To: The Honourable Lord Mayor Councillor Campbell Newman The petition of local residents and cyclists using the Waminda Street bike lanes draws to the attention of the Brisbane City Council the current deliberations by its Transport and Traffic Branch to remove the bicycle lanes from Waminda Street in front of Morningside Railway Station. Removal of the bicycle lanes to reinstitute on street parking will not only jeopardise the safety of cyclists and pedestrians alike in this area but is at odds with council policies to encourage more people to use the bicycle as a form of transport in order to ease traffic congestion, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide healthy and smart transport alternatives. In support of this petition we the undersigned would point out to Council that; 1. Waminda Street is on the SEQ Principal Cycle Network Plan and is a major cross route connector between Old Cleveland Road and Wynnum Road for commuter and recreational cyclists alike; the number one reason given why people do not cycle is that they do not think it is safe to do; Bicycle Awareness Zones (BAZ) do not provide the level of safety or comfort that would encourage people to take up cycling as a form of daily transport. For example the risk to cyclists due to inadequate space when car doors open; 2. Schools in this area; in particular Norman Park and Seven Hills Primary Schools have recently participated in Council's Active School Travel Program and Balmoral State High School is about to be the first high school to participate in the program. It is essential good cycling facilities are in place to maximise the benefits of this program; 3. The speed limit in Waminda Street is 60km and BAZ will not provide the level of safety to encourage people to cycle which will be further compounded if on street parking is reinstituted; 4. The car park at Morningside Railway Station has had its parking capacity increased by 50 % in the last couple of years. The car park now has over 180 car spaces. Your petitioners therefore respectfully request that the Council retain the dedicated bicycle lanes in the interests of providing a safe, coherent and integrated bicycle network that is in keeping with Brisbane City Council's stated policies and aims.