John Brumby has scuttled a proposal that would see motor scooters gain access to Melbourne's under-utilised bike paths and improve public safety on our roads.
As many motorists will tell you there are a lot of white lined lanes left vacant in Melbourne as the bicycle lobby pushes to paint Melbourne as the new bike friendly city, but little to nothing is being done to make Melbourne scooter friendly. Scooters are a viable alternative to road congestion and the environment. Much more can and should be done to make Melbourne scooter friendly.
The proposal to allow small motor scooters, under 260cc,to use designated bike lanes and bus lanes for computer traffic is worthy of consideration and support. Many bicycle routes are not used by cyclist and the lanes are left vacant. Bikes and scooters can and should share the road space in order to improve access and public safety.
The State Government is quick to tax the scooter riding public but does nothing to improve scooter riders safety. Much more needs to be done
Road-humps are also an issue that needs review. The design of many road-humps in shopping centers and car parks are a hazard to small bike riders due to poor design and implementation.
Brumby should try coming-up with some constructive ideas to assist scooter riders as opposed to torpedoing those ideas that have merit.
Scooter plan overridden by Premier John Brumby
by Mary Bolling, Herald Sun
PREMIER John Brumby has moved to cut off a bid by the scooter lobby to merge into bike lanes, warning the plan may be too dangerous for cyclists.
The plan by the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce is being considered by Roads Minister Tim Pallas.
But yesterday Mr Brumby warned he didn't like the idea.
"I think you have to bear in mind . . . the bike lane is essentially there for people who use pushbikes," he said.
"And if you get scooters, the issue will be how big they are. I think it will create a lot of issues."
But VACC spokesman Tim O'Brien said the growing population of scooter and motorbike riders required better road safety options.
"We need to have scooters and motorcycles integrated into infrastructure planning," Mr O'Brien said.
"At the moment, we don't have that.
"At the end of the day, scooters pose a solution to road congestion and parking problems, and to environmental issues.
"They are not going to go away. We won't leave this bike lane idea alone.
"Smaller scooters should be able to share on designated safe routes.
"To have a little electric scooter thrust out into the traffic as it's forbidden to go in bike lanes is nonsense."
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