The organisation representing motorbike riders in the ACT has called on the Territory and Municipal Services directorate to do a better job of considering the needs of all road users when upgrading surfaces and infrastructure.
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Territory and Municipal Services Minister Shane Rattenbury joined the ACT Motorcycle Riders Association vice-president Peter Major on a 30-minute ride around Canberra, ahead of the government's response to a report on at-risk road users handed down last month.
Mr Major said he had discussed road surface treatment and guard rails during the ride between the ACT Legislative Assembly and the National Arboretum.
"It is good to get ministers to actually look through the eyes of a motorcyclist and that’s why I asked Shane Rattenbury to come along for a ride to see what we see," he said.
"He is one of the nicest people I have spoken to about these issues. He is extremely receptive and keen to hear where we are coming from."
The report presented to the government last month included four recommendations related to motorcycle riders, including a review of rider training, a trial of lane filtering and forward stopping areas and further education about safety clothing for riders.
Mr Major, who also works in government IT services, said his organisation had regular discussions with Territory and Municipal Services officials but better consultation was needed before planning and procurement took place.
He said the TAMS directorate was receptive to feedback through regular road safety committee meetings but described some decision making as “risk averse”.
“Unless it is in a standard somewhere they won’t listen to ideas," Mr Major said.
"They will only go on what is written down and won’t do experimentation like is done in NSW and Victoria on barrier systems and surface treatments.
“We’re not looking for much. We are just looking to say how about when we put in barriers, when we do roadworks, we consider the needs of all road users instead of not putting in things that are not befitting to everyone.”
Mr Rattenbury said Friday's ride had given him a new perspective on the vulnerability of motorcycle riders on Canberra's roads and highways.
"I think people don’t think about motorbikes on the road and they don’t see them, which is the real problem," he said.
"They don’t think about either how vulnerable they are, or needing to be mindful that they are there. Certainly the feedback that I hear from motorbike riders is, their biggest problem is that people don’t anticipate them and they’re not aware of them."
Mr Rattenbury said he would provide directorate officials with feedback from the ride.
That could include problems with the chip seal road surfacing method and safety capping used on the ends of W-beam roadside rail guards.
Mr Rattenbury said he hoped the government's response to the vulnerable road users inquiry report would be delivered in the August or September sittings of the Legislative Assembly.
