AROUND 35 people shared ideas around the building of a bike path between Bega and Tathra late last week.
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Deputy mayor Liz Seckold chaired the meeting within the Bega Valley Shire Council chambers and accepted a petition of 380 names encouraging council to implement the pathway proposal.
Ms Seckold agreed to approach council officers about identifying funding models for building the infrastructure project.
Aaron Bashford from Tathra Beach and Bike said the bike path would be an “amazing thing for the area”.
“For me and my girlfriend and the people I know we’d be cruising the path every weekend for a coffee or lunch in town,” the 31-year-old said.
“Merimbula and Pambula have an awesome path between the towns and you can see on weekends it’s always busy.”
Mr Bashford moved to the region in February this year from Canberra hoping he would regularly ride instead of using his car.
“I thought I’d get a road bike when I moved down here, but the narrow roads haven’t inspired me,” he said.
“I’ve seen accidents and been hit by a couple of cars in Canberra, but there I also had the option to use the safe bike paths.”
Bega’s Bert Alker - who is awaiting a meeting with member for Bega Andrew Constance on the issue - also attended the meeting and said proposals to be investigated included joining the path on Rose St in Bega with the “path to nowhere” at the roundabout on Tathra Rd.
He said the dumping of road base on straight stretches of road such as the Jellat Jellat straight with the help of local contractors and The Green Army was also discussed.
“One land owner had consulted with other land owners who were okay with that,” he said.
Local biker Andy Willis spoke of some of the obstacles that had faced a previous group and highlighted there were things that could be done immediately to make riders safer.
Council officers Penny Green and Derek Van Bracht presented information on various aspects of their work in relation to the project including details regarding an application to Roads and Maritime Services for funding a scoping study.
Organiser of Bega Tathra Safe Ride and Bournda EEC principal Doug Reckord said news on the application’s success will be announced later this year.
Mr Reckord said that everyone at the meeting agreed that bike riding was good for kids physical and mental health and that ensuring that young bike riders were supported and safe was a responsibility everyone in the community shared.
The next meeting of the group will be held on Tuesday, December 1, from 6pm at the Bega Valley Shire Council chambers.
All members of the public are welcome to attend.
