NRMA attack on bikes bad move for all road users
"The RTA should not again give in to the NRMA's demands. In 2005 the
NSW government slashed bike and pedestrian funding by nearly two-thirds
of what it was. The current budget is only about $8 million, about 0.2
per cent of the roads budget.
"The Greens are calling for five
per cent of the RTAs budget to be allocated to cycling facilities and
for the restoration of the position of General Manager, Bicycles and
Pedestrians Branch of the RTA. This position was abolished when Mr
Michael Costa was Roads Minister
[10 Jan 2008] Greens MP and transport spokesperson Lee Rhiannon today rejected the NRMA's criticism of public money being spent on cycling lanes and has again called for five per cent of the RTA's budget to be allocated on a safe, integrated cycle network.
"The NRMA's agenda is to stop the construction of the Epping Road cycleway and further cut the current allocation for cycle facilities", Ms Rhiannon said.
"The NRMA's anti-cycleway campaign is a crude attempt to boost money for road building. Its time the NRMA leadership came into the 21st century and recognised that encouraging more cyclists is an easy way to reduce road congestion.
"The NRMA's submission to the RTA is grossly misleading. Half of the M2 cycleway has been removed and the Epping Road cycleway has not been completed so it is not surprising that bike use is low on these routes.
"Overall bike use is soaring. In 2007 bikes outsold cars for the eighth consecutive year with a record 1.47 million bikes sold.
"Cycling trips to work grew at an average 22 per cent across Australian capital cities.
"The RTA should not again give in to the NRMA's demands. In 2005 the NSW government slashed bike and pedestrian funding by nearly two-thirds of what it was. The current budget is only about $8 million, about 0.2 per cent of the roads budget.
"The Greens are calling for five per cent of the RTAs budget to be allocated to cycling facilities and for the restoration of the position of General Manager, Bicycles and Pedestrians Branch of the RTA. This position was abolished when Mr Michael Costa was Roads Minister
"Many of the recent cycleways in Sydney have been built on the cheap and set up to fail as they put cyclists in the midst of heavy traffic and are half finished roads to nowhere.
"The provision of cycling infrastructure alone will not boost cycle use. A safe, secure network of on-road and off-road cycling routes with more bicycle parking and end-trip facilities such as showers and lockers would result in a big boost in cyclist numbers", Ms Rhiannon said.
NSW Greens media release via critical mass mail list, url unknown.
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Re: NRMA attack on bikes bad move for all road users
Discussion on Sydney Cyclist
Cycling Promotion Fund disputes NRMA's claims
Media Release from Cycling Promotion Fund.
NRMA claims that cycle paths are a waste of money show the motoring group to be out of touch with the realities of city liveability, transport planning and even other motoring organisations.
“Cities around the world are rediscovering the benefits of cycling. Soaring world oil prices, the urgent need to combat climate change and crippling traffic congestion have all converged to cause a surge of interest in boosting bicycle use” said Elliot Fishman, Policy Advisor at the Cycling Promotion Fund.
Contrary to the NRMA’s claims, bicycle paths actually improve traffic congestion, as a cyclist uses only a fraction of the road space taken up by a car. Furthermore, the evidence shows increasing road space to relieve congestion actually makes it worse, by inducing new traffic.
“Widening a road to relieve congestion, as the NRMA suggests, is like putting more holes in a belt to solve an obesity problem” said Fishman.
Leading cities such as Paris, London and New York have all begun ambitious bicycle infrastructure projects to ease congestion and promote a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable urban liveability. Paris recently unveiled a 20,000 strong public bicycle system and London is planning a similar system with 80,000 bikes.
Australians too have shown a willingness to swap four wheels for two where appropriate infrastructure is provided. “According to the latest Census, bicycle commuting in Melbourne jumped 42% between 2001 and 2006, coinciding with significant infrastructure development” said Rosemarie Speidel, Program Director at the Cycling Promotion Fund.
Figures released this week by the Cycling Promotion Fund show Australians purchased 1.47 million bicycles in 2007, a new record which outnumbers cars for the 8th consecutive year.
The Cycling Promotion Fund urges the NRMA to familiarise itself with the new realities of cycling. “Census figures show 18,000 people cycled to work in NSW during winter, with 12,000 of those cycling to work in Sydney, an increase of 9% from 2001 “stated Fishman.
With more than 50% of car trips less than 5km, significant potential exists to boost cycling in Sydney. Improving bicycle infrastructure across the city will help more Sydneysiders leave the car at home and make the trip by pedal power. This will help alleviate traffic congestion, reduce the pain at the pump, cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the obesity
epidemic” concludes Speidel.
Source:
Cyclists dispute NRMA's claim: Sydney needs more bike paths, not less
Re: NRMA attack on bikes bad move for all road users
the NRMA is a for profit business that chiefly makes its millions from people paranoid about ramming their 4WD in to something. Problem for them is ramming your bike into something will result in little more then scratched paint and a bruised ego, there is little profit for them in that.
Just like the music industry made redundant by the advent of the internet the NRMA is feeling a little redundant with advent of peak oil and increased bike usage. In a sense they owe it to their shareholders to come out swinging (be it for free ways, tax breaks for cars, or this anti bike BS). Problem for us bike riders is their greedy self interest puts our lives in greater danger.
P.S. riding a bike is great fun!
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