Cycling

There is more and more evidence of the economic and social benefits of cycling, especially when bike travel replaces car trips. That’s why governments across the world, including the NT Government, are working to provide the infrastructure, information and resources to promote cycling.

The Australian Bicycle Council found that some of the benefits of using bike travel to replace car trips include:

The cost of buying and maintaining a bike in Australia is estimated to be around 1% of the same costs for a car. Using a bike for shorter trips may allow families to avoid buying a second car.

If you consider the time you would normally devote to exercise, you may find that cycling to work saves you time because it allows you exercise while you travel.

If you cycle instead of driving, you will probably be less likely to be obese—an American study found that every extra 30 minutes spent in a car each day translates into a 3 per cent greater chance of being obese.

For every car trip replaced with a bike ride, it is estimated the community saves 60 cents per kilometre because of reduced road maintenance costs.

Did you know that more people cycle in the Northern Territory than anywhere else in Australia? http://www.austroads.com.au/abc/images/pdf/NCP2011_National_2.pdf  Our good climate, great cycle paths and shorter distances all make cycling a great option for shorter trips.

If you are just starting out as a cyclist, start slowly—maybe you can just ride part of the way and then catch a bus, or ride one way and catch the bus back. There are now secure bicycle storage areas at the Darwin and Palmerston bus interchanges and at the Coolalinga and Humpty Doo Park and Ride. Some workplaces have safe bicycle storage, and schools usually have good bicycle storage facilities.

There are cycle path maps available for Darwin, Palmerston, Alice Springs and Katherine.