09 June 2006

Bicycle maps for Manly

Anyone using a bike in Manly will be interested in the new Google maps mash-up for cyclists in Sydney and elsewhere called Bikely. The idea is to offer cyclists possible routes by pooling the experience of bike users.
For Balmain a detailed map using side-streets has been prepared offering a tour of the suburb. Another route from Dee Why to the city through Manly shows some very good ways to avoid the main roads.
MNLY trialled it and made a route using some of the
cycle paths of Manly. Bikely proved to be very user-friendly.
At present two other
routes to the city have been mapped for Manly but are quite unsuitable as they just follow major traffic roads without cycle paths. Roads without cycle paths are dangerous and toxic. Without a place on the roads cyclists really have no rights and are risking their health and lives.
Bikely has great potential for Manly. Anyone who joins it can add their own routes using back streets combined with bikeways and public transport such as ferries. The quality of the routes depends on the input from users.

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