Safety needs to be first of…

Safety needs to be first of mind and drivers, cyclists and pedestrians each need their lanes!

Yet our provincial government has purposed Bill 212 to remove bike lanes in the province and specifically in Toronto. Disrupting the long-term City planning to provide over the years a cycling network for residents who ride e-bikes, e-scooters and bicycles does not consider the safety of cyclists and as well pedestrians.

E-bikes, e-scooters and bicycles are here to stay! In the suburbs of Toronto e-bikes, e-scooters and bicycles are necessities. They are a means of transportation for many who cannot afford a car, choose not to own a car for various reasons (perhaps environmental), depend on them for business, want the exercise, cycle instead of waiting for Scarborough intermittent public transit, have no car parking in their condominium or choose a bike over a car because there are few parking spaces in Toronto.

The focus to expand housing in the Golden Horseshoe has meant parking spaces at subway stations are becoming high rise housing. Car parking spaces are gone. The result is e-bikes, e-scooters and bicycles are used to reach the subway – TTC buses are slow and timing between rides is long.

The expansion of new high-rise condominiums, midrise, four-plex, multi-plex, etc. with fewer car parking spaces than bicycle parking - forces many to use an e-bike, e-scooter or bicycle for transportation. Car parking is disappearing! Bike parking is increasing!

Ontario is on a "collision course" between increasing housing with few car parking spaces, expanding bicycle parking yet neglecting to provide the infrastructure for ALL to be safe - drivers, cyclists and pedestrians!