New bike safety project BikeSpot 2023 launched

Australia’s largest ever crowd-sourcing bike safety project – BikeSpot 2023 – was launched this week at Parliament House in Canberra.

The project is a collaboration between the Amy Gillett Foundation and CrowdSpot, as part of the Australian Government’s Safe Roads for Safe Cycling Program.

BikeSpot is a map that allows every Australian to say where they feel safe or unsafe while riding their bike.

By making a mark on the interactive map, anyone can contribute to making cycling safer.

People on bikes can head to bikespot.org to drop a pin and answer a few questions about why they feel safe or unsafe in that location.

The feedback could be positive, such as a separated bike lane that feels safe and is enjoyable to ride on, or the feedback could identify areas that need improvement, such as a narrow-painted bike lane, high traffic speed, or missing connections in bike routes.

Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Senator the Hon. Carol Brown said the project was part of the government’s commitment to reduce risks to cyclists, pedestrian and motorcycle riders as well as future proof infrastructure to protect vulnerable road users.

“Australia has committed to a goal of zero deaths and serious injuries on our roads by 2050 and this includes ensuring every cyclist gets home safely – a vital task that everyone can support by engaging with BikeSpot,” she said.

The Amy Gillett Foundation will work with local governments to make sure they see the BikeSpot map and will connect them with tools and resources so they can fix local bike routes and make cycling safe for everyone in the community.

Amy Gillett Foundation CEO Dan Kneipp said: “Safety is a key barrier to cycling participation, so we’re asking people to make their mark on the BikeSpot map.

“People who ride bikes know better than anyone where safety improvements need to be made in their neighbourhood. This is a fantastic opportunity for everyone in the community to have input on how to make bike routes safe in their area.”

Monash University has found more than three-quarters of people are interested in riding a bike, but only when separated from cars, such as on off-road paths or protected bike lanes. Previous research has also shown that the key barrier to getting more people on bikes is how unsafe they feel when riding, particularly around cars.

CrowdSpot Founder & Director, Anthony Aisenberg said: “BikeSpot enables us to capture the ‘knowledge of the crowd’ to better understand where people feel safe and unsafe riding.

“This data complements other data sources such as official crash statistics and is critical for prioritising decisions on future cycling infrastructure improvements which lead to better planning for all road users.”

The information collected by BikeSpot will be made freely and publicly available to local governments, researchers and anyone else involved in road design.

The nationwide project is now open and will run through to January 2024. Make your mark at bikespot.org.