Page 2501 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 14 November 1989
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mentioned in the GET study - fast commuter cyclists should be clearly provided for.
So, Mr Speaker, the Rally supports this particular amendment and hopes that the Minister will take on board some of the matters that I have raised and continue discussions with Pedal Power and other organisations.
MRS GRASSBY (Minister for Housing and Urban Services) (4.49), in reply: I am pleased that the Assembly will be supporting this Bill. It is important that we streamline the Traffic Act 1937 by omitting the definition of bicycle paths, thereby ensuring that many kilometres of bicycle pathways used for bicycles in the ACT will remain open for the use of pedestrians, cyclists, joggers, skateboard riders and other non-motorised traffic, as a shared resource. It is important that this goes through because, as has been said by many of the speakers, this is a city that can be very much enjoyed by cyclists.
May I say right now to Mr Jensen that I would not like to see any cyclist - I do not care how fast or how good he is - on an expressway, because, believe you me, at the speed cars go by in this city, you would be flat out trying to get on one. May I also tell him, in relation to the cities he is pointing to overseas, that the entire countries would fit into the ACT. Mention was made of countries like Holland. They would all fit in here. They have special cyclists' paths and they do not put them on expressways.
As for helmets, may I tell Mr Jensen that we have a road safety program that goes through all the schools, which is part of my department, and we encourage all young people to wear helmets. So we are not wasting our time.
Mrs Nolan: You did not get to enough schools.
MRS GRASSBY: We are doing this in all schools, I must tell you, Mrs Nolan.
Mrs Nolan: But you only got to 80 or something.
MRS GRASSBY: He is talking about school children. I am answering him on school children. I am not answering him on 80-year-olds. But if you would like us to start up schools for 80-year-olds to wear helmets, we will start up schools for 80-year-olds to wear helmets.
Mrs Nolan: We are talking about numbers of schools.
Mr Kaine: Listen, Ellnor; please listen. Once Ellnor gets wound up, she does not listen.
MRS GRASSBY: When I get wound up, I do not listen to any of you.
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