Report on cycling doesn’t deal with helmet laws
THE councillor behind a proposal for a mandatory bicycle helmet law said he’s puzzled by an administrative report’s failure to consider the issue.
Coun. Russ Wyatt said he’s discouraged after public works staff hired a consultant and spent months preparing the report, which doesn’t consider the issue of whether wearing helmets should be mandatory.
“There’s no doubt they sidestepped the issue, but that’s something we’re getting used to from this administration,” the Transcona councillor said.
Councillors on the protection, community services and parks committee voted 3-1 to take no action on the report, which is a summary of existing provincial legislation and city hall’s recent efforts to expand its cycling lane network.
The result is that city hall will neither consider nor take any efforts to implement a mandatory helmet law.
Stephanie Whitehouse, the city’s active transportation co-ordinator, said the report concludes the two best ways to improve safety are through better infrastructure and public education.
Whitehouse said she believes the report complied with the committee’s request, adding that studying the issue is a complicated process that would have required consultation with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, MPI, police, public engagement and lawyers.
On June 16, 2016, the committee directed the administration “to review and report back on the following: 1. The requirement for all cyclists to wear helmets. 2. The requirement for all bicycles to have a sound device (bell, horn, etc.), and proper lighting from dusk until dawn.” The committee also required the report to include information on public education, as well as best practices of other jurisdictions.
The administration, which was given 60 days to compile the report, requested a 180-day extension.
Coun. Mike Pagtakhan, the committee's chairman, said he’s satisfied with the report and its recommendation to maintain the status quo.
“What our challenge is, is to create more safe cycling routes within the city,” Pagtakhan (Point Douglas) said.