PRESS CONFERENCE (1000) 5.6.98

SUBJECT: BICYCLE SAFETY

SPEAKER: JEFF KENNETT, PREMIER OF VICTORIA

JEFF KENNETT: All right, thank you for coming at short notice.

Over the last few days, I've been driving around the City of Melbourne, in particular. I have witnessed, every time that I have been out of my office, unfortunately couriers on bicycles who have been running red lights, who have been swerving in front of cars and trucks -- breaking every road law that can possibly exist.

Now, that might be all a great deal of fun for the cyclists and the couriers, but there's no doubt it is going to create - - or it is creating a very real risk. And it might actually create a great deal of damage. Both to the cyclists themselves, but -- more importantly -- to those law abiding citizens who are driving who all of a sudden find themselves having to break or to swerve to avoid a cyclists who defies the laws.

It could also mean that we could have a situation, at some stage, where a motorist or a vehicle operator, in trying to avoid one of these cyclists, has to swerve and therefore puts at risk pedestrians.

Now as you all know, I am not in favour of legislating or regulating. But, this obscene performance on our roads has got to stop. And I was so concerned at an instance I saw yesterday, and just again this morning, that this morning's incident motivated me to ring up the Police Commissioner, raise my concerns with him and ask him to do whatever he thought, or to recommend whatever he thought needed to be done in order that we can put a stop to this unnecessary risk.

The Police Commissioner has indicated that he himself has been concerned about the incidence of cyclists breaking the law and putting others at risk, and earlier this week implemented a team within his own administration to look at what we can do.

I therefore have said to the Police Commissioner, I look forward to receiving his report. And I will take on board any recommendations that he thinks are necessary in order to put an end to this particular behaviour.

Now this might seem, to some of you, a fairly minor matter. But it is going on every day, many many times, by individuals who are adults, know the law, and are flagrantly disobeying it. I'm letting them know, today, that the government will not tolerate such performance in the future.

Either they very quickly regulate themselves, that is the companies, or the government will take action, with the police, to bring it to an end. And that means either, obviously, imposing fines or perhaps even going so far as to register these couriers and their bikes so that when you see them skating through the red lights, or behaving illegally, then they have an easily identifiable number which can then be reported in the same way that we do with motor vehicles with registration plates.

Now this is not something that I want to do. But I think it is something that has been forced upon the community. And I don't see why people who are obeying the law should pay both the potential cost of an accident, but the emotional cost in the event of an accident, because some people have behaved so irresponsibly.

So I hope to get this report from the police, next week, the week after. And we will decide whether with the companies if we can do anything that is going to reduce this instance of flagrant abuse. And if we can't, then Iwill not hesitate to legislate.

QUESTION: Premier, what particular (...indistinct...)?

KENNETT: Every day, every day. But I mean, I was on the corner - - we were driving down the back of Parliament House, the corner of Spring St and Collins St. And this guy on a pedal bike, courier, came through, the lights had turned red, the cars were actually crossing -- north-south -- Spring St, and he just drove straight through them all. Forcing some to brake, others to swerve, and this guy just went around, did a U-ie, came back and parked in front of 1 Collins St.

This morning, another incidence, going down Collins St to a function, a bicycle on the left -- without any indication at all -- just immediately turned in front of a truck. Went right out on to the tram tracks and then darted back in, oblivious to anyone else on the road. Again leading to braking - - and I've got to say, from an observer's point of view, two cars back, I thought the guy had gone. I couldn't see how the truck could stop in time to protect this individual.

Now, there is no reason why innocent motorists and pedestrians should be put at risk by people who are behaving so irresponsibly.

QUESTION: Would you consider banning (indistinct)?

KENNETT: Well that would be an extreme step. I hope we don't have to get to that. But I do not intend for you guys, or the public, to say to me in three months time, when there has been an incident where pedestrians or motorists have been injured because of the foolhardiness of some of these people, 'Why didn't the government act?'

It is a problem. It is out there. We intend to act. And today I serve notice on those courier firms. I serve notice through them to their cyclists: if you don't want there to be legislation, then you'd better start obeying the laws.

If not, then we'll have no hesitation introducing legislation that might lead to the registration of these vehicles, bicycles and their riders. And that will then bring about a method by which we can impose penalties on them when they do in fact break the law.

QUESTION: (Indistinct)

KENNETT: No, I think the bicycle riders are much worse than the motorcycle riders. The motorcycle riders are a vehicle. You find most of those riders abide by the laws of the road, because they are a vehicle. Whereas the cyclists are just all over the place. I should also say, they're down nature strips as well.

And the public are increasingly at risk because these cyclists mount the kerb, charge down 50-60, 100 metres, pull up, jump off, rush in, come back. But, it's just not good enough and something's got to be done.

QUESTION: (Indistinct)

KENNETT: I think you'll find most regular commuters are responsible. I haven't seen a regular commuter who wanted to play Kamikaze pilot on our roads -- and that's what they're doing. Most cyclists abide by the rules and they're at risk as well, from these people who are behaving so stupidly.

QUESTION: (Indistinct)

KENNETT: I'm not aware.

QUESTION: (Indistinct)

KENNETT: Don't know, I don't know. I'll check it out. But I mean, we must have a contract with someone, I suppose, for certain stuff. But I mean, it's just absurd.

QUESTION: At the moment, what can the law do about (indistinct)?

KENNETT: Well, I guess if we had - - I mean, I'm so frustrated on each day that you just want to - - if there was a policeman on the corner, hopefully, they might have been able to nab him. But how? Because the guy just peddles away faster. There's no identification. And the cyclist gives the policeman the two-finger salute.

Well, their days are numbered. All right. Pardon?

QUESTION: (Indistinct)

KENNETT: Well, sometimes I wish I was. Sometimes I wish I had a blue light that I could attach to the roof of my car and pull these hoons over. But they are going to cause damage. And, as I say, I hope today to serve notice on them.

QUESTION: (Indistinct)

KENNETT: I think that's something that we're going to have to look at. And it's not even company - - I mean, I think we might end up -- if we don't see a dramatic change very quickly -- we're going to have to look at registering the drivers. Right. The cyclists. And we might even register the bikes.

I don't care what it takes. If these people can not obey the law, I'm not going to have innocent Victorians and visitors to Victoria put at risk by hoonish behaviour

3LO Interview Wednesday 17 Jun 1998

COMPERE: Just a couple of very quick ones. The crackdown on couriers in the city. Is this a personal thing for you? Were you side-swiped or something?

KENNETT: No, I wasn't sideswiped, but I've seen so many incidences both before and after we've announced it, where these guys on bikes literally take their own lives into their hands but also put at risk other people's lives by the way they ride. They just ride through red lights. They ride on pavements. And I've discussed it with the police. We are having a look at it to see if we perhaps won't register these people so that where they do break the law we can identify them and take appropriate action. It's just a matter of common sense. If they abided by the rules of the road we wouldn't be concerned.

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