ACT bike lanes are a safety hazard

The ACT Government´s decision to shrink road lanes to accommodate on-road bicycle lanes is a safety hazard for cyclists and motorists, NRMA Motoring & Services said today.

?Instead of widening the road, the ACT Government has saved money by reducing road lane widths for bicycle lanes, making Canberra a safety hazard for everyone using the roads,? NRMA President Alan Evans said today.

?Installing bigger warning signs and having more expensive advertising campaigns is a clear indication that the current practice is not working.

?Over the last 12 months, NRMA Motoring & Services has undertaken a number of studies regarding the bicycle facilities in the ACT.

?NRMA studies show that nearly half of the cyclists surveyed in the ACT consider on road bike lanes to be unsafe, and four in ten riders report having a near-miss with a vehicle.

?Our surveys also identified many locations and occasions where motorists had to brake from 80km/h to 15km/h to give way to cyclists ? this is a very dangerous practice, particularly in peak traffic conditions.

?NRMA believes that requiring motorists to give way to slow moving cyclists at exit/entry ramps creates an unsafe situation.

?Even if the cyclist gets through unscathed, this can create a domino effect for motorists as a result of vehicles braking and stop/start traffic.

?NRMA supports a combination of off-road links and local road routes instead of directing cyclists to use higher speed roads.?

Given that on-road bicycle facilities impact on motorists as well as cyclists, NRMA would like to work with ACT Roads to:

• Review existing bicycle facilities;
• Ensure that NRMA, which represents motorists, is consulted to ensure the interest and safety of motorists is adequately addressed.

?NRMA recognises that cyclists are potentially vulnerable but the current priority given to cyclists without sufficient regard for the impact on road capacity is creating safety hazards for everyone,? Mr Evans said.