As an avid cyclist, a…

As an avid cyclist, a retired cycling commuter and believer in environmental causes, I find this bill offensive, dangerous, regressive and a colossal waste of time, effort and money.

Giving people a safe, reliable, cheap, alternative and efficient transportation method only makes sense. This could lead to more use of current and future bike infrastructure, and healthier populace, reduced strain and costs on the healthcare system, cleaner air and roads. I don’t know how many people have travelled to Manhattan, but after a day of touring around I always felt I needed a shower due to the vehicle exhaust and tire particles in the air, not to mention the constant noise levels. I often feel the same after walking the downtown streets of Toronto.

A safe, separate series of bike lanes that connect neighbourhoods with areas where people actually want and need to go (and not making routes circuitous by routing them along non through streets) would reduce the number of cars on the road, reduce congestion, pollution and the need for extra car lanes.

Protected bike lanes would help safeguard the lives and safety of cyclists. As an avid cyclist, I have had several close interactions with inattentive, uncaring, or vindictive, coal-rolling, gravel spewing drivers who felt I should not be taking up their precious roadspace. If cyclists had their own dedicated, safe and efficient routes, as they have in some European countries, these unsafe, dangerous interactions would be reduced or possibly eliminated.

Removing already established bike lanes would put cyclists at greater risk than they already are. I find it passing strange that two of the routes are those used by the premier of the province on his commute to and from work and home. Here’s a question: why does the premier not use public transportation? From my own use of the TTC system, I found it fast and efficient. Considering he lives in Toronto, it would probably get him to work faster, more efficiently and definitely more environmentally friendly than the Ford-mobile. Pretty sure he doesn’t drive around in an electric vehicle.

Removing existing bike lanes is regressive. We are now in the 21st century, and supposedly fighting for our own survival with the threat of climate change, over-population, urban sprawl, daily threats to the Greenbelt and farmland, and yet this government seems to want to protect the status quo from the mid- to late-20th century with outdated thinking, and no forward perspective other than paving over the entirety of southern Ontario. This is not how to prepare for the future. This is a regressive move. It shows this government has no care or consideration for a segment of the population. No ability to look to the future with new ideas.

All the money, all the time, all the effort by grassroots groups, planners, city staff, construction crews, politicians will now be wasted. Something we have come to expect from government. But now, we get to see all of that time, money and effort wasted again by removing existing infrastructure, and now by two levels of government.

I find the lack of concern for vulnerable road users, lack of future focus, lack of wanting to develop a livable, workable, walkable, cyclable city, lack of environmental concern, lack of fiduciary responsibility all very offensive, dangerous, regressive and a colossal waste of time, energy, effort and money. Premier Ford should stick to provincial concerns and leave the running of Toronto and other cities to the elected officials and their civic employees.