Page 1821 - Week 06 - Thursday, 9 May 2013
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Using a motorcycle or scooter is also generally a more efficient and environmentally friendly option than using a car, but using these options also makes a traveller more vulnerable.
But on the upside, taking measures to protect and prioritise vulnerable road users and improve their safety has the benefit of encouraging more sustainable transport. Improving safety is a particularly effective way to increase the amount of sustainable transport because safety concerns are recognised as a major barrier that prevents people from using alternatives to their cars. In Canberra, for example, while 49 per cent of people own a bicycle, only one in six uses it to commute. In a recent survey, 81 per cent of those who do not ride a bike cited “dangerous traffic and unsafe roads” as the biggest barrier to riding.
Women are particularly under-represented as commuting cyclists and safety is one of their greatest concerns. I would love to see this turn around, and for Canberra to become a standout leader for female cycling. I think this is quite possible, and certainly it has been done elsewhere. In complete contrast to the trend in Australia, in the popular cycling countries of Denmark and the Netherlands, female cyclists actually outnumber men when it comes to journeys made by bike, and 45 per cent of all Danish children ride to school.
There is a very large pool of people here in Canberra who could travel using bikes if they felt safer. I do not think there is much scope for increasing the number of lycra-clad racers; those people are already out and cycling. But there is a lot of scope for increasing the numbers of regular everyday cyclists—women and children in particular. So improving the safety for vulnerable road users is a good strategy to increase the amount of people using these modes of transport. Walkable and rideable communities are also more cohesive and vibrant communities. They accommodate everybody and increase the social dividend of our town centres by promoting interaction, engagement and street life. That is also good for local business.
Increasing the number of cyclists and walkers can also create a positive feedback loop, because one of the best ways to increase safety for walkers and cyclists is to increase their numbers. It is a win-win situation where we get more cycling and walking, a more liveable and healthy city, and at the same time fewer traffic injuries and deaths. International experience shows that places that have the largest number of walkers and cyclists also achieve the lowest rates of pedestrian and cyclist deaths.
If modal shift occurs at the rates envisioned in the transport for Canberra plan, and I sincerely hope that we achieve this and more, then the ACT will have an annual increase of 444 new walkers, 647 new cyclists, and 1,306 public transport users. Now is the ideal time to inquire into this topic of vulnerable users to find ways to support this increase, but also to prepare for the growing amount of interactions between different road users that will occur in Canberra in the future.
Members will see that I have proposed terms for the committee in my motion that reflect areas that I believe are key to the inquiry. I have asked that the committee examine national and international best-practice approaches to this issue, as well as gather evidence from experts. There are interesting and successful advancements
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