Page 1811 - Week 06 - Thursday, 5 June 2014
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Thursday, 5 June 2014
MADAM SPEAKER (Mrs Dunne) took the chair at 10 am and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.
Planning, Environment and Territory and Municipal Services—Standing Committee
Report 5
MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella) (10.02): Pursuant to order, I present the following report:
Planning, Environment and Territory and Municipal Services—Standing Committee—Report 5—Inquiry into Vulnerable Road Users, dated 29 May 2014, together with a copy of the extracts of the relevant minutes of proceedings.
I move:
That the report be noted.
This report represents our findings from the inquiry into vulnerable road users, a very important matter which was referred to the committee by the Assembly in May last year. The committee received 54 submissions to its inquiry and held seven public hearings to take evidence from 36 witnesses.
The committee would like to acknowledge the contributions made to the inquiry by organisations and individuals who provided submissions and evidence at the public hearings. It was clear to the committee that the issue of vulnerable road users is an important one to a range of people in the community, and the committee expresses its thanks for their valuable contributions to the inquiry.
The majority of evidence submitted to the inquiry emphasised the issues faced by a particular road user—for example, cyclists, motorcyclists or pedestrians. However, it was also acknowledged that the implementation of initiatives to increase safety for one category of vulnerable road users would, in effect, result in increased safety for all vulnerable road users, and indeed for all road users. The committee also noted that the central theme underpinning much of the evidence provided to the inquiry related to the importance of every road user developing a greater understanding of the needs and challenges faced by other road users.
The committee acknowledges that, for individuals and the community as a whole to develop a better understanding of the challenges faced by vulnerable road users, it will require attitudinal change. This is not an easy task, as has been the case with other road safety issues such as seatbelts, drink-driving and speed limits. The changes in community perception are progressive and will likely occur incrementally.
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