Thousands of people are expected to hit the start line in Pyrmont and cycle across the Sydney Harbour Bridge this Sunday, 11 October, as Spring Cycle returns raising money for Lifeline.
Transport for NSW Coordinator General Howard Collins said partnering with Spring Cycle is a fantastic opportunity to get involved with local communities and promote active transport.
“For the second year since its return, Spring Cycle is expected to attract thousands of riders from across Sydney and beyond to enjoy the unique opportunity to ride on the Harbour Bridge deck lanes traffic-free,” Mr Collins said.
“We are proud to be a major sponsor of this 43-year-old community event. It is a great day out for riders of all ages and experience levels, to safely participate and enjoy active transport.
“Major roads will be closed between North Sydney and Pyrmont from 4am including the Cahill Expressway and sections of the Western Distributor. Special event clearways will also be in effect.”
From Pyrmont, cyclists participating in the 50km ride will continue to Parramatta, sharing roads with motorists and following normal road rules.
Riders and volunteers should plan ahead to get to the 10km or 50km course. The 50km ride will finish at Parramatta Park this year for the first time.
“Anyone who needs to drive should allow extra travel time, particularly over the Harbour Bridge while lanes are closed and a 40km/h speed reduction is enforced. As well, residents and motorists are reminded that vehicles left in special event clearways will towed, so please move them by Saturday night as these clearways start very early on Sunday morning,” Mr Collins said.
Riders are encouraged to catch public transport with free travel on trains, metro and ferries for participants and volunteers. Simply show your rider bib, volunteer t-shirt or travel pass to transport staff when boarding services. Free travel is also approved for volunteers travelling without bikes on Sydney buses and light rail services.
Victoria Cross Metro Station and North Sydney Train Station are both a short ride from the starting area in St Leonards Park.
Planned trackwork is taking place with buses replacing trains between Illawarra, Sutherland Shire, Parramatta and Olympic Park which may affect travel to and from the event. Bikes are not permitted on board replacement buses due to capacity limitations.
From 10km ride finish area at Pyrmont, Central, Wynyard and Town Hall stations are within short riding distance. Light rail services nearby are expected to reach capacity quickly so riders are encouraged to continue towards Central or Town Hall for a faster connection.
From the 50km ride finish area in Parramatta Park, trains continue to operate to the west and south however services towards the city will be affected by trackwork. Cyclists can consider riding to Olympic Park station (around 10km) to connect with trains towards the city. Alternatively catch T5 Line trains from Westmead or Parramatta to Glenfield to connect with T8 Line trains to the city.
Riders are reminded that bikes aren’t permitted on buses and can only be carried on light rail or ferries at the discretion of the drivers and crew. Ferry services are usually very busy on Sundays and can reach capacity quickly. Converted e-bikes are banned on Sydney Trains, NSW TrainLink and Metro services, regular e-bikes/shared e-bikes are permitted.
For the latest public transport information, trip planning advice and travel alerts, visit transportnsw.info/spring-cycle or use the Opal Travel app.
For real-time updates on traffic conditions, including road closures and special event clearways, visit Live Traffic NSW | Incident Details.