This seems to be lacking the…

This seems to be lacking the consultation process with key stakeholders, mainly bike riders and emergency service drivers.

Bike riders are a sizeable portion of the commuter class in Ontario’s largest cities— control over bike lanes should remain in the city’s jurisdiction to ensure that users of this critical infrastructure are heard.

I don’t even ride a bike, I am primarily a pedestrian and a driver myself, and I feel safer as a driver with dedicated bike lanes to ensure that everyone is safe. Issues of emergency vehicle access has historically been more linked to improper and illegal parking as well as vehicle congestion instead of bike riders that take up at least 60% less of the road than a vehicle and are capable of maneuvering around obstacles much quicker than a vehicle. As the bike rally on October 23rd in Toronto demonstrates, even large groups of cyclists are capable of quickly pulling over and allowing emergency service vehicles through— I would argue much faster than the same amount of people in a car.

Additionally, Toronto, where I live, continues to lack the frequency and access to quickly access different areas of the city, either through public transit or driving. Cycling continues to be the fastest and safest option to get from one place to the next for many people, but removing dedicated bike lanes will further increase strain on public transit and road congestion that the city is already seeing.

It is quite clear that this is a politically motivated bill that has been created by a very small and vocal minority, supported by people who do not have any stake in this (ie. rural habitants and politicians).

I will be beyond disappointed and frankly insulted if I see this Bill continue.