In December 2005 the BTA drew community attention to Perth City Council's actions against cyclists who use the East Perth Trafalgar Bridge. See our media statement.

We are still campaigning to have cycling permitted on the bridge, however the City of Perth has not only reacted with hostility towards cyclists, but has refused to provide a safe alternative route.

This picture shows the view from the top of the alternative path: it is a sharply snaking narrow path, impossible to negotiate on a tandem bike and hazardous for less experienced cyclists as well.

Click for enlarged image

If you survive the descent, this photo illustrates the increase in hazard- what appears in the middle of the frame to be a line of darker bricks is in fact a set of stairs. A new warning sigh has finally been erected - let's hope people notice it.

We encourage all cyclists to continue to petition the City of Perth to relent on its anti-cycling policy before someone is seriously hurt. Cyclists might also want to write to the Hon Alannah MacTiernan, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, and point out that the ban by CoP has broken a vital link in the Perth Bicycle Network.

Background

The BTA media statement sparked an item in a local newspaper and prompted a talk back radio program to interview both David Parkinson (then BTA president) and the CEO from Perth City Council.

The Council withdrew the 12 fines issued over the four-day blitz.

Subsequently representatives from the Department for Planning and Infrastructure and Perth City Council met to discuss the issue. The result was that the Department for Planning and Infrastructure proposed a trial of an education campaign to encourage people to share the path sensibly and for the removal of the current restrictions. This plan would then be put to the Council for ratification.

At the City of Perth Council meeting on 21 Feb, the Council voted not to take the consultative approach suggested by the Department for Planning and Infrastructure officers. Trafalgar Bridge will never be opened to cyclists if the Council has its way. The Perth Voice, 25/2/06, p. 3 ran a story headed 'Cyclists are nasties', which covered the discussions at the meeting.

Councillor Lisa Scaffidi apparently told the council that there had been a number of accidents including one in which a child's foot was broken. Attempts by the BTA to obtain information from the CoP about the number or severity of alleged crashes with cyclists have been unsuccessful, so this was news.

Cr Scaffidi alleged that the cyclists responsible for the child's injury had not stopped and had suggested to the child's screaming mother she look after her kid better. Cr Judy McEvoy also addressed the issue of cyclists and reportedly said I've had enough of them, I say get off your bike! Whether she meant permanently, or just while crossing the bridge was not clear. Lord Mayor Peter Natrass is reported to have weighed in, describing the cycling nasties as selfish and interested only in dominance and speed.

The Council voted unanimously for the ban to stay in place. The article was accompanied by a cartoon on the letters to the editor page depicting a cyclist as Hitler while Cr Chris Hardy reassures the media in the background that he described cyclists as nasties not nazis.

It is interesting to note that the item (101/06) discussed immediately before the Trafalgar issue (item 102/06) was the CoP’s Travelsmart initiative, with the claim by CoP that “An integral part of the program is promoting trips that are within comfortable walking or cycling distance, such as the local ‘block level’ shop, rather than driving to the nearest suburban shopping centre outside the city.” How this ties in with claims by councillors that cyclists need to get the message that they are not welcome in the CoP domain is a puzzler.

If you would like to respond to this story, you can email the Perth Voice at voice@fremantleherald.com or write to The Editor, The Perth Voice, Mount Lawley Business Centre, 151 Walcott St, Mount Lawley WA 6050.

Letters from Members...

Date: Tue, 28 Feb 2006

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to express my extreme disappointment in the council's lack of support for the proposal put forward by the DPI for cycling access on the Trafalgar Bridge.

I believe the council has a responsibility to encourage cycling and reduce car traffic in the city and the unanimous decision by the council to ban cycling across the Trafalgar Bridge is both short-sighted and ill conceived.

Although there are some cyclists that behave irresponsibly, the "lycra nasties" described by Cr Hardy during the last council meeting, I believe they constitute a very small minority and they are unfortunately representative of an abhorrent minority that you will find in any sector of our community.

For the council to assign the same characteristics to all cyclists "by association" is an injustice for the greater majority of cyclists, who act in a considerate and responsible manner.

Unfortunately the decision taken by council is unlikely to change the behaviour of the cyclists that don't act responsibly and penalises those who do.

Can you please explain why the council was unwilling to consider the DPI's proposed awareness campaign trial for Trafalgar Bridge, which aimed to alert cyclists to the concerns of pedestrians who use the bridge and promote the safe sharing of the bridge by all users?

How many motor vehicle vs pedestrian accidents are there in the city each year? In light of council's decision regarding bicycle access to Trafalgar Bridge, will the council now consider banning motor vehicle acccess to the city in the interest of public safety?

Regards

Alan Bax

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