BikeSpot 2023 Interim Results

The interim results for BikeSpot 2023 are in from across Australia, and with more than 34,000 submissions we’re starting to see some really great insights into where people feel safe and unsafe riding their bike.

Take a look at the results below, and if you haven’t already added your spots to the map there’s still time – the map will be open until 31 January 2024. Go to bikespot.org to make your mark.

New South Wales

Read more about the NSW interim results in the Sydney Morning Herald.

The interim data for New South Wales is based on over 3,000 public submissions since mid-October 2023. Data will continue being collected until January 2024, before being de-identified and made public.

The interim results show that a lack of bike infrastructure and dangerous intersections are the most common reasons why people feel unsafe riding their bike on certain roads.

The shared off-road path adjacent to Epping Road in Lane Cove features as the current location that feels most unsafe. The stretch is off-road but contains stressful moments at intersections where motor vehicles cut across the path to either turn into side streets from Epping Road or cut across the shared path to turn into Epping Road. Poor sight lines and lack of signage are also contributing factors to making this section of the path feel unsafe.

No bicycle infrastructure exists at all at the other top unsafe locations including Coward Street in Mascot, King Street in the city centre and West Street in Crows Nest.

The infamous and inaccessible stairs on the north side of the Harbour Bridge was rated the 5th most unsafe location. There are plans to improve accessibility with a ramp but in the meantime they remain a major issue for riders.

The top 5 safe riding locations all exist where there is a separated cycleway. The Wilson Street Cycleway in Eveleigh is currently the number 1 safe spot. Other cycleways in the top 5 include Bourke Street (Surry Hills), Railway Parade (Eveleigh), George Street (Redfern) and the Alexandra Canal shared path (Tempe).

Sydney - Top Unsafe Spots

1. Epping Rd, Lane Cove - Dangerous intersections
2. Coward Street, Mascot - No bike lanes
3. Sydney Steel Road and Edinburgh Road, Marrickville - No bike lanes, missing link
4. King Street, Sydney - No bike lanes, missing link
5. Harbour Bridge Stairs, Milsons Point - Inaccessible and unsafe
6. Sydenham Road, Marrickville - No bike lanes, dangerous intersections
7. West Street, Crows Nest - No bike lanes, missing link
8. Gipps Street, Concord - No bike lanes, missing link
9. Marrickville Road, Marrickville - No bike lanes, missing link, traffic speed
10. Alice Street, Newtown - No bike lanes

Sydney - Top Safe Spots

1. Wilson Street Cycleway, Eveleigh - Wide and separated
2. Bourke Street Cycleway, Surry Hills - Separated bike lane
3. Railway Parade Cycleway, Eveleigh - Separated bike lane
4. George Street Cycleway, Redfern - Separated bike lane
5. Alexandra Canal Shared Path, Tempe - Separated bike lane

Wollongong

Read more about the Wollongong interim results in the Illawarra Mercury.

1. Harbour Street & Golf Club exit/entrance - Dangerous intersection
2. Swan Street & Springhill Road/Corrimal Street Roundabout - Dangerous intersection
3. Princess Hwy/Flinders St & Campbell St/Throsby Dr Roundabout - Dangerous intersection

1. Smith St Pop-up Cycleway

Newcastle

1. Hunter St Trial Cycleway - Bike lane ends, bike lane blocked
2. Selma Street & Maitland Road - Dangerous intersection

1. Throsby Creek Cycleway  

VICTORIA

Read more about the Victorian interim results in The Age.

According to the interim results, Canning Street in Carlton is currently rated as the safest riding location and the recently installed separated bike lane on St Kilda Road comes in at the second safest location. Heidelberg Road in Fairfield and Ivanhoe features on the top safe spot list for the first time, a result of the ‘pop-up’ bike lanes installed during the COVID pandemic years.

Victorian Government data shows the volume of bike riders on St Kilda Road has increased threefold since the fully separated bike lane was installed, demonstrating that when people feel safe, trips by bike increase significantly. BikeSpot data is also helping to pinpoint where further work is needed, such as at locations where motorists turn across the bike lane.

Lack of bike infrastructure and dangerous intersections are the most common reasons why people feel unsafe riding their bike on certain roads.

Six of the top 10 unsafe riding locations featured on the same list from BikeSpot 2020. These include Chapel Street (Prahran & South Yarra), Hopkins Street (Footscray), Southbank/Yarra Promenade (Melbourne), Collins Street (Melbourne) and the infamous Haymarket Roundabout (Melbourne), and St Kilda Road at intersections.

Melbourne - Top Unsafe Spots

1. St Kilda Road, Melbourne - Dangerous intersections
2. Chapel Street, Prahran & South Yarra - Car dooring risk, narrow, poor surface
3. Harbour Esplanade, Docklands - Poor surface, poor visibility
4. Hopkins St, Footscray - No bike lane
5. Southbank/Yarra Promenade, Melbourne - Unsafe shared path
6. Collins Street, Melbourne - Narrow, car dooring risk
7. Haymarket Roundabout, Melbourne - Dangerous intersection
8. Johnston Street, Collingwood/Fitzroy - No bike lanes, missing link
9. Hyde St (connection to Bristow and Parker), Footscray - Dangerous intersection
10. Webb Bridge, Docklands - Poor design, poor surface

Melbourne - Top safe Spots

1. Canning Street, Carlton - Lots of other bike riders, wide bike lane
2. St Kilda Road, Melbourne - Separated bike lane
3. Heidelberg Road, Ivanhoe - Separated bike lane
4. Wellington Street, Collingwood - Separated bike lane
5. Albert Street, East Melbourne - Separated bike lane

