NEW V1 BIKEWAY CONNECTS GOLD COAST TO BEENLEIGH

The Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Paul Lucas, today officially opened the new 35 kilometre V1 bikeway, connecting Gaven on the Gold Coast with the Logan River, at Beenleigh.

Mr Lucas said the $3.5 million bikeway would take riders past some of south-east Queesland's premier tourist attractions.

One of the longest sections of marked bikeway in Queensland, it is a major stage in a continuous route that eventually will take cyclists from the Gold Coast to Brisbane.

Mr Lucas today also launched Main Roads' Policy for Cycling on State-Controlled Roads, which commits Main Roads to encourage cycling in the planning, design, construction, maintenance and operation of state-controlled roads.

"Cycling builds fitness, reduces traffic congestion and helps the environment. That's why we have created the V1 bikeway, which will be a marvellous new recreational facility for south east Queensland," he said.

"It will be enjoyed by families, social riders and sportspeople such as triathletes - all in complete safety.

"The Queensland Government's Cycle Strategy aims to increase the number of cycling trips in South East Queensland from 2% to 8% by 2011.

"That goal will be easier to achieve when we have great new bikeways like the V1."

The V in V1 comes from the Latin word for fast, "velox", which is also the root for bike-related words such as velodrome.

Mr Lucas opened the V1 at a ceremony at Ormeau. He was accompanied by the Minister for Tourism, Fair Trading and Wine Industry Development and Member for Albert, Magaret Keech, Member for Gaven Robert Poole, Member for Broadwater Peta-Kaye Croft, Member for Southport Peter Lawlor and Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke.

Bicycle Queensland, Gold Coast, Gold Coast City Council, Department of Main Roads and Queensland Transport all worked together to establish the bikeway.

The V1 will take riders past local parks, major theme parks such as Dreamworld and Movieworld and local attractions such as the Strawberry Farm at Pimpama.

Bike riders also will be able to travel through attractive areas such as the boardwalk next to the Coomera River.

Mr Lucas said the V1 was established along existing service roads adjacent to the Pacific Motorway, the M1.

"The service roads have two-metre-wide shoulders and simply needed bike symbols painted on the shoulders and bike lane signs erected," he said.

"On older sections of the road, the project team built 1.5 to two metre sealed shoulders on each side for the bike lanes.

"For safety's sake, new paths were built adjacent to, but away from, roundabouts and bypasses were built at intersections with signals."

The V1, which begins at Smith St, Gaven, will an important addition to existing bikeways on the Gold Coast, in Brisbane and on other state-controlled roads.

Mr Lucas said consultation and design for the remaining sections of the Gold Coast to Brisbane bikeway were proceeding.

Main Roads and Logan City Council are planning further bikeway extensions from the Logan River to Springwood. And, closer to Brisbane, construction will start in the very near future to extend the existing bikeway from the CBD to Nathan.

Main Roads' Policy for Cycling on State-Controlled Roads commits the department to make state-controlled roads more cycle-friendly.

It says Main Roads will positively provide for cyclists in new road upgrading projects along priority cycle routes.

The development of the policy involved extensive consultation with the Queensland Cycle Committee, which includes cycling representatives, the Local Government Association of Queensland, some local governments, Queensland Transport, Main Roads and other state government agencies.

For further information on this cycle route please call the South Coast Hinterland District Office on 5583 8111 or email nerangdo@mainroads.qld.gov.au. For maps of other cycle routes on the Gold Coast, please contact Gold Coast City Council.

Media enquiries: Paul Childs 3237 1942 or 0407 131 654