Page 5344 - Week 14 - Thursday, 19 November 2009
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
There is also the series of articles on road safety behaviour and issues affecting all road users which appears in the Canberra Times each month. There are cyclist-specific advertisements encouraging the use of lighting at night and helmets which appear in the print media and also as posters in cycle shops and coffee shops. As members may be aware, there is a new TV and radio campaign to remind Canberrans to slow down in residential streets and to obey the 50-kilometre default speed limit. In these ads, the use of children’s voices emphasises that the 50-kilometre zones are to help protect vulnerable road users. A share the road TV campaign is also currently being developed, which emphasises safe road behaviours between all road users, with a particular focus on vulnerable users.
The government regularly consults with key stakeholder groups on road safety issues and provides ongoing support. Groups advocating for vulnerable road users include: the walking school bus; Canberra Pedestrian Forum; the Bicycle Advisory Group, made up of Pedal Power, Canberra Cycling, the NCA and ACT government departments; and the Motorcycle User Group made up of Roads ACT, the Motorcycle Riders Association, the ACT’s motorcycle rider training provider, Stay Upright, NRMA motoring services, ACT Policing, and ACT motorcycling industry representative.
I would also add my comments to those that have already been made about the vulnerability of motorcycle riders and the good work that these various groups do in trying to educate and assist motorcycle riders to take more care on the road and also to raise awareness amongst car drivers and other road users about the vulnerability of motorcyclists.
Also, we have had the 2008-09 motorcycle awareness week, which has been spoken about, the ACT motorcycle riders handbook, and the learners and provisional licence review.
The ACT government also receives funding through a federal Auslink nation building black spot program. Projects can be proposed by the community as well as the ACT government and are assessed by the black spot consultative panel, which includes members from vulnerable road users like Pedal Power and the Motorcycle User Group, as well as representatives of the road safety college and the NRMA. To date, 55 projects have been funded in the ACT under the federal Auslink nation building black spot program. The program funds relatively low cost safety works, such as roundabouts, signalised intersection improvements, fresh barriers, signage and street lighting in places where there have been serious crashes or where serious crashes are likely to occur.
Vulnerable road users are always taken into account and, where possible, safety improvements based on road safety audits are incorporated to reduce the risk of serious injury. The value of the black spot nation building funding for the ACT in 2009-10 is $966,000, plus an additional $966,000 through nation building 2, totalling $1,932,000.
There have been a number of initiatives to identify the needs of and prioritise improvements for vulnerable road users. As part of the sustainable transport action
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video