Road users lose voice
Bike riders, pedestrians and disabled road users say they have lost their voice on road safety with the Barnett Government cutting a key adviser.
The Road User Co-ordinator was based at the RAC with $170,000 from the Government's Road Trauma Trust Account.
The role was designed to ensure "vulnerable road users" such as bike riders and pedestrians were represented in Road Safety Council deliberations.
In an email to interest groups yesterday, RAC road safety adviser Marianne Carey said the position "was not supported by the State Government in latest State Budget".
Bicycling WA chief executive Jeremey Murray said the axing made no sense and he encouraged Road Safety Minister Liza Harvey to reverse the decision.
Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said the move was disappointing because the co-ordinator oversaw excellent programs for bike, motorcycle and scooter riders.
"It gave vulnerable road users, including cyclists and pedestrians as well as motorcyclists and scooter riders, an opportunity to raise safety concerns and suggest improvements," he said.
"Over the past two years it has led to meaningful actions such as commissioning valuable research and changing engineering specifications."
Ms Carey's email said the position "achieved significant progress in our common goal of keeping vulnerable road users safe".
"As you know, this has not just been about holding meetings," she wrote.
"We have also been able to host workshops to up-skill road safety practitioners at a local and State Government level, improve levels of co-operation between road users and government and to raise awareness of the issues confronting vulnerable road users."
Ms Harvey said it was no longer appropriate to outsource government consultations through the RAC. "The Office of Road Safety will continue to work with vulnerable road user stakeholders to identify areas that can reduce road trauma," she said.
