Federal Election 2019

Incentivise active travel by introducing a scheme where commuters can receive a government benefit of $5 for every trip to work made by bicycle.

If successful, it’s expected the scheme will cost $500 million and encourage even more people to swap short car trips to bicycles, combating congestion and driving down the cost of living.  

Invest $3.9 million annually to fund a nation-wide Ride2School program.

Using a proven model of behaviour change within a school community, Bicycle Network’s Ride2School program successfully implements interventions which are proven to increase and promote active travel.

Since 2007, the program in Victoria has achieved significant success in increasing the number of students riding, walking, skating and scooting to school. Schools in the program report an active travel rate of 45 per cent, above the national average of 25 per cent.

Modify the Building Code of Australia to include the provision of end-of-trip facilities

Amend the Building Code of Australia to include the provision of end-of-trip facilities such as bike parking to make riding for transport an easy and accessible option.

Abolish the fringe benefit tax exemption for private vehicles and small business car parking

To motivate more people to swap their cars and prioritise bikes, walking or even public transport, we must remove incentives for single use vehicles and car parking.

Extend fringe benefit tax exemption to bikes or ebikes

To fast-track the uptake and growth of cycling participation as a means of transport, the fringe benefit tax exemption should be extended to private bicycle or ebike use.

The tax scheme for people who ride could mirror what’s done in Belgium and the Netherlands. These European schemes provide tax-free bikes to employees

Actively pursue technologies that improve the safety of heavy vehicles on our roads. Make it a requirement that all heavy vehicles in Australia be fitted with:

1. Class V mirrors, and reversing and blind spot cameras, giving the driver a better view of road users around their vehicles
2. Side underrun protection to protect bike riders from being dragged under the wheels in the event of a collision
3. Audible left turn warning and reverse squawker alert systems to communicate heavy vehicle movements to all road users
4. Hydraulic payload monitoring system to determine and notify drivers of real time truck weight

To support the widespread implementation of safety upgrades and to subsidise the cost, the federal government should offer rebates to help small owner-operators of heavy vehicle fleets. Strict timelines should be set for implementation so that all heavy vehicle fleets on our roads (both new and old) are fitted with the technology by 2025.  

Truck driver training and road user awareness programs are integral to the prevention of crashes involving heavy vehicles.

Funding a national awareness program like Bicycle Network’s Swapping Seats initiative would help to not only raise awareness but build a consistent and clear communication of behaviours for both drivers and bike riders. Vulnerable road user training should also be introduced and mandated across all truck driver licensing curriculums.

Adopt eight key recommendations from Bicycle Network’s submission to the National Transport Commission.

1. The rapid roll out of hi-tech traffic camera technologies and legal reforms that make it easier for police to enforce distracted driving laws.
2. A national advertising campaign to highlight the kinds of distracted driving and their consequences.
3. Higher penalties for distracted driving with consistency across states and territories.
4. Fast-track in-vehicle mobile phone blocking technologies and its mandated implementation across all new vehicles sold in Australia.
5. In-built opt-out ‘Do not disturb while driving’ apps automatically activated in all smartphones sold in Australia.
6. Implement autonomous safe-vehicle technology such as emergency braking and lane departure warnings in all new cars sold in Australia.
7. Establish a national crash database to track the causes of crashes and the impact of distracted driving.
8. Greater research into the motivations of distracted driving with a focus on smartphone use.

Urgently prioritise and implement the recommendations from the inquiry into the National Road Safety Strategy

It is critical that the following recommendations are implemented to reduce harm and minimise risk for all Australian road users:

• Establish a national road safety entity reporting to the Cabinet minister with responsibility for road safety
• Set a vision zero target for 2050 with an interim target of vision zero for all major capital city CBD areas, and high-volume highways by 2030
• Implement rapid deployment and accelerated uptake of proven vehicle safety technologies and innovation
• Accelerate the adoption of speed management initiatives that support harm elimination.
• Invest in road safety focused infrastructure, safe system and mobility partnerships with state, territory and local governments that accelerate the elimination of high-risk roads.
• Make road safety a genuine part of business as usual within Commonwealth, state, territory and local government.
• Resource key road safety enablers and road safety innovation initiatives.
• Implement life-saving partnerships with countries in the Indo-Pacific and globally as appropriate to reduce road trauma.

A national bicycle crash database would help standardise and centralise data on the nature and causes of crashes. A consistent approach to data collection is essential to ensuring that a true national approach is taken to reducing deaths and serious injury on our roads.

Instruct the Transport Infrastructure Council to apply lower limits on local streets or those streets with high volumes of bike riders

Reduce speeds on local streets or in built up environments to 30km/h.

High speeds discourage men, women and children from riding their bikes for short trips – whether it’s to the local shops, school or work – because they don’t feel safe or comfortable. As fewer people ride and walk, our communities and neighbourhoods become disconnected, disengaged and unhealthy.

Ensure national agendas and strategies consider bikes

To ensure long-term, sustainable and strategic growth of cycling infrastructure, it’s essential that bike riding and active travel organisations have input into related national agenda and strategies including the Australian Government’s Smart Cities Initiative.

Adopt and implement the recommendations from the Australian House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities Building Up & Moving Out report

In examining the Australian Government’s role in the development of cities, the Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities came up with several recommendations regarding connectivity and active transport in their Building Up & Moving Out report.

Recommendation 11:

6.117 The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, as part of the system of master planning under the national plan of settlement, ensure that governments at all levels:

• Commit to a more sustainable model of urban transport connectivity than currently exist
• Actively promote investment in the development of a public transport network that is capable of meeting the goal of the 30-minute city.
• Actively plan for and promote the integration of active transport within the transport network.
• Embrace innovation.
• Ensure that transport infrastructure planning is consistent with planning for a more sustainable urban form and conforms to integrated planning at local, regional and city levels.

A new national bike riding strategy is needed to ensure the ongoing growth of participation and cycling tourism. It should set ambitious but realistic participation and growth targets and include monitoring and evaluation.