Pedal Power Special Bulletin: NRMA Media Release on On-road Bicycle Lanes – 14 October, 2006

This week the NRMA attacked the safety of Canberra’s on-road cycle lanes, following a study and survey on cycle lanes it has conducted. See www.mynrma.com.au/2006_061012.asp. The report appears to emphasise perceptions of the lanes as unsafe rather than providing any factual evidence to support these perceptions, but as it has not yet been made public, it is impossible to comment on it.

On-road cycling lanes are not a unique Canberra invention, but are found in every major Australian city and throughout the world. In Australia they are built to national standards agreed by expert traffic planners and engineers. Pedal Power will continue to promote their introduction on major roads. This is also ACT Government and Roads ACT policy.

Of course Pedal Power is also willing to work with others to improve the network, where improvements are needed, and we strongly support the maintenance and extension of the off-road network.

ACT Liberal Urban Services Spokesman Steve Pratt yesterday called for cycling lanes to be removed in response to the NRMA’s comments. See www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200610/s1763729.htm.

Pedal Power believes this would greatly increase the danger and decrease the practicality of cycling, and set Canberra back decades in sustainable transport practices. To ensure support for on-road cycling lanes, we NEED the support of our members and the wider cycling community.

Here is what YOU can do:

• send an email to Urban Services Minister John Hargreaves at hargreaves@act.gov.au briefly and politely emphasising your support for on-road cycling lanes

• send an email to your local Liberal member (see www.canberraliberals.org.au/default.cfm?action=people&type=1 ) briefly and politely explaining your support for on-road cycling lanes

• if you are an NRMA member, send an email to directors@mynrma.com.au stating your support for on-road cycling lanes, and politely reminding them that you are a voter in the NRMA’s elections
• forward this email to your cycling friends.

Please help us keep the Canberra cycle lane network in place and growing.

John Widdup
President Pedal Power ACT Inc.