Minister welcomes cycle safety report

Associate Transport Minister Craig Foss has welcomed the Cycling Safety Panel’s final report, which has 35 recommendations for central and local government.

“Over the last decade, an average of nine people a year have died while cycling on our roads,” says Mr Foss. “The Cycling Safety Panel was formed earlier this year in response to a coroner’s call for an expert panel to make recommendations on improving cycling safety.

“I am pleased the Panel took a ‘safe systems’ approach, which is consistent with the Government’s Safer Journeys road safety strategy, looking at safe speeds, roads and roadsides, vehicles and road users.

“Many of the recommendations are already being addressed through either the Safer Journeys programme, or the transport planning and investment process.

The Government will now consider the remaining recommendations, including those around mandatory minimum passing distances and requiring side under-run protection for trucks.

The Government will consider results from a trial of mandatory minimum passing being undertaken in Queensland as well as the work being done following the Government’s Intelligent Transport Systems Action Plan on technology which improves the safety of cyclists around heavy vehicles.

I am particularly interested to see what opportunities there may be to include some of the Panel’s recommendations in the Safer Journeys strategy and the Urban Cycleways Programme, which will see $100 million invested over the next 4 years to expand and improve the cycling network.

“The Panel’s report also reminds us how important it is for all road users to show respect and share the road. This will increase road safety for everyone.

The Cycle Safety Panel report can be viewed at: http://www.saferjourneys.govt.nz/assets/Panel-Report-Safer-cycling.pdf