BCCC Video - Better Cycling Facilities Means Mobility for Everyone - Not Just Cyclists

[Eric Doherty]

Press Release
April 29, 2013




Better Cycling Facilities Means Mobility for Everyone - Not Just Cyclists
Disability Advocates & Seniors Support Cycling Infrastructure Improvements


VANCOUVER, BC - Improved cycling facilities are not just for cyclists -
they benefit everyone by increasing mobility, safety and accessibility.
People who use power wheelchairs and mobility scooters have seen real
everyday benefits in accessibility from new bike lanes and paths in the
City of Vancouver. Leaders in the disability community and seniors are
voicing their support for major investment in cycling facilities across
B.C via a new video: http://youtu.be/HO0elVbgouk

The BC Cycling Coalition (BCCC) is calling for $75 million a year in
provincial funding to implement comprehensive cycling improvements
outlined in their Cycling Strategy for B.C. "Investing in better
cycling facilities and safety education will bring widespread benefits
to BC communities and all of its residents - including people with
disabilities and the elderly," said Craig Langston, vice-president of
the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC.



"I get around on a power wheelchair - it goes a lot faster than is safe
on crowded sidewalks and I used to have to creep along in Downtown."
added Langston, who sits on the Disability Advisory committees for the
cities of Vancouver and Burnaby, and for TransLink. "On the new
separated cycle routes, I can travel at the same speed as slower
cyclists and get around more efficiently. Cycle tracks are not just for
cyclists or for the young and athletic."



"I'm 63 years old and I started riding an electric-assist bicycle three
years ago. I love the freedom and mobility that it gives me, but there
are plenty of areas where I still feel unsafe riding." says Fiona Walsh,
Board Member for HUB: Your Cycling Connection. "We want better cycling
facilities so that everyone - from eight to eighty years old - can ride
their bike and feel safe and comfortable."



The Cycling Strategy for BC calls for greater investment in cycling
facilities, improved road user safety education for cyclists & drivers
and clearer regulations in the Motor Vehicle Act around the use of
cycling facilities by electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters.



"Streets that are bike-friendly improve safety, mobility and
accessibility for citizens of all ages and abilities - including
families with children, pedestrians, people with mobility issues and
even drivers." says Richard Campbell, President of the BC Cycling
Coalition. "This is a wise investment that benefits everyone - not just
the cycling community."


For more information about the Cycling Strategy for B.C., visit
http://bccc.bc.ca/election/.



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About the BC Cycling Coalition

The B.C. Cycling Coalition (BCCC) is the leading provincial voice for
cycling working with governments and other organizations to enable more
people of all ages ride bicycles more often for transportation,
recreation and tourism. The BCCC and its twelve member organizations
represent thousands of people who cycle in communities across B.C.



Visit http://bccc.bc.ca/election to learn more about the Cycling
Strategy for B.C.