Geelong Region

1. Gheringhap Street - vehicles blocking lane, bike lane ends
2. Moorabool Street / Barrabool Road / Barwon Heads Road - Intersection
3. Pakington Street - Too narrow, dangerous intersection
4. Moorabool Street near Little Fyans Street - Dangerous intersection
5. Grub Road / Shell Street / Thacker Street / Tuckfield Street, Ocean Grove - dangerous roundabout

1. Malop Street - Separated bike lane
2. Kilgour Street, near Gheringhap Street - Separated Crossing 
3. Ted Wilson Trail - Separated off road path

Bendigo

1. 5 street roundabout - No bike infrastructure
2. Chapel Street and Hargreaves Street - dangerous intersection
3. Barnard Street - lack of separation, bike lane ends

1. Back Creek Trail - Off-road path connecting into the city

Ballarat

1. Sturt St & Dawson St intersection - No direct crossing
2. Cameron St & Grant St Intersection - dangerous intersection
3. Doveton St N / Market St / Creswick Rd / Webster St Roundabout - Traffic speed, no bike lane

1. Sturt St bike path - Off-road path

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Perth - Top Unsafe Spots

1. Albany Highway – Too narrow, insufficient separation
2. Tydeman Road – Bike lane ends
3. Milligan Street – No bike lane
4. Ellam Street – Lack of priority crossing
5. Fremantle Railway PSP (City West Station) – Too narrow

Perth - Top Safe Spots

1. Fremantle Rail PSP – Separated wide path
2. Mounts Bay Road bike path – Scenic, well-maintained
3. Roe Street bike lane – Separate from motor vehicles
4. Sir James Mitchell Park – Priority crossings
5. Mitchell Fwy PSP – Separated bike path

Tasmania

Read more about the Tasmanian interim results in the Mercury.

Hobart - Top unsafe Spots

1. Tasman Bridge - Narrow, poor design
2. Argyle Street approaching Burnett Street - Dangerous intersection
3. Domain Highway crossing (for bridge access) - Dangerous intersection
4. Sandy Bay Road - No bicycle lanes
5. Burnett Street & Elizabeth Street - Too much vehicle traffic
6. Intercity Cycleway & Queens Walk - Dangerous intersection
7. Elizabeth Street, Mount Stewart - No bicycle lanes
8. Elizabeth Street & Newdegate Street Roundabout - Poor driver behaviour
9. Mornington Roundabout - Dangerous intersection
10. Murray Street - No bicycle lanes

Hobart - Top Safe Spots

1. Molle St & Collins Street intersection - New priority crossing
2. Intercity Cycleway - off-road path
3. Clarence Foreshore Trail - Shared path, scenic, well-maintained

QUEENSLAND

Brisbane - Top unsafe spots

Read more about the Brisbane interim results in the Courier Mail.

1. Sylvan Road, Toowong - No safe bicycle lanes
2. Western Fwy Bikeway & Dean Street - Dangerous intersection
3. Dickson Street, Wooloowin - No bike lanes, missing link
4. Bikeway & Miskin Street, Toowong - Dangerous intersection
5. Wynnum Road corridor - No bike lanes
6. Kurilpa Bridge - Inappropriate speed limit
7. Kate Street, Indooroopilly - Dangerous intersection
8. Cornwall Street & Annerley Road - Dangerous intersection
9. Bicentennial Bikeway & Archer Street - Dangerous intersection
10. Land Street, Toowong - Unsafe traffic light sequence

Brisbane - Top safe spots

1. Bicentennial Bikeway - Separated cycleway
2. Veloway 1 - Separated cycleway
3. Citylink Cycleway - Separated cycleway
4. Indooroopilly Riverwalk - Separated shared path
5. Enoggera Creek Bikeway - Separated cycleway

South Australia

Adelaide - Top Unsafe Spots

Read more about the Adelaide interim results in the Adelaide Advertiser.

1. Franklin Street - Car dooring risk
2. Frome Street - No bike lane, missing link
3. Grenfell Street - No bike lane, dangerous intersection
4. Montefiore Road - No bike lane, dangerous intersection
5. Pirie Street - Narrow, dangerous intersection
6. Waymouth Street & Morphett Street - Dangerous intersection
7. Frome Road - Poor surface
8. Gibson Street & bike path - Dangerous intersection
9. Rundle Street - Car dooring risk
10. Whitmore Square & Sturt Street - Dangerous intersection

Adelaide - Top Safe Spots

1. Patrick Jonker Veloway - Separated bike path
2. Woodville Railway bike path - Separated bike path
3. Mike Tutur Bikeway - Separated bike path
4. Park Terrace - Separated underpass
5. River Torrens Linear Park - Off-road trail

ACT

Canberra - Top unsafe spots

1. Northbourne Avenue - Too narrow, car dooring risk
2. Fairbairn Avenue - Too narrow, traffic speed
3. C9 cycle path & Fairbairn Avenue - Bike lane ends
4. Adelaide Avenue path & Kent Street - Dangerous intersection
5. Eastlake Parade - Bike lane ends

Canberra - Top Safe Spots

1. Paul Truebridge Path - Good quality separated path
2. Lake Burley Griffin Cycle Path - Wide off-road path
3. Wendouree Drive - Separated and dedicated cycle path

BikeSpot is a collaboration between CrowdSpot and the Amy Gillett Foundation to crowdsource the perceptions of cycling safety across Australia. The project is funded by the Australian Government as part of the Safe Cycling Program.