opinion
Kate Emery: WA in desperate need of better cycle paths and Cook to ‘get on with it’

WA needs better cycle paths faster, and not just for the reason you think. OK, yes, it’s mostly for exactly the reason you think: to get more people cycling and so existing cyclists are less likely to have accidents or get abuse from impatient motorists. But, at the risk of sounding like I’m flogging steak knives, there’s more. For one thing, the rise of e-scooters, an increasingly popular mode of car-free transport, has strengthened the business case for the WA and local governments to step up the rate at which they develop the State’s long-term cycle network. That’s because that network isn’t just used by cyclists, but by any car-free mode of transport. For another, WA’s population is forecast to top 3.5 million by 2036, and nobody wants to see what peak-hour traffic looks like with an extra 55,000 people on the road between now and then. And looming over it all is the possibility that if WA doesn’t become more cycle-friendly sooner, we might have to think about more extreme measures. Stay tuned for that one. As reported in Sunday’s paper, WestCycle is concerned not enough is being done to protect cyclists on WA roads. It wants better enforcement of minimum safe-passing laws, signs to help educate motorists and faster development of cycling infrastructure. It’s not a surprise that a cycling advocacy group is out there advocating for cyclists. It would be a lot more surprising if they weren’t. But it’s not alone in saying it. The RAC — that A stands for “automobile”, by the way — also thinks the time has come for the Government to do more to make the State cycle-friendly. In its latest State budget submission, it identified the need to expedite “the delivery of cycling infrastructure and enhancing streets and places for active travel” as one of its five priorities for 2025-26. What’s interesting about the RAC’s submission, in as much as a budget submission can ever truly be called interesting, is where it sees the opportunities. It takes issue with what it says is the narrow eligibility of the Government’s Western Australian bicycle network grant program, which has a focus on routes within 2km of Metronet stations. That prioritises outer suburbs and commuting cyclists, shutting some local governments out. The RAC reckons more can be done to develop infrastructure that would help all of us jump on a bike instead of in the car for shorter trips: the school drop-off, or nipping to the shops for bread and milk. As well as expanding the grants program eligibility criteria, the RAC wants to see the current 1:1 State-local government funding ratio changed to 3:1. For comparison, the funding radio for car-based projects is 2:1. Cycling infrastructure is only part of the picture. Perth also has a massive culture problem when it comes to cyclists. Too many motorists are rude, impatient and arrogant on the road when it comes to cyclists and it is quite literally killing them. But there’s a good reason why even those numpties should be invested in making the State safer for cyclists, something beyond the basic idea that we need to look after each other in this world. Without better cycle paths and better attitudes towards cyclists, WA might have to adopt more extreme methods that are in place in other countries. In The Netherlands, if you’re behind the wheel of a car and crash into a cyclist, the onus is on you to prove it wasn’t your fault. The idea is not that cyclists are incapable of making a mistake, but to give the person driving the two-tonne steel machine down the road an extra incentive not to hit the person riding the 8kg pedal-powered machine. Similar laws exist in Denmark, France, Germany and Canada. Such laws do not exist in WA. But when we see a spate of serious incidents in a short period of time, as we have in the first few weeks of 2025, it’s inevitable that people start looking for other solutions. Before that option is brought to the table, there’s more that could be done: more money for the cycle network to get built faster, better education for motorists and tackling the cultural problem for starters. Tackle that and more legislation won’t be needed. So can we get on with it?

opinionKate Emery: WA in desperate need of better cycle paths and Cook to ‘get on with it’

opinion
Kate Emery: WA in desperate need of better cycle paths and Cook to ‘get on with it’