Breakfasts for cyclists were held all over the country this morning as part of National Ride to Work day, with bicycle groups nation wide using the opportunity to lobby local, state and federal governments for improvements in infrastructure.

Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore, who regularly attends the event and apparently took a car home last year, took part in forming the “human bicycle”:

The Cycling Promotion Fund has called for the construction of physically separate bike lanes and major cycle-ways in all capital cities, submitting a proposal to Infrastructure Australia.

In Melbourne, Jeremy Rawlins, husband of Carolyn Rawlins who was killed last month while cycling through the CBD, led a group of over a hundred cyclists in a protest ride through the city:

Rawlins called on the Melbourne City Council to provide better safety measures for cyclists.

“The safety of Melburnians, whether they be cyclists or pedestrians should not be put on hold a moment longer,” he said.

Economic, environmental and health issues have driven the number of Australians commuting to work by bike rise substantially, up 23% in the last five years, with infrastructure struggling to keep up.

“Climate change, spiraling fuel costs, crippling congestion and the obesity epidemic are all important reasons for the Commonwealth to start investing in cycling,” said Elliot Fishman, spokesperson for the Cycling Promotion Fund.

Government spending on infrastructure for bicycles has been ever increasing in recent years, with all state governments committing funding towards the creation of bike lanes and many city councils. The Hobart City Council’s Lord Mayor Rob Valentine only last month announced a $320, 000 package towards creating bike lanes in that city.