Rarely has one person been such a big part of so many major developments in bicycling in the state, but today Frank Kinnersly’s dedicated work over 35 years was recognised with the major Bicycling Achievement of the Year Award.

Also receiving an Award for Achievement by a Bicycle Organisation was BikeSafe Surf Coast, a local response to improve cycling safety in the Geelong region. Both have been recognised for the substantial impact they have had on cycling in their respective areas.

http://www.cyclingawards.com.au/files/webform/10th-Annual-Awards-Booklet-web.pdf

Bicycling Achievement Award of the Year – Volunteer—Frank Kinnersley, VIC

• Frank started advocating for cycling in Geelong 35 years ago and was the founding President of Geelong Touring Cyclists.
• He has been a Bike Ed instructor, contributed to local government and state bicycle plans and has been instrumental in achieving better outcomes for cyclists when major transport projects impact on cycle commuter routes.
• Recognised by cycling organisations and jurisdictions across the state, currently fulfils a role with Rail Trails Australia in addition to continuing his many volunteer activities.

Bicycling Achievement Award of the Year – Volunteer (Honourable Mention) -Liam Correy, TAS

• As Chair of Tasmanian Bicycle Council, developed ‘Why Ride’ campaign which has resulted in high profile positive messaging being carried on buses and across radio in Hobart and other centres in Tasmania. Formed Healthy Transport Hobart to advocate for safer walking and cycling environments.

Bicycling Achievement Award for a Bicycle Organisation—BikeSafe VIC

• Volunteer group formed as a local response to rising antagonism towards cyclists and a disproportionate number of deaths on the roads of Surf Coast-Geelong-Bellarine.
• Aims are to improve infrastructure and behaviour by motorists and cyclists alike. Achievements range from the formation of the Bicycle Infrastructure Group to a regional cycle awareness program of road signs and a priority list of hazardous roads in the area.

National Survey Launched

The awards ceremony followed the launch of a national survey conducted by the Heart Foundation and Cycling Promotion Fund that found more than 90% of parents support their child riding a bicycle for fun, fitness and social reasons, but only 1 in 10 let their child ride to school.

The survey of more than 1,000 parents across Australia also found:

• Nearly two-thirds of parents said they would let their children ride to school if there were safe routes
• 8 in 10 nominated too much traffic and a lack of safe routes as key barriers to kids being allowed to ride to school
• Parents surveyed agreed that ‘cycling is a good way to get fit’
• 1 in 2 parents support formal cycle education programs
• Almost 60% of parents drive their children to school
• 1 in 2 live less than 10 minutes from school, a distance which could easily by cycled or walked by children.

‘Cycling is clearly something that children are able to do and parents want to encourage, but they’re being let down by a lack of safe cycle paths,’ said Dr Lyn Roberts, National CEO of the Heart Foundation.

‘We’re missing a huge opportunity to tackle childhood obesity, reduce carbon emissions and ease congestion on the roads.

‘We urge all levels of Government to invest to ensure the next generation is able to adopt healthy and active options for their daily trip to school‘, Dr Roberts said.

The data released today reinforces the importance of the achievements by Mr Kinnersley and BikeSafe who are working tirelessly to make Victoria a better place for riding a bike.

Recipients were recognised at a ceremony in Canberra attended by federal Parliamentarians and representatives from national organisations and peak bodies in health, transport and the bicycle industry.

The Australian Bicycling Achievement Awards recognise achievements nationally in programs and initiatives that are encouraging all Australians to ride their bikes and are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year.

A Queensland University of Technology (QUT) road safety researcher will survey thousands of young drivers who receive their provisional license between April 1 and June 30.

Bridie Scott-Parker, from QUT’s centre for accident research and road safety, says the survey aims to find out what turns young people into big risk-takers.

She says drivers aged 17 to 24 were two-and-a-half times more likely to be killed in a crash compared with older more experienced drivers.

Despite only making up 13 per cent of Queensland’s drivers, she says young drivers are involved in 30 per cent of fatal crashes.

