“One giant leap,” he said, as he hopped onto CoCH’s “have your say” online survey.

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The survey asks the community for feedback to help shape the design.

A keen cyclist, Mr Spears believes it’s a move in the right direction towards safer places for cyclists in and around Coffs Harbour.

“We lost a good cycling mate and highly regarded doctor, Dr Mark Henschke, in a cycling accident in 2022 that should never have happened,” Mr Spears said.

The accident was on the busy Sawtell Road heading from the Toormina Roundabout to Sawtell.

Mr Spears and the DUBBUG members have proposed working with CoCH to formulate other preferred cycling routes that ensure cyclists stay off busy roads, and seeing the proposed West Coffs Shared Path plans has encouraged the group to “up” their discussions.

One of their concerns is that travelling south out of Coffs, the Hogbin Drive shared cycleway finishes at Toormina Roundabout.

“Our push has been to continue this shared cycleway onto Sawtell.”

The group thinks it may be cost effective for Council to install a suitable bike/pedestrian crossing into Wirrabilla Drive from Sawtell Road, which then connects to the existing Hogbin Drive shared cycleway.

“A suitable crossing into Wirrabilla Drive will be a ‘win win’ for cyclists and pedestrians and, importantly, drivers using busy roads.”

The DUBBUG members and their friends suggest this would be named the Mark Henschke Cycleway, in memory of the late cyclist.

It would be a safer way to get in and out of Sawtell and would help promote cycling tourism in the region.

Some years ago, there was a NSW State proposal to have a coastal cycleway linking the whole of the east coast of NSW, Mr Spears noted.

“Locally, the Hogbin Road shared cycle path and Lyons Road were part of that strategy.

“It would be great to complete the connection.”

While the funding for that coastal cycleway has ceased, it hasn’t stopped Mr Spears putting together a website detailing the route and linking existing shared cycleways.

“The website is highly popular with cycling tourists, many of whom are international.

“In the spirit of making change I agree about making one improvement at a time.”

See nswcoastcycle.com/coffs-urunga/ for details about the section from Coffs Harbour to Urunga.

Community comments and suggestions can be made to secretary@dubbug.org.au

By Andrea FERRARI