[Greens-Media] Roads Minister should get on his bike – Greens

[Peter Stahel]

Roads Minister should get on his bike – Greens 

Roads Minister Duncan Gay has made recent comments (see:
http://bit.ly/m9dcy6) which indicate he may be opposed to increasing
cycle trips in urban Sydney and should immediately come clean with his
plans for the future of Sydney's cycling infrastructure, says Greens MP
Cate Faehrmann. 

"Increasing the number of cycle trips in Sydney will reduce road
congestion, reduce vehicle emissions and improve community health. But
the Roads Minister appears to be about to take a wrecking ball to a
number of existing and planned cycling infrastructure projects," said Ms
Faehrmann.

"I'd like it if the Minister joined me for a ride along the current
Lilyfield Road cycle route, so that he can appreciate the value in the
proposed City West Cycle Link.

In an interview with Seven News on April 28, Duncan Gay said:
"Motorists are frustrated as hell, we need something that works better
than what's there now."
(see: http://yhoo.it/lMXtcy )

Ms Faehrmann said: "Minister Gay is right there, we need improvements.
There are a number of excellent projects ready to go such as the City
West Cycle Link, which already has the support of local government,
stakeholder groups and is costed at a dirt-cheap $5 million.

"We need more investment in cycling infrastructure, not less, to get
people out of their cars where possible, and to reduce congestion for
those who do need to drive. 

"Investment to increase cycle trips is excellent value for money.
Meanwhile, the state continues to build more motorways which clog up
within years of being completed. This is not rocket science, we need to
encourage active transport in Sydney," said Ms Faehrmann.

Media contact: Peter Stahel 0433 005 727