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Give cyclists space
Making the streets safer for cyclists by making
motorists more aware of them is the aim of a new
City Council campaign called Share the Road. “Cyclists have the same legal rights as other road
users,” says CCC Cycling and Pedestrian
Transport Planner Michael Ferigo. “They have a
right to share the road with motorists and feel
safe doing so.” Each year in December the Council does a
survey on cycling. The most recent survey reveals
that two thirds of people would ride bikes or ride
them more often if the roads were safer. Of
school pupils surveyed, 87 per cent felt the same
way. The campaign runs until April. Cycling cartoons
featuring frogs,
pukekos and beagles
will be used to
highlight messages on
buses and radio such
as “ease your pace,
and give us space”,
“you know the code,
share the road” and
“look right, look left,
look bike”. Mr Ferigo says Land
Transport Safety
Authority statistics
show motorists are
primarily responsible
for 65 per cent of accidents between cyclists and
motor vehicles. “The more vehicles on the roads means more
risk for cyclists, with most collisions occurring
during commuting times,” he says. “However, the
more cyclists on the road, the safer the road
becomes for all road users. “This can be seen in the Netherlands for
example, where the large numbers of cyclists has
resulted in less accidents because motorists have
become more aware on them on the road and
respectful of their needs.” The City Council’s cycling strategy is to make
Christchurch the country’s most cycle friendly city
and this campaign fits with that goal. “It’s our job to
make that happen by getting more people cycling
and decreasing cycle accidents,” says Mr Ferigo. |