Cycling in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia takes place for recreation, commuting and as a sport. Sydney has a hilly topography and so may require a slightly higher level of fitness from cyclists than flatter cities such as Melbourne and Canberra. Sydney depends heavily on motor vehicles where traffic and public transport operate at capacity. This means that cyclist are often competing with motorists for limited space on busier roads, and for limited government resources for expenditure on road infrastructure.[1] In its favour, Sydney has a generally mild climate and there are active cycling groups.
In 2015 the NSW Government enacted legislation[2] that increased fines for many offences that are considered by some[who?] as trivial or even legal in most other countries, such as riding without a helmet.
Cycling in Australia has, until recently, been a minority interest sport, and hostility on the road is also common. One Danish cyclist, Thomas Andersen, who had cycled around the world for four years, more than 30,000 kilometres through 25 countries from Europe to Asia to Australia to South America, singled out Sydney in 2014 as being the worst city he had visited for cyclists.[3]
- ^ Smith, Alexandra (10 January 2008). "Money wasted on cyclists: NRMA". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
- ^ "Cycling laws: NSW to become 'laughing stock of the world' over push for bike riders to carry ID". ABC News. Australia. 22 December 2015. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
- ^ "Australia 'world's worst place for cyclists', says Danish rider who's circled the globe". Daily Telegraph. Australia. 8 December 2014.