In reply to Bicycle Network request for my position on active transport and recreational cycling in Launceston.

To the people of Launceston,

As someone who commutes by bike and occasionally rides the trails, I know the difference good cycling infrastructure makes. But this is bigger than people who already ride.

A safe cycling network means a child can ride to school without their parents worrying about the dangerous section halfway there. It means someone can ride to work, the shops or an appointment without feeling they have to compete with cars. And it gives people a genuine choice about how they move around our city.

The key word is network. A bike lane that ends at the difficult intersection is not a network. We need safe, connected routes that actually get people where they need to go.

Here are my responses to the Bicycle Network’s questions put to all candidates for council on active transport:

1. Do you support your council’s bike plan?

Yes.

I support active transport, the principles of the Launceston Transport Strategy, and the goal of making Launceston a genuinely bike-friendly city.

I would also support refreshing and reinvigorating a dedicated Bike Plan around a simple principle: people of all ages and abilities should be able to ride safely where they need to go.

That plan should be developed with Bicycle Network, local riders, schools, businesses and the wider community. It should identify the network we want over the long term, the missing links we need to fix, and the order in which projects should happen.

Just as importantly, Council should maintain a pipeline of costed, shovel-ready projects. Local government cannot fund a complete regional cycling network by itself, so we need to be ready when State and Australian Government funding becomes available.

That is practical leadership: know what we want to build, do the planning early, and be ready to act when the opportunity comes.

2. If elected, which projects will you prioritise to make it easier for more people to ride more often?

My priority would be completing safe, connected routes rather than accumulating isolated pieces of bike infrastructure.

I would focus first on the places where a missing connection or unsafe section stops people riding altogether: dangerous crossings, routes to schools, links between suburbs and major destinations, and gaps between existing cycling infrastructure.

This is prevention-first thinking applied to transport. If we design streets where walking and cycling are safe and convenient, everyday movement becomes easier. We support health before people ever need a health service, while also giving families another practical transport choice.

I also think Launceston can lead a broader regional conversation.

People do not stop riding when they reach a council boundary, and our planning should not stop there either. I would support bringing neighbouring councils, cycling groups and other partners together around a shared long-term cycling vision for Northern Tasmania.

That would help us connect routes properly, agree on priorities, strengthen funding applications and make sure investment happens in a logical sequence rather than council by council and project by project.

3. Would you support bike lanes if it meant moving and/or reducing some on-street car parking?

Yes, where there is a clear net public benefit.

Parking matters to residents and businesses, and cycling safety matters too. Pretending there are never trade-offs does not help anyone.

I would look at each location on its merits. Where changing some on-street parking would remove a dangerous gap, complete an important route, or make it possible for many more people—including children and less confident riders—to ride safely, I would support considering that change.

But people affected by the decision should be brought into the conversation early. Council should explain the problem, show the evidence, listen to the concerns and look seriously at alternatives.

Kind politics does not mean avoiding difficult decisions. It means making them openly, fairly and with people rather than simply doing things to them.

The larger goal is a city where driving remains available when people need it, but it is not the only practical and safe choice. A vibrant city should make it easier to walk, ride, catch public transport or drive according to what works for you.

With thanks,

paul mallett
Prospective Candidate for Mayor and Councillor, City of Launceston
vibrantnation.au