YarraBUG

Chris, Faith, Val and Steve

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UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Yarra Bicycle Users Group promotes urban cycling. Providing support to campaigns to improve cycling conditions and awareness; demystifies cycling technology and helps to reveal the diversity of cyclists, from children to commuters to lobbyists.

MAR 29

Raving about Bike Rave Melbourne!

Faith and Val are joined in the studio by Curtis Hatton of Bike Rave Melbourne. We all share a bike moment before taking a look at some recent news including the Victorian government's announcement of free public transport for one month from April 1st. With limited public transport accessibility in many parts of Melbourne shouldn't some pop-up style bike lanes be part of the solution? Talk turns to Bike Rave Melbourne, another enduring grassroots bike event that will be celebrating it's 13th year in 2026. With a line up of four DJs, the promise of epic playslists and a theme of Deluxe Disco this year's event on May 2nd promises to be epic. Melburn Roobaix may have left a hole in this year's bike calendar in Melbourne but maybe this is a way to fill it? You can find all the details and FREE registration for updates at @bikeravemelbourne or Bike Rave Melbourne on FB
MAR 22

Yarra Council downgrades Elizabeth Street protected lanes

On this weeks program Chris talks to numerous guests about the Elizabeth Street protected lanes protests, media coverage and ongoing issues (apologies for audio quality), including reels from Gabrielle and Sophie, College Street Cycleway history and critique and timeline of last weeks events leading to the protected lanes demolition.Local news includes, Ride to School Day, Australia's looming energy crisis, Victoria’s Active Transport Plan announcement and Critical Mass rides west this Friday 27 March to support BikeWests call for improved infrastructure.Ongoing Elizabeth Street works: Bicycle Networks 25 March article includes more useful detail than Yarra Councils Roadworks update.In March 2026 with a looming national petrol crisis and crunch time for many household travel budgets, it is an indictment on the Victorian Government that neither Minister stepped up to stop demolition of Elizabeth Street protected lanes exactly when people need safe, economical transport options.Action you can take nowEmail 1: Contact Ministers: Why doesn’t the Victoria Government support it’s own Active Transport Plan?Email 2: Contact Yarra Council: Immediate action required: Fix Elizabeth Street, Richmond Safety issuesMedia CoverageThe Age: Bobcat and protesters take to Richmond bike corridor being narrowed for car spaces Media Release – Yarra Council Rips Up Bike Lanes – “Road Safety” Minister Lets It Happen ‘Used to be the most progressive’: Yarra Council begins narrowing bike lanes to make room for car spaces Inner City News: Cyclists protest Yarra’s Elizabeth St bike lane downgrade in Richmond Drive.com.au – ‘Back to the people’: Cyclists outraged after introduction of new car parksProgram musicKing Stingray, Camp dogBonobo, Linked
MAR 15

Catching up on the Elizabeth Street bike lanes and other musings

Val and Faith kick off the show with their bike moments and collectively appreciate the recent shift to autumn. We chat about the recent death of two teenagers in Queensland on an 'e-bike', although its hard to know much about the circumstances at this point. We also remind listeners that the Elizabeth Street protected bike lanes are being ripped up this morning ahead of the re-sheeting of the road and the rebuilding of the lanes in a narrower, less safe configuration. When will the State Government take responsibility for Strategic Cycling Corridors? Not only are they langusihing from a lack of funding but with no one willing to take responsibility for the quality they are built to poor outcomes like that we're seeing on Elizabeth Street undermine local and state aspirations to active transport. Read about what you can do here.Val shares another favourite podcast episode about the history of 15 minute cities and we'll share the link here shortly!https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/15-minute-cities-how-urban-design-entered-the-culture-war/id1624704966?i=1000751221625
MAR 8

Introducing the Parkville Gardens Bike Bus

On this weeks show, Chris talks to Aaron Moon about the Parkville Gardens Bike Bus that rides every Friday morning during Term 1, a fun, active way for kids to get to Flemington Primary School together. The bike bus is a collab with several groups including Flemington Primary School, Moonee Valley Bicycle Users Group, Active Transport Moonee Valley, Dr Crankys, Ellen Sandell and City of Melbourne.Learn more: Bike Bus World, Bike Bus Toolkit (WA), Zero Carbon Merri-bek: Ride to school on a Bike Bus! (Vic), North Richmond Bike Bus (Vic) and Bayswater Bike Bus (WA).News includes another futile global fossil fuel conflict, now with even less oversight than the previous two Gulf Wars and more incomprehensibly stupid, refer to MUA: Australia's fuel insecurity exposed by global conflict & Climate Council: Fuel shock: why clean energy is our best defence, Bicycle Network Super Tuesday Bike Counts and a water main collapse on St George's Road South opposite Brunswick Oval. Program musicKing Stingray, Camp DogMGMT, Kids (Instrumental)HONNE, BIKE
FEB 22

