The newly formed Tamworth Bicycle Users Group (TAMBUG) is already making headway towards making cycling safer and more accessible, with council agreeing to form a working group.
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Following an almost fatal accident that saw his 73 year old mother Judy Johnstone hit by a truck on the Oxley Highway, Greg Johnstone launched a campaign with two major objectives.
The first was to see an educational initiative launched around cycle and road safety, specifically the statewide A Metre Matters campaign.
The second was to see safe cycle loops installed across the city, linking the CBD to recreational areas such as the Mountain Bike Park, and the Sportsdome, which will soon house cycling facilities at the Centre for Sporting Excellence.
The Working Group is made up of Mr Johnstone, the Cycle Club’s Katrina Telfer, MTB Park president Alyssa Rogan, BC Bikes owner Ben Clark and TRC Councillor Charles Impey.
“The idea behind TAMBUG was to reach out to cyclists of all types and embrace the needs and concerns of the cycling community,” Mr Johnstone said.
“We will then filter that into the working group and address the highest needs first.”
The first project that the group will address is a connection from the city to the MTB Park on Forest rd.
“Council have previously drawn up plans for this that have stalled, so that is the obvious one to look at first,” Mr Johnstone said.
“The idea is for a separate off-road cycle path, although it is early days, our first meeting is in December.”
TAMBUG and the working group will also play a leading role in applying for funding through government grants, with Mr Johnstone already thinking outside of the square with plans to apply for health and transport grants, as well as sports and recreation grants.
“We have met with Kevin Anderson and he gave us his support, he is also going to help out with funding applications,” he said.
“We will bustle up plans with the end users, cyclists, then get those projects costed by council and then see which grants are available to apply for.”
