Fwd: Walkerville Tce changes to increase cycling hazards

----- Original Message -----

To: Walkerville Council [name removed]
Sent: Mon 30/08/10 1:57 AM
Subject: Fwd: Walkerville Tce changes to increase cycling hazards

Walkerville Council is about to introduce permanent safety hazards for cyclists on Walkerville Terrace. The proposed 3.2 metre wide travel lane is the minimum permitted. The photograph I emailed earlier shows a truck (width with external mirrors 2.8 metres) and a public bus (width 2.9 metres). If these vehicles keep on the road centre line, they will overtake cyclists by 0.4 and 0.3 metres respectively. In practice this space will be even less.

There are several government documents that recommend leaving a minimum of one metre between cyclists and overtaking vehicles:
1. The Driver's Handbook
http://www.sa.gov.au/upload/franchise/Transport,%20travel%20and%20motoring/New%20and%20Young%20Drivers/02DH_Road_Safety.pdf
2. Cyclist road rules and safety
http://www.sa.gov.au/subject/Transport,+travel+and+motoring/Cycling/Cyclist+road+rules+and+safety
Give cyclists plenty of room - a minimum of 1m clearance when overtaking.
3. Share the Road
http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/publications/pdfs/share_the_road_brochure.pdf
4. A Metre Matters In Road Safety
Launched by the Federal Minister for Transport, and Local Government
http://www.minister.infrastructure.gov.au/aa/releases/2009/november/aa497_2009.htm

I remind you of the State Government policy Safety in Numbers, A Cycling Strategy for South Australia 2006-2010:
http://www.sa.gov.au/upload/franchise/Transport,%20travel%20and%20motoring/cycling_strategy.pdf
On page 12, Objective 3
…The legitimacy of cycling still needs to be reinforced in the community. Two-thirds of casualty crashes and three-quarter of fatalities of cyclists occur on arterial roads. Greater focus needs to be made to cater for the safety of cyclists on both arterial and local roads.

I am extremely disappointed that Walkerville Council has opted to increase the hazards for vulnerable road users such as cyclists. People who act to slow climate change should not have to risk their lives when using sustainable transport of the bicycle.

Walkerville Council has introduced another cycling hazard, perhaps temporary until the roadworks are completed. The council has widened some of the footpath, in the process halving the width of some car parking until too narrow. So drivers park illegally in the 24-hour bicycle lanes.

Date: Wednesday 25-Aug-2010, between 3.32pm and 3.38pm.
Details: In six minutes I saw six vehicles illegally parked in 24-hour bicycle lanes, ie breaching ARR s. 187. There were many vacant legal parking places, but perhaps drivers too lazy to walk a few metres.
[Details of vehicles not made public.]

Yours sincerely,
[name removed]

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Dear [name removed],

As shown on the attached traffic control plan, the bike lanes at Walkerville Terrace are being realigned as part of the streetscape works to allow for safe and continuous movement of bicycle traffic along the Terrace, including adjacent to the newly constructed kerb protruberances.

The road will be re-linemarked following the reinstatement of asphalt road pavement.

I trust this addresses your concerns; should you have any other comments or queries, please feel free to contact me.

Regards
[name removed]
Executive Planning & Infrastructure

The Corporation of the Town of Walkerville
66 Walkerville Terrace, Gilberton SA 5081
P O Box 55, Walkerville SA 5081
[name removed]