AN Albury CBD bike loop is set to begin next March, but a councillor has cautioned a "massive" education campaign is needed to convince people that cyclists are not "a bunch of lycra-clad idiots".
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A timeframe for the introduction of the cycle route along David, Smollett, Kiewa and Swift streets was outlined at an Albury Council public briefing on Monday night.
Council team leader traffic and transport Bilee Oliver said detailed design work would run until December, with community engagement in January-February, followed by a rollout in March with an education campaign.
A council survey with 301 responses found 53 per cent outright support for the loop, 19 per cent qualified backing, 24 per cent in opposition and four per cent unsure.
Cyclists made up 52 per cent of participants with a third of the 48 per cent who don't ride stating they would begin if the loop was built.
Councillor David Thurley said as a cyclist he had been shouted at and had things thrown toward him and there needed to be a big effort to change mindsets.
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"A massive public education campaign has got to be the biggest part of this," Cr Thurley said.
"Engineering can solve all the problems but we've still got to convince the people that we're not a bunch of latex-clad idiots or lycra-clad idiots sorry, we're people who want to try and protect the environment and keep fit."
Councillor Alice Glachan noted the majority of Albury's population were motorists and was concerned lanes would be reduced to allow for the loop.
She wants the removal of some car parks or parts of footpaths to be considered for cycleways.
Mayor Kevin Mack hailed Cr Thurley's point on education because the community "still think there are not enough car parks in the CBD which is a nonsense".
Ms Oliver noted under a NSW government road user policy pedestrians should be seen by councils as the highest priority and cars were the lowest priority.
"Obviously that is a Sydney-centric view to a point, but it is talking about increasing that accessibility, so rather than having a pedestrian having to cross four lanes of traffic they're only having to cross two lanes of traffic," she said.
Ms Oliver noted that previously there had been a piecemeal approach to cycle lanes in the CBD with different designs in areas such as Smollett and Swift streets and a lack of connection.
"With this we would roll it out as a whole, so we're not going to roll out one street this year and then one street next year," she said.
"The plan is to, once we've done detailed design and got to that point, is to roll it out altogether, all at once, so it's all connected."
