A group of cycling advocates is disappointed in the Higgs government for not taking their road safety recommendations seriously.
A working group spent years lobbying the government for stronger laws to protect vulnerable road users, following the death of Ellen Watters in Sussex in 2016.
That resulted in the creation of “Ellen’s Law,” a one-metre clearance rule on roads.
But Wayne Arrowsmith, one of the members of the working group, says there’s still more work to be done.
“There’s no legislation for dooring, which is recognized in other provinces. No recognition for bike lanes. I just don’t think the province takes it seriously,” he said.
Arrowsmith says “Ellen’s Law” was a huge move forward for the cycling community, but it still doesn’t provide adequate safety.
They’d like to see the province increase that distance to one and a half metres on roads where the speed limit is over 50 km/h, a law already in place in Newfoundland
“There’s a lot of people who are afraid to go out cycling because of that. They just don’t feel safe on New Brunswick roads,” he said.
Arrowsmith says the province’s Motor Vehicle Act is antiquated when it comes cycling legislation, and misses the mark on a number of important safety pieces.
Arrowsmith says New Brunswick is one of four provinces that doesn’t have laws around “dooring,” which is when a cyclist gets hit by an open car door.
He also points out that cars can park in bike lanes without penalty, making them redundant.
In a release, the group says Premier Higgs has informed them that his government would be taking no further actions with the recommendations.
Arrowsmith says Public Safety Minister Carl Urquart has told them “to their faces” that the government simply doesn’t find cyclists’ safety a priority.
“In order to get changes made there has to be deaths in this province. Yet this government can pass legislation taking the front licence plates off cars. This to me, if far more important,” he said.
“It’s very frustrating. I do not understand why the government will not put it as a priority”
Arrowsmith says they’ll continue lobbying government until changes are made.