“What we are trying to do is find out what they are doing when they get behind the wheel, what their experiences have been as learner drivers and what they think of the graduated driver licensing changes that were introduced in July 2007,” Ms Scott-Parker said.

Ms Scott-Parker says she will also be examining how effective the driver licensing program is and whether young drivers obey the required 100 hours of supervised driving, a zero per cent alcohol limit and night-time restrictions on passenger numbers.

The influence parents and peers have also be looked at and whether young drivers copy their parents’ bad driving habits.

The survey will be offered by the Department of Transport to all learner drivers who receive their provisional licence.

Melbourne’s roads are a shared space and drivers ought to ride a bike to better understand what it feels like to be a cyclist, Transport Minister Terry Mulder says.

The Baillieu government yesterday launched a campaign to tone down the aggravation between motorists and cyclists, in the wake of VicRoads research that confirms that as cycling has gained speed in Melbourne, so too has hostility and misunderstanding about cyclists’ rights on the roads.

”It wouldn’t hurt [motorists] to get on a bike from time to time and have a ride to get a better understanding of what cyclists face – most cyclists have a car licence, but not a lot of people who drive actually ride a bike,” said Mr Mulder, who confessed to not being a cyclist.

A VicRoads survey of more than 1000 drivers and cyclists found 88 per cent believe there is a lack of respect between drivers and cyclists. Most cyclists are of the view that drivers resent their presence on the roads, or simply fail to look out for them, while a majority of drivers believe too many cyclists flout the road rules.

In an attempt to find common ground, a Facebook forum called Road User or Abuser has just been launched to debate how the roads should be shared. Cycling lobbyists praised the move.

”Bike riders have been waiting for the government to show an interest in their plight and this initiative will make them feel a lot more comfortable on the road,” Bicycle Victoria Network’s Garry Brennan said.

Increased cycling in Melbourne has created anxiety among some drivers, who have ”reacted in the wrong way”.

”With the huge increase in bike riders, obviously the roads are a very different environment, and this change has been challenging to some motorists,” Mr Brennan said.

According to VicRoads, 30 per cent of bike accidents in Victoria are caused by drivers crossing the path of an oncoming rider and 20 per cent by riders being hit from behind or the side. In inner Melbourne, 30 per cent of bike accidents are caused by a driver opening a car door in a cyclist’s path.

The research also uncovered widespread ignorance about the road rules as they relate to bikes. More than 40 per cent of people did not know it is legal for cyclists to ride two abreast, 9 per cent said it was OK for cars to occupy bike lanes, and 8 per cent said it was OK for cyclists to ride through red lights.

Mr Brennan said a minority of bike riders persisted in doing the wrong thing at intersections.

”Research shows intersection collisions are a major cause of injuries for bike riders,” he said.

Calls by some, including cricketer Shane Warne, to have bicycles registered were rejected, with Mr Mulder ruling out such a scheme as overly costly and impractical.

”I’d rather spend money on cyclists’ infrastructure and safety improvements,” he said.

More than 25,000 Victorian P-plate drivers are being recruited for a new project to stop young drivers dying on the state’s roads.

The $10 million ”P Drivers Project” aims to have approximately half of Victoria’s P-platers complete the 15-month program, which the Baillieu government said was the largest of its type in the world.

Young drivers were three times more likely to be involved in casualty-causing crashes than experienced drivers.

VicRoads director of road user safety James Holgate said learners who had done 120 hours had good control of a car but from the moment they started driving solo they went from being among the safest drivers to the most risky.

”Their skills don’t change, what changes is their attitude. The P-drivers project is not focusing on improving skills, it is focusing on attitudes and behaviours,” he said.

The program will see the P-platers complete an online assessment of their driving to assess risks, group discussions with similarly aged drivers, an individual on-the-road coaching session and then monitoring driver performance.

The first results will be available in 2014.

The program is jointly funded by the state and federal governments and the car industry, with young drivers to be offered incentives to participate including movie tickets, bowling passes and the chance to win a car in return for their involvement.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the research would help understand why young drivers were over-represented in road accidents.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/pplater-project-to-help-young-drivers-stay-alive-20111018-1lyra.html#ixzz1oNtWnUMb