I noticed recently that…

I noticed recently that there has been a lot of talk about removing bike lanes from already existing roads. I grew up in Scarborough, around Pharmacy and St Clair there used to be bike lanes, now these places are dangerous to cycle (https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/09/09/cyclist-sent-to-hospital-after-b…) As someone who commutes by bicycle via trails and protected bike lanes, I see firsthand how beneficial they are, whether they connect trails or are alongside city roads. The evidence supports bike lanes as a way to reduce traffic

I am having difficulty understanding why our government would put forward legislation that does not align with the established science or data? Especially when bike lanes are under municipal jurisdiction.

The conservative government emphasizes making Ontario a more affordable place to live, cycling is by far the most affordable way to travel locally without worrying about insurance, gas, charging, or shelling out hundreds of dollars a year on maintenance. I am confused as to why we would make this affordable means of transportation less accessible in a climate where the cost of living is increasing so quickly.

In my area I see all age demographics biking in protected bike lanes (families, older adults, kids, yours truly) and removing protected bike lanes will put us all at risk. Motorists are at risk of killing or injuring someone and cyclists are at risk of dying. Those who do not feel safe on a bike as a result of this will not only be forced to spend more money on other transit, see their health and freedom of mobility decline, and become one more car on the road contributing to traffic.

Why is our government choosing to overreach regarding this issue, when experts say that bike lanes are a positive thing for communities? I have seen the impact that unsafe streets can have on a community, that same stretch of road I grew up on has seen 3 pedestrian/cyclist deaths, and we are seeing cyclist deaths in our communities. Please don't make my life more dangerous, I love to cycle, I love to be outside, I love to see young people granted the freedom to feel safe exercising and visiting their friends.