2023-02-03
The Victorian Greens have called on the Victorian Labor Government to urgently establish a parliamentary inquiry into road safety for cyclists, following the death of a cyclist on a West Melbourne road yesterday.
The cyclist was reportedly struck by a truck at the intersection of the Footscray Road trail and Dock Link Road and died at the scene.
The Greens say that to prevent future cyclist injuries, collisions, and deaths on Victorian roads, the state must improve active transport infrastructure.
They say that an inquiry would help identify the best ways to do so.
Deputy Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell, has also written to the Transport Infrastructure and Road Safety Ministers urging them to immediately fix the safety issues on the roads, particularly surrounding West Gate Toll Road construction sites, that led to the death in West Melbourne yesterday.
She has also asked them to address allegations that community members’ safety concerns have been repeatedly dismissed, with disastrous results.
Quotes attributable to Victorian Greens transport spokesperson, Katherine Copsey MLC:
“We know roads are dangerous places for cyclists, but that shouldn’t be the case.
“Active transport users should be able to use our roads without fear of injury, or worse.
“An inquiry into road safety would help identify the main issues and recommend a path forward so that all Victorians can use our roads safely.”
Quotes attributable to Deputy Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell MP:
“This young man’s death was a preventable tragedy, caused by a Government that gives too little care and thoughts to cyclists and pedestrians.
“Too many cyclists and pedestrians are being needlessly put into dangerous and life-threatening situations on our roads because the Victorian Labor Government has the wrong priorities when it comes to our roads.
“Yesterday’s tragic death needs to be a wake-up call for the Victorian Labor Government - we must urgently investigate how to improve road safety for all Victorians to prevent cyclist and pedestrian deaths on our roads.”