A 38-year-old man will face court this month in Mount Gambier charged with causing the death of cyclist Daryl Adams in January of last year. As The Advertiser reported, Adams was killed after being hit and thrown 63 metres by the driver of a truck, while on a long-distance cycling trip near Kingston SE. Prosecutors will allege the driver failed to maintain awareness and was ultimately responsible for the rider’s death. The driver told police he was unaware that he had hit anyone and “didn’t see” the cyclist. He failed to render assistance and continued driving for 9 hours before contacting police.
In Brisbane, a local retiree has been hospitalised after being hit by a cyclist while walking on a share path bridge in Indooroopilly. The Courier Mail reported that the victim had no memory of being hit or falling to the ground, but he believes the rider was travelling at 22km/h when he was hit. The 67-year-old is calling on the Brisbane City Council to implement a 10km/h speed limit with signage on the bridge and for cyclists to be fined for breaking the limit.
In infrastructure news, a number of North Brisbane residents have expressed opposition to a new cycleway that they say will be an underused “white elephant”. According to The Courier Mail, residents are concerned that the removal of 60 parking spaces will increase traffic congestion and put local businesses at risk of closure. Others said they were worried about high-speed cyclists causing injuries and knocking people over.
In Sydney, 2GB Radio has reported similar opposition to a new cycleway on Campbell Street in St Peters. In an interview with Ben Fordham, a local resident said that Transport for NSW were planning to widen an existing footpath on one side of Campbell Street and put in a cycleway, when a cycleway already runs on the opposite side of the road. The resident was upset that construction would result in continued noise and disruption, as well as the remove of street trees. Fordham characterised putting two cycleways on one street as “greedy”, and a “gross waste of money”.
Pedalling for Change 