It comes as Wagga police have confirmed there is a need for safer spaces for cyclists away from other motorists.

Lake Albert resident Kieren Hawkins has been working at the Forest Hill RAAF base in transport for the past six years.

His colleagues think he is crazy for doing battle with the morning trucks and cars on his bike along Sturt Highway.

“On the highway from about the Murray Cod to Elizabeth Avenue, it’s really narrow and if can here a truck behind me I will drop over into the dirt on the side,” Mr Hawkins said. 

“Where potholes are on the edge of the road it’s all pushed up along the shoulder so you nearly are better on the dirt.” 

Mr Hawkins said his journey from Lake Albert could be much safer and cut by five kilometres if he was able to turn from Kooringal Road onto a Wagga rail trail on the disused rail corridor. 

“That would mean from Lake Albert that’s a reasonable bypass of traffic,” he said.

 Wagga police Inspector Peter McLay said Wagga was no different from other Australian cities with instances of road rage against cyclists reported to police.

A rail trail would provide a safe option for commuting to work and recreational cycling, he said. 

“From a policing perspective I am completely supportive of a rail trail,” Inspector McLay said. 

“They attract tourism to our area as well as keeping cyclists safe on our roads, and there are some roads in Wagga that cyclists avoid because of dangers with motorists.” 

Warrant Officer Rodney Giesler moved to Wagga in January, hoping to continue his habit of cycling to and from work to stay fit as his role requires. 

But he has felt unable to cycle to work at the RAAF base because of safety concerns. 

“Up the Sturt Highway, 80 kilometres an hour with trucks, I’ve had a few times where they have passed within a metre of me,” Warrant Officer Giesler said. 

“It’s pretty scary when it happens.” 

Wagga Rail Trail is calling for the disused rail corridor from Wagga to Ladysmith to be converted into a track for cyclists and walkers.