Scooter News Scooters seek a free ride SMH reports on Sydney scooter and motorcycle developments for the CBD.
SMH.com.au THE expert who is drawing up a scooter and motorcycle strategy for Sydney wants two-wheelers to be given a toll-free reign across the city.
Peter Thoeming said dropping tolls on the Harbour Bridge and road tunnels would encourage the growth of motorcycle and scooter riders, easing traffic congestion and environmental problems. Motorcyclists now pay the same toll as other motorists.
Mr Thoeming said riders also regularly had problems with the e-tag tolling system not picking up the signal from their tags.
"In Melbourne, motorcyclists don't pay the toll and Sydney should be the same," Mr Thoeming said.
"Getting around and between the city and its villages, this form of transport makes sense. We just have to provide incentives like going toll-free and providing better parking options.
"Sydney needs to triple the number of parking spaces currently available for motorcycles and scooters. This can be achieved through better use of dead streetscape space combined with short-term and on-road parking options."
As well as parking and toll issues, Mr Thoeming's strategy for the City of Sydney council will examine security and safety as well as the use of electric-powered scooters in the central business district and surrounding inner-city centres.
He has worked on a variety of motorcycle safety projects for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, VicRoads, the RTA and the Motorcycle Council of NSW, as well as editing Australian Road Rider magazine.
The study was prompted by the huge motorised two-wheeler boom.
"Motorcycle and scooter sales have soared over the past 12 months, possibly because of rising fuel costs, road traffic and congestion and people's frustration with crowded public transport," AAMI NSW corporate affairs manager Selina O'Connor said.
An RTA spokeswoman rejected the suggestion that motorcyclists were experiencing widespread problems with the e-tag system.
She said e-tags needed to be positioned, whether in a pouch or on the windscreen, in the same way as they would in a car, with the back of the tag facing upwards.
But she added: "The RTA also has approached manufacturers about bringing a motorcycle tag holder on to the market. Initial trials have been held for a magnetic pouch produced by a Sydney company, and these have been successful. The company is currently looking to make this available."
On your bike
Scooter sales for the six months to April were 20 per cent up on last year.
Motorcycle sales rose 36 per cent in the same period.
Source: AAMI Insurance
published 29/07/2007 |