindness of strangers, meeting new friends and what’s coming next. You can catch up with Hiro on threads, buy me a coffee and more...

Faith and Val are joined in the studio by Nik Dow of Bike Melbourne. We share our usual bike moments before turning to the Draft City of Melbourne budget currently out for consultation. Nik explains that Despite Mayor Reece's commitment during the 2024 elections to “maintain investment in bike lanes over the next four years at the same level as the previous term of council”, the draft budget shows...

On this weeks program Chris interviews Dr Afshin Jafari, Lead researcher and RMIT Research Fellow about new research (Melbourne cycling infrastructure plan risks getting stuck in low gear if feeder networks not considered) that shows that state and local governments should connect and build more dedicated bike lanes to make the existing Strategic Cycling Corridors a viable transport option.'In thi...

Val and Faith are joined in the studio by Alison McCormack, CEO of Bicycle Network. We all share our bike moments and consider what appears to be a significant cut to the CoM budget for bike lanes. In light of what everyone agrees is needed to make the CoM a liveable city into the future, the cut from $4M to $1.5M doesn't make any sense. Alison McCormack updates us on the new version of the Great...

On this weeks program Chris talks to Laura Aston about Wayfinder Labs about finding new ways to unlock potential so everyone has convenient access to safe and healthy transport, topics include systems thinking, Open Streets initiatives and finding ways to travel that are healthy, convenient and safe. Local news includes the weekend festival of electoralism, the floating signifier of now ex LNP lea...

On todays program Chris catches up with Pierre Vairo from Bike West about last weeks quiet opening of the Footscray Road walking and cycling bridge. Also a recap of Yarra Councils 8 April 2025 meeting, where our petition with 1100+ was tabled, with something going very wrong where Yarra has to call another meeting: Extraordinary Council Meeting called for Elizabeth Street at 7.15pm Tuesday 22 Apri...

Faith and Val are joined in the studio by Andrew Talati of Neighbourly Ride and we all share our bike moments. We talk about the shambolic Yarra Council meeting last week and the decision affecting the Elizabeth Street bike lanes. You can read the detail about what happened, the proposed dangerous changes and what you can do here. Andrew reminds us how Neighbourly Ride started, and brings us up to...

On this week program, Chris talks to Anna Johnston with a follow up interview about Collins Street protected bike lanes in nipaluna Hobart, the recent public meeting, intense debates over moderate changes to public space, using active transport to move around cities and community mobilisation to create awareness, ongoing dialogue to improve our cities, decrease pollution, congestion and more. Loca...

Val and Faith are joined in the studio by Paul McKay, former General Manager of Bicycle Victoria (now known as Bicycle Network)  We share our bike moments before taking a look at BUGs, or Bicycle User Groups. It's thirty-five years since the first Bicycle User Groups were created in Australia in 1990 . Paul explains why Bicycle Victoria created BUGs, their role as advocates, their changing relatio...

On this weeks program Chris talks to Adam Pulford about Lime and Neuron e-scooter rental schemes in Melbourne including them no longer available in Melbourne or Yarra, a disconnect between decision makers and end users creating kneejerk reactions, how consultation processes don't necessarily work for busy people, how e-scooters provide a vital last mile/km travel option, why aren't designated on-r...

Faith and Val are joined in the studio by Will Hartnett of Cycling Wild and Off Course bike shop. Will talks about the years he has spent exploring the Flinders Ranges and other remote areas of Australia by bike and the knowledge he has gathered showing others around on foot and wheels. While he has often shared his experience on his website Cycling Wild, he now plans to go one step further and pr...