YarraBUG

On this weeks program Chris talks with Lachlan McKenna about e-bike standards, Saul Griffith observations about using e-bikes in hilly areas, torque vs. power discussions, different potential uses in Australia, lower transport emissions, Australia returning to the EN-15194 standard after they were scrapped by the previous Australia Federal Government in 2021 and we discuss his petition: Increase T...

Faith and Val are joined in the studio at 3CR by guest Vince Masci. We all share our bike moments before taking a look at a couple of local news items. Last Friday an ammendment was passed in Parliament that sees $15M of the revenue collected by the parking/congestion levy allocated to walking and cycling projects in participating local council areas for each of the next ten years. This is a small...

On this weeks program Chris interviews Anna from Big Ride for Palestine. News and events includes looking back to anti F19 protests blocking Alexandra Parade in 1976, reminiscing about damage done by cycling 'advocate' John Forrester including his interference with Geelong Bike Plan in the 1970s, see How One Cycling-Obsessed Weirdo's Pro-Bike Crusade Actually Made Riding Bikes Worse For Everyone E...

Faith and Val are joined in the studio by James Laing, an active transport specialist with Stantec and twenty years experience in the UK and with the City of London. We share our bike moments which include a reminder that November is Lung Cancer Awareness month and the Lung Foundation is raising funds towards research that allows the increasing number of people, and in particular young women who a...

This weeks program includes two powerful post ride speeches from Pierre Vairo, Bike West and Tim Richter, father of Will Richter, made at a Critical Mass memorial ride for Will on Friday 31 October 2025.On 22 September 2025, Will Richter was riding his bike to the University of Melbourne via Macaulay Road, Kensington, when he was struck and killed by the driver of a truck. It was his 19th birthday...

Val and Faith face a chilly morning in the studio while their planned guest waits in vain for a train on the Chelsea train station platform. We share our bike moments before taking a look at some recent news. In November changes come into effect that mandate reversing technologies for all new vehicles, including trucks, starting November 1, 2025, with a full mandate for all new models by November...

On this weeks program Chris talks to Kia Matley from Melburn Durt about upcoming Bike Film Night on 28 October 2025 which is a collaboration with Melburn Durt, Little Projector Company, Fifty Fifty and Bite-Sized Rides. The details: BYO camp chair, some food and non-alcoholic refreshments and join us at 7:45pm on Tuesday 28 October, at Balam Balam Place for a night of outdoor (but undercover!) cin...

Faith and Val are joined in the studio today by our guest Robbie Webb. We all share our bike moments before taking a brief look at some news. We discussed the proposed e-bike ban in a previous episode and sadly there is no good news on this front. Bicycle Network are calling on people to contact their local MPs and keep up the campaign to make sure the efforst to keep train travellers safe don't c...

On this weeks program Chris speaks with Karen Hovenga and Ellen Sandall, Greens State MP for Melbourne about  Wellington Street and Macaulay Road active transport infrastructure issues. Local news includes Bicycle Network Member Night - 50 Year Celebration, 6pm, Wednesday, 8 October, next Richmond Repair Corner, Sunday 26 October, National Ride2Work Day, Wednesday 15 October and keep an eye on loc...

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...