Media Release: Over 3000 cyclists sign a petition to keep bicycle lanes

During the 2010 Tour Down Under, over 3000 signatures were collected for a petition calling for the retention of bicycle lanes along Prospect Road. Cyclists from Prospect, the Adelaide metropolitan area, country SA, Australia wide and from around the world signed their objections to Prospect Council's push to remove the bicycle lanes.

Prospect Council’s Prospect Road Masterplan of November 2009 states on page 39 that removal of the bicycle lanes is to be done in the short term and on page 40 that providing bicycle parking facilities is to be done in the long term.

However, according to Prospect cyclist and Coordinator of Prospect Bicycle User Group, removing bicycle lanes is against the Cycling Strategy for South Australia 2006-2010. “Include in all new urban road projects or road upgrades; safe, direct and attractive cycling facilities that are planned, designed, constructed and maintained in accordance with Austroads "Guide to Traffic Engineering Practice: Part 14 - Bicycles".

Heather asks “So why is Prospect Council persuading the State Government to overlook its own Cycling Strategy, and remove a section of bicycle lanes on arterial Prospect Road, and narrow the road? This will increase cycling hazard and stress, and thus discourage cycling.”

This was earlier identified in the Cycling Strategy. “The Cycling Challenger. Market research shows that many people choose not to cycle because they perceive cycling to be unsafe – so the challenge lies in improving not only safety for the existing cyclists but the perception of safety for those not currently cycling. Whether cycling for recreation or transport, safety is a barrier to getting more people to take up cycling.”

Heather states, “Prospect Council aims to encourage more residents and visitors to our City to use cycling as their mode of transport with its ‘Pedal Power in Prospect’ Project. On the other hand, Prospect Council is persuading the State Government to remove some bicycle lanes on Prospect Road. At the same time, the Federal Government is funding on-road cycle lanes in South Australia.”

Heather has identified another puzzling aspect. With the road narrowing, buses will overtake cyclists with less than 0.3 metre clearance. This is against State and Federal Government documents like The Driver's Handbook, which state leave a minimum of one metre. In November 2009, the Federal Minister for Transport launched in conjunction with the Amy Gillett Foundation, a campaign of A Metre Matters to improve cyclist safety.

The Hon Patrick Conlon, State Minister for Transport, wrote on 23 November 2009 and 31 January 2010 that “DTEI will take into consideration the safety and accessibility needs of all road users, including cyclists” but did not veto removal of bicycle lanes. Jane Lomax-Smith, ALP Member for Adelaide, and Minister for Tourism, was unaware that the plan included removing bicycle lanes. Heather received Jane's verbal response on 20 January but is still waiting for a written letter. Kate Ellis, federal ALP member for Adelaide, accepts this apparent conflicting state of affairs. Heather contacted Kate's office several times from 18 January until a response on 26 February 2010.