TO. City Council to vote on bike report

[angela bischoff]

City Council will be considering a recommendation on Tues. Oct. 23 to
study bikeways along Bloor and Danforth. Please call your Councillor today
and ask her/him to support this report. Also, urge her/him to call for the
full implementation of the bike plan -- on time! -- along with bike lanes
on Bloor / Danforth and Queen as well.
Find out how to contact your Councillor here:
http://app.toronto.ca/im/council/councillors.jsp or call 416-338-0338.
Your efforts count! Thank you.
-a
---

MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release

          October 22, 2007

Councillors challenged to reduce death and injury toll among cyclists
Toronto on pace to reach 2011 target for bike lanes by 2070

(TORONTO) Toronto city councillors are being challenged today to reduce 
the high death and injury toll among cyclists by creating more bike  lanes
and taking other steps to protect cyclists from collisions with  cars and
trucks. The challenge from a coalition of cycling groups comes  as a works
committee recommendation to study bikeways along busy  cycling routes like
Bloor St. and Danforth Ave. goes to council for  approval.

About 1,000 injuries to cyclists are reported to police in Toronto each
year; the  actual number is much higher since 60-90% of injuries are not
even  reported. Three cyclists have been killed in Toronto this year, 
including a seven year old girl.  In Toronto's central area 14% of 
collision-related injuries are suffered by cyclists, even though  cyclists
account for only 5% of traffic. According to the City of  Toronto, drivers
are at fault in the majority of collisions between  motor vehicles and
bikes.

"The works committee recommendation for a report is good news but the 
urgency of problems like global warming, smog, and the high death and 
injury toll means councillors have to take action now," said Kristen 
Courtney, a law student who has been hit seven times by cars. Her last 
injury --- the result of a car door opened into her path --- has left 
Courtney in ongoing physiotherapy. "Plans and reports alone won't  protect
us from dangers we face on the way to school or work every  day."

The City's 2001 Bike Plan calls for 500 kms of bike lanes by 2011. At  the
end of last year, however, the city was only on pace to meet that  target
by 2070. The groups are calling on Council to fully implement the plan by
2011 and to include bike lanes on east-west routes like Bloor and
Danforth.

The most common cause of cycling injuries in downtown Toronto is doors 
opened into cyclists, an infraction that costs drivers two demerit  points
--  and more serious consequences for cyclists.

"I ride my bike because it's a great way to get around, and stay fit at
the same time," said Toronto resident  Peter Allegretto who  has been hit
by cars twice on Spadina Ave. "I don't see why the city can't do more to
protect me."

A Rutgers University study and City of Toronto report have found that 
cities with the highest rates of bicycle use and lowest injury levels  are
cities with the best biking infrastructure.

"We can predict fairly precisely how many cyclists will be killed or 
injured in collisions with motor vehicles every year," said Albert  Koehl,
an environmental lawyer and founding member of Bells on Bloor, a  cycling
advocacy group. "We continue to call these events 'accidents'  even though
the only thing that is really accidental is the name of the  victim."

-30-

Contact:
Albert Koehl, Bells on Bloor  xxx
Angela Bischoff, Take the Tooker  xxx
Kristen Courtney, Bikes on Bloor  xxx
Peter Allegretto  xxx


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