Dear Premier Ford I would…

Dear Premier Ford

I would like to register my strong opposition to the proposed Bill 212 as it is currently written. My concerns are as follows:

IT IS WASTEFUL - Ripping out bike lanes will cost nearly $50 million dollars of MY TAX MONEY - not to mention MORE congestion while that happens AND loss of business for those on the affected streets. It's not just a matter of scraping off paint - they are built into pavement. For a government that says it supports business, why are you not listening to actual businesses that have had business IMPROVE after bike lanes went in?

IT IS DANGEROUS - Without physical separation, cyclists - and pedestrians - are at the mercy of Toronto drivers. Cyclists include families, doctors and hospital staff, commuters, students and profs, delivery drivers, and the disabled. Our safety is worth more than a few minutes saved for car drivers. Everyone deserves safe streets! I need the cycle lanes on University to get my cancer treatments at Princess Margaret - why would you put a cancer patient at further risk? Or perhaps you want me to use a car to get there?

IT IS IMPRACTICAL - The Premier suggests cyclist use side streets. For very short neighbourhood trips this may work, but for those travelling over the city's many rivers, highways, and rail tracks - not to mention those with destinations ON main streets - they are insufficient; it's often impossible not to use main streets. Cyclists need to and are entitled to use all streets in Toronto to get to their destinations safely.

IT DOESN'T SOLVE THE ISSUE OF CONGESTION - Of course converting mixed lanes into cycle lanes mean less room for cars; however, the impact on travel times is negligible. Many other factors are causing traffic jams, including: lack of reliable transit alternatives, too many Ubers and delivery vehicles, massive amounts of construction all throughout the city, and basically too many cars. Removing bike lanes will have very little impact on most traffic - and may end up adding more cars as cyclists choose instead to drive or Uber. (When people have no safe way to cycle, and the transit options are poor due to underfunding, they will drive or Uber - one more car each trip! More congestion!) Moreover, historical data shows conclusively that adding a lane of traffic does not ease gridlock, as it merely attracts more cars. Ripping out bike lanes will still leave drivers angry and fuming as they sit there in traffic.

IT IS BASED ON FEELINGS NOT FACTS - The Transportation Minister can cherry pick numbers all he wants but claiming only 1% of Toronto commuters cycle is false and misleading. If he chose to look at actual current relevant information her would see that TORONTO commuters choose to cycle in huge numbers, that Bike Share rentals are way up, and that the new lanes on Yonge, University and Bloor are very heavily used. To cite 10 year old data that applies to the whole GTA is not only disingenuous, it is BAD FAITH. In fact, the city has undertaken considerable time, energy and money to plan and consult on all bike lanes. Suggesting that they are "poorly installed" is an insult to the thousands of hard working staff and volunteers who spent years very carefully planning and building them.

IT IS NOT THE PROVINCE'S LANE - Local traffic should be decided by local authorities. Not everyone has to like it, but at least our city's processes are democratic. The province reacting impulsively to the complaints of a handful of PC donors is not. Your government needs to attend to its own issues, including housing and health care.