Safer cycling in Grafton – NSW Nationals
Zac Masters from Changing Lanes Changing Lives joins Grafton Midday Rotary Club president Lee Taylor, Rotary member Brian Lane, and Clarence Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis
Grafton Midday Rotary Club has been granted more than $4,900 following a successful application under the NSW Nationals in the state government’s Community Road Safety Fund to help deliver its One Metre Matters for Cyclists initiative.
Clarence Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis said the funding from the Community Road Safety program directly supports practical grassroots road safety solutions in the local community.
“Grafton Midday Rotary Club has collaborated with local youth leaders behind the ‘Changing Lanes Changing Lives’ initiative to come up with an interactive bicycle safety display to educate road users on the minimum passing distance rule,” Mr Gulaptis said.
“They propose to deliver a series of displays and presentations on the laws of the minimum passing distance rule at the popular monthly local car meet in Grafton.
“Changing Lanes Changing Lives is a youth-driven community garage project in Grafton that uses cars as a vehicle to engage and mentor young people, and the Rotary Club support them at their meets by cooking a BBQ.
“Local people understand local problems and I think it’s terrific to see the local Rotary Club brainstorm community safety initiatives with young people and unite to come up with interactive tools such as this to improve driver behaviour.”
Grafton Midday Rotary Club president Lee Taylor – an active cyclist – said when the opportunity presented itself to include a bicycle safety component through the Community Road Safety Fund she jumped at the opportunity to join with the active local youth leaders who have a large captive audience.
“I know first-hand how close vehicles try to pass one of the most vulnerable road users and the intention of this interactive display is to educate motorists and bicycle riders what the minimum distances are,” Ms Taylor said.
“Bicycle riders have the same rights and responsibilities as motorists and we both need to look out for each other’s safety. I am hopeful this initiative will make a real difference in road safety in our local community.”
From 2005 to 2021 173 bicycle riders were killed and 29,442 were seriously injured on NSW roads. Bicycle riders represent about 2.7% of NSW road deaths and 17% of serious injuries.
Under the Minimum Passing Distance road rule drivers must give bicycle riders:
- At least 1m of space when passing when the speed limit is 60km/h or less
- At least 1.5m when the speed limit is more than 60km/h
Nationals Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said 11 local community groups in regional NSW received a share in $158,250 to help fund their proposed road safety initiatives.
“Every death on our roads is one too many, it’s more than a statistic. In the bush it is someone’s family member, it’s our friends, it’s someone from our community,” Mr Farraway said.
The Community Road Safety Grants Program has funded 210 projects since 2015.
The next round of Community Road Safety Grants will open during in August 2023.
More information about the program and a list of grant recipients can be found at: http://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/aboutthecentre/communitygrants/