Melville Council in suburban Perth has voted to standardise cycle lane markings near bus stops, after it was established that 21% were non-compliant with WA guidelines. As the Melville Gazette reported, locals have been advocating for the council to take action since 2017 after the death of a 57-year-old rider who collided with a bus that was stopped to take on passengers. The bus stop in question was incorrectly marked and provided no warnings to cyclists of an upcoming hazard.
Cycling advocates in Hobart are also lobbying for safer cycling routes after a woman was hospitalised after a crash on the Tasman Bridge. According to ABC News, the woman in her mid-40s sustained serious head injuries after coming off her bike, but it is unclear what the cause of the crash was. Local lobbyists have suggested that existing cycleways on the bridge are too narrow and handrails are at an inappropriate height, leading to near misses or cyclists clipping their handlebars and falling.
A cyclist has narrowly avoided serious injury after being hit by a car crossing a suburban road. Video footage of the incident has been shared widely on social media after it was posted to a popular YouTube channel. As 7 News reported, the rider appears to not check for oncoming traffic before moving in front of the oncoming vehicle. The young rider was taken to hospital with apparently minor injuries.
In Sydney, residents continue to vocally oppose the temporary Bridge Road cycleway in Glebe. As reported by 2GB Radio, local campaigners are arguing that the cycleway is unsafe and that it is stopping garbage collection trucks from reaching resident’s bins. Presenter Ben Fordham also argued that disabled people would also be unable to disembark from vehicles safely, and that the cycleways were not popular enough to justify being built.
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, polling has found that 53 per cent support new cycling lanes being built in Sydney, with only 21 per cent opposed. However, the same polling also found that there was some disagreement over whether parking spaces should be removed in order for new cycleways to be put in. 42 per cent of respondents said it was worth removing parking spaces, while 38 per cent disagreed.
Pedalling for Change 