SUGGESTED TEMPLATE TO WRITE A LETTER/EMAIL TO YOUR LOCAL MP

Please use it as a guide to make your own version by adding/removing as you wish.

 

Tips to make this your own letter:

  • As you write your letter, consider asking for what you need. Tailor the letter to the political candidate you are writing to.
  • Write about what is important to you, and why
  • Are you most concerned about minimum passing distances? Infrastructure? Cyclist education? Driver training?
  • Personalising your letters make them more likely to be read and have an impact, so if there are any other issues or questions you have, include them in your letters.

 

Find out who to write to and how to contact them:

http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/

 

Copy and Paste this text and you’re ready to edit and send!

Your name

Your street address

Your Suburb, Your Postcode

 

Date

Dear  (state minister or shadow minister)

(candidate)

I am one of the almost 967,000*[1] Victorians who cycle.

(here you may wish to write about your circumstances for example, daily, for recreation, etc)…

Five cyclists have died so far this year in Victoria alone, and twelve died last year. Please help to prevent this shocking road toll.

No one should lose their lives by using our roads.

Compare this to other states and territories Australia-wide, and the ACT is the only one on track to meet its agreed 2020 road death reduction target.[2]

Recent statistics released by BITRE show an alarming 32% increase in serious injuries involving hospitalisation and 80% increase in high threat to life injuries for cyclists in the years from 2008-2015 across Australia[3].  It is incumbent on all governments to take action to make Australia a safer place to cycle.

There are a number of key things that will make Victoria a safer place to cycle.

I call on you and your party to commit to the following as policies, and priorities.

(choose from the following list whichever are your priorities)

Cycling Safety priorities

  1. A metre matters – it’s vital that the Victorian government steps into line with the rest of the country and implements this important road safety measure. Currently Victoria is the only Australian state or territory that does not have minimum passing distance laws in place (QLD, SA, NSW, TAS, ACT, WA) or pledged (NT)
  2. Minimum training and testing content in driver licensing– incorporating minimum cyclist aware driver training and testing requirements into the Victorian licensing system, so that the next generation of motorists know how to safely share the road with cyclists
  3. Safer cycling infrastructure – a genuine commitment to prioritising safer cycling infrastructure, including minimum spend from road and transport budgets. This should include investment in facilities which allow cyclists to learn, ride and race free from traffic.  We know that safety is the number one barrier to cycling participation, so let’s get on with building a safer cycling network
  4. Safer speeds – making our streets more liveable and safer for everyone, including vulnerable cyclists, by rolling out 30km speed zones across busy metropolitan streets and regional centres
  5. Cycling safety education – minimum cycling safety and skills components in road safety education programs from P-12, through expanded bike skills education programs such as Cycling Australia’s Let’s Ride program. We want our children to be active, healthy and safe when on their bikes and a dedicated program providing the skills they need to be safe and responsible road users is vital for a safer, healthier Victoria.

Sport cycling priorities

  1. Cycle Sport Infrastructure – cycling, as a sport, has traditionally shared the road with other users. This is increasingly problematic in the current urban environment. We seek government support for a strategy to create off road circuits across metro Melbourne. This will allow cyclists to play where they live and create safe environments for children to learn road skills.
  2. Reduce Red Tape – to run a cycling event in Victoria clubs must submit applications to three authorities and allow a three-month turn-around time. This means that many events are not officially approved until the day of the event. We seek a review of the system and an integrated inter-governmental approach.
  3. Support Volunteers – volunteers are the heart of sport in Victoria. However, due to cycling sharing the road, the capacity to effectively use volunteers to support safe racing is reduced. This is because we are held to the same standards as traffic controllers in high risk environments. We ask that the government review traffic management requirements for cycling events in low risk environments and move to a similar model as the event marshal scheme implemented in Queensland.

Cycling safety requires decisive action.  Please play your part by taking a leadership position and commit to implementing these actions without delay.

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

(Your name)

[1] National Cycling Participation Survey 2017 – Victoria, Austroads Ltd, 2017

[2] SOURCE: https://www.aaa.asn.au/2018/08/06/national-road-safety-strategy-has-taken-a-wrong-turn/ accessed 16/08/2018

[3] BITRE Road Trauma Australia – Annual Summaries http://www.bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/road_deaths_australia_annual_summaries.aspx