I am a car driver who lives…

I am a car driver who lives in Hamilton, having moved from Toronto. I enjoy walking, driving my car and riding my bike. I want to feel safe in each of these ways of moving through the cities I live in. I have travelled widely and have seen the benefits of bike lanes on main streets everywhere I have seen them: everyone has a safe space to move through their city, the local small businesses thrive by having people walk and bike by their stores, more people take their bikes rather than drive, reducing their own costs, and improving the air for all. It should be up to city councils to make decisions about local transportation options. Our city taxes pay for them and our city councillors are accountantable to us. The provincial MPPs should focus on their own areas of need ( e.g. Health and Education) and not interfere in local decision making. This is a large overreach by the province, and will only result in unnecessary costs to undo work that has been paid for, and which will likely be redone in the future. It seems petty and vindicative.