Say Yes to a new Wellington Street + Adopt safe 30km/h streets in Richmond

On this weeks program Chris talks to two guests, first up Alex Lamb from Say YES to a new Wellington Street, a group of residents who support 'Option 1: shared street' for Wellington Street. Alex discusses Option 1 benefits, challenges, history, critiques the anti-Welllington Street campaign and how can people get involved, add their names to an open letter and get a corflute to show support for safer Wellington Street.Second guest is Aidan Barac-Dunn from Safer Streets for Richmond who currently have petition for Adopt safe 30km/h streets in Richmond. Aidan talks about simple steps to make local streets safer, including Speed Zoning Policy and signaling to the community what's possible.Local news includes Bike Fest: an epic all things Bikes, FREE fun day out Saturday 21st March, located outside Bike Hubs shop at 608 Barkly Street, West Footscray.Program music: H O N N E, BIKEFour Tet - Into Dust (Still Falling)Bonobo, Flashlight
FEB 15

Melbourne's bicycle world 50 years ago, checking in on Dutch Infrastructure + Subscriber Drive

Faith and Val are back in the studio and sharing their bike moments despite a glitch to the start of the program. Amongst other news, it is 3CRs annual Subscriber Drive and a great time to subscfribe to the station if you don't already so so. You can subscribe at this link, and select Yarra BUG Radio from the dropdown if you would like to support the program. The Great Rixe of Return Naarm is planned again for late March and they need more people to help particulalry on the day. Get in touch if you can help! Faith chats about local updates on her cycling routes in the Netherlands and Dutch pragmatism in implementing infrastructure in challenging spaces. Val takes us back fifty years to 1976 when 3CR was created and a look at our favourite bicycles in Mdelbourne at the time.
FEB 8

Yarra Council Report Card, Elizabeth Street protected bike lanes + 3CR subscriber drive

On this weeks program Chris catches up with Jeremy Lawrence Streets Alive Yarra and discuss Yarra Council Report card, the ever moving festival of local democracy alongside rise of grievance politics, proposed Elizabeth Street protected lanes narrowing, a request sent to Gabrielle Williams to protect Strategic Cycling Corridors from degradation, protected bike lane guidelines, announcing creation of new inner suburb parks yet stopping plans for Charlotte Street park in Richmond, Malop Street Green Spine project issues in 2020 and shared space challenges and opportunities facing cities everywhere. Local news, Lime share bike and scooter trial starts in Darebin, Melburn Roobaix takes a pause in 2026, but there's Footscray-Roubaix 2026 on Sunday 1 March 2026. Hey are you a current 3CR subscriber? In February 2026, 3CR is aiming for ONE THOUSAND subscribers, it’s just $40 concession, or $80 full - here's all the ways you can subscribe and support community radio!Program musicKing Stingray, Camp dogTycho, DR Odyssey
JAN 25

New TAC Light Insights Trial in Stonnington & North Richmond Bike Bus

This weeks program has two interviews, first up Chris talks to Adele Vosper about Stonnington Council partnering with the Transport Accident Commission to conduct a smart bike light trial with See.Sense bike lights and data technology to capture data on bike riding experiences in Stonnington.For additional details, go to Light Insights Trial to apply and complete the application form by 5pm Monday 23 February 2026.Second interview, Karen Hovenga talks about the new North Richmond Bike Bus having a soft launch this Friday 30 Friday January for Term 1.'North Richmond Bike Bus is a group of families who live in North Richmond and have children at Yarra Primary School and Trinity Primary School. We meet on a Friday morning and ride our bikes to school together. We'd love to have you join the fun.'Read more about bike busesComplete this google form to register or volunteer.Funding for the North Richmond Bike Bus has been supported by the Victorian Government.Local news includes a call out for assistance to keep Melbourne Bike Rave going, staying safe during the current heatwave conditions across Victoria and Australia. Go to VicEmergency to find emergency information and warnings.Following up on e-bike changes in Victoria, Transport Victoria have banned all converted e-bikes from the network, in Hobart/Nipaluna: Bike lanes not to blame for congestion and international outrage and solidary after the extrajudicial killing of Alex Pretti on 24 January 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.Program MusicKing Stingray, Camp dogTycho, DevicesTycho, To Everywhere Part. 1

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Yarra Bicycle Users Group promotes urban cycling. Providing support to campaigns to improve cycling conditions and awareness; demystifies cycling technology and helps to reveal the diversity of cyclists, from children to commuters to lobbyists.