Bike riders have different needs: safety committee

A federal hearing on road safety has acknowledged the unique needs and concerns of Australian cyclists.

AusCycling and the Amy Gillett Foundation (AGF) today spoke at a parliamentary committee to reaffirm calls for the Federal Government to take leadership on bicycle rider safety.

The two organisations were invited to represent cyclists at a public hearing of Parliament’s Joint Select Committee on Road Safety.

It follows last month’s submission by AusCycling, AGF and others that outlined 14 recommendations to reducing cyclist deaths and injuries on our roads.

These included:

• for the Federal Government to lead on national pro-cycling policy,
• investing in infrastructure that makes bike riding safe,
• better enforcement of minimum passing distance laws, and
• improved data collection protocols to better understand the causes of crashes.

Nick Hannan, Executive General Manager, Government Strategy, represented AusCycling at the hearing. He said the committee was receptive to calls for federal leadership on an issue that transcends all levels of government.

“It was very positive,” Hannan said. “The committee members were very engaged and asked detailed questions.

“They asked insightful questions about what infrastructure cyclists would like to see to make them feel safer on the roads: what was working and what wasn’t working.”

During the hearing, Committee Chair, the Hon Darren Chester MP, noted that bike riders have specific wants and needs, even though they are often grouped together as ‘vulnerable road users’ alongside pedestrians and motorcyclists.

“Regrettably, these road users are often overlooked in road safety strategies in favour of improving safety for passenger vehicles,” Mr Chester said.

“The committee seemed keen to address specific concerns about cyclists in their road safety works,” Hannan said.

“We also talked about how we can prioritise investment to have the best impact, and what role technology can play in collecting data.”

Hannan said the committee was eager to further explore issues of bike rider safety before reporting back to Parliament with recommendations.