A Melbourne cyclist who was hospitalised earlier this year has told reporters the city needed to do more to address rider safety on busy roads. As The Herald Sun reported, the 28-year-old was riding on Lygon Street in May when a driver failed to give way and collided with him causing serious injuries. According to the paper, serious cyclist crashes in Melbourne have been increasing in the past five years, with 76 riders injured in the CBD in 2019.
A rider had to be resuscitated by bystanders after being hit by a driver in Wollongong on Tuesday. According to The Illawarra Mercury, the rider suffered head and chest injuries and had to be airlifted to hospital in critical condition. NSW Ambulance were thankful for those who had attended the scene of the crash to perform CPR, and in a statement encouraged others to undertake basic training to help respond to medical emergencies.
The Northern Territory Ombudsman has recommended NT Police apologise to a 17-year-old cyclist who was tackled to the ground and placed in handcuffs for not wearing a helmet. As reported by ABC News, the ombudsman referred to the incident as “dangerous and excessive” in an annual report detailing a number of cases of alleged police misconduct. They also reminded officers that “the simple fact that a person flees does not provide justification for pursuing them.”
In infrastructure news, research by the RACQ has argued that up to two-thirds of popular cycling routes in Brisbane’s CBD do not have safe cycling infrastructure. As ABC News reported, the highest risk routes were on Adelaide Street and Dornoch Terrace, which in the space of four years had 18 and 16 cyclist crashes respectively. The RACQ has recommended a number of ways to improve cycling safety on these routes, including the introduction of advanced stop lines that would allow riders to wait ahead of other vehicles at traffic lights.
Willoughby Council in Northern Sydney has announced it will install new bike lanes and reduce the speed limit to 40km/h on the Artarmon shopping strip. According to The Daily Telegraph, the project will include a separated bike lane on Hampden Road, reduce the road to two lanes and remove some right-hand turns. A survey conducted by the council found that 85 per cent of residents approved of the development.
Pedalling for Change 