Deep breath on cycleway

Hobart Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet wants people to take a deep breath about the Sandy Bay cycleway proposals.

Referring to an article in the Mercury of 20 September ( Cycle of woe feared ), Alderman Burnet says she is concerned that the debate has become polarised.

“Any such proposal to change traffic flows will throw up many issues including safety”, Ms Burnet said.

“What is needed now is for the issues to be discussed constructively and systematically so that concerns can be alleviated”, she said.

“Ultimately, I would advocate a solution to accommodate all road users. Some of us ride bicycles as well as drive cars at different times. Almost all of us are pedestrians at least some of the time. That’s the sort of concept we need to think about”, Ald Burnet continued.

“Hobart needs to become a city of the future that promotes healthy living, not just a fast throughway for ever-increasing traffic” she said.

“The Sandy Bay Road bikeway proposal has created considerable public interest in cycling. This can only be a good thing.

“I welcome the interest of some Sandy Bay residents who say that they want safety at the heart of any new proposal.

Ald Burnet noted that safety for cyclists along Sandy Bay Road had not been regarded as a public issue until the Council’s proposal was put forward, and now welcomed the overwhelming public interest.

“With over 600 on-line submissions to the Council’s public consultation process and many other written, the report commissioned by Guy Abel’s group is one more piece that adds more to the debate of making cycling safe along Sandy Bay Road.

“I’ll be recommending that the consideration of the residents’ GHD report is put into the mix with all the other public submissions”, the Chairman of the Hobart Bicycle Advisory Committee said.

“My desire is to see that there is a good outcome for the people of Hobart and that realistic solutions are brought into the mix rather than opposition to change”, Alderman Burnet concluded.

The Council’s submission process has concluded and Alderman Burnet expects that a report will be provided close to Christmas.