BikeSpot update and next steps!
(This update was first published via the BikeSpot newsletter on 16 May 2024)
Dear BikeSpot community,
Firstly, apologies it has taken longer than you would have expected to receive an update on BikeSpot 2023.
As you may know, earlier in the year (29 Feb 2024) BikeSpot partner and safe cycling advocacy organisation, the Amy Gillett Foundation (AGF), informed the cycling community the organisation was entering liquidation and the Foundation would close after nearly 20 years of operation. This is was a very sad development for all involved, AGF staff, partners and the broader cycling community. Thank you to the AGF and the Australian Government in their support for BikeSpot.
With no funding to cover the BikeSpot 2023 data collection or deliver the results we initially planned, this news has had a significant impact on our ability to progress BikeSpot. As I’m sure you can appreciate, it has taken a little while for the dust to settle, regroup and find a pathway forward for all of the extremely valuable insights that the BikeSpot dataset contains.
Despite the disappointing news, I can assure you that all the hard BikeSpot work and data contributed is not lost (see next steps below). I am committed to ensuring the BikeSpot data is put to use. Positive things bubbling away!
Record submissions for BikeSpot!
BikeSpot 2023 generated 72,844 submissions from across Australia!
This is a massive result and helps to lay a strong foundation for future BikeSpot projects. A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to the map or shared the project details with family, friends and colleagues.
So, what next?
By 30 June 2024 we aim to:
- Finalise the BikeSpot 2023 national report.
- Complete the build of a new interactive BikeSpot Archive Map to ensure on-going data visualisaton
- Make BikeSpot data (de-identified) publicly available via the new BikeSpot archive map.
- Work with the media to highlight key project results and advocate for future safe cycling improvements.
We are also in discussions with Local and State Governments to produce custom reports for specific administrative areas. Please get in touch if you would like to discuss options for reporting on your local area.
Also, in news just in, it appears AGF could be reforming. To find out more, take a look at the recent article featured in Escape Collective (may need to register for free to view full article).
In other positive news, the Federal Government has allocated $100m in the 2024 budget to “a new national Active Transport Fund that will upgrade and deliver new bicycle and walking paths”.
Keep a look out for further updates in the coming weeks and please get in touch if you have any queries. You can sign up to receive email updates via bikespot.org.
All the best,
Anthony.
Director and Founder of CrowdSpot & BikeSpot
