Stay off the roads Saturday so kids can play, Brisbane group urges
Bicycle Queensland wants drivers to skip roads on Saturday night to let children play safely outside.
Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and Bicycle Queensland is calling on drivers to stay home and let kids take over the neighbourhoods. Chief executive Dr Matthew Burke says it's one of the few nights a year when children are allowed to run and ride freely between homes.
Australian streets used to be children's playgrounds every single night, but more cars and bigger vehicles have made them less safe. Now kids only appear en masse a couple of nights a year.
About 70 per cent of Brisbane students are driven to school instead of walking or riding. Burke points to Japan, which halved speed limits to 30km/h on narrow city streets last September.
Queensland's built-up areas are still 50km/h, which experts say is too high for neighbourhood streets. Bicycle Queensland is joining with Pedal Party Magandjin for a free family Halloween ride on Saturday, leaving from the Brisbane sign at South Bank, with costumes, lights and a scavenger hunt.
- 70 per cent of Brisbane students
- Students driven to school
- 30km/h, set September last year
- Japan's street speed limit
- 50km/h unless signed otherwise
- Queensland built-up speed limit
- Dr Matthew Burke, Bicycle Queensland
- Chief executive
Why it mattersSafer streets for children to play outside and parents to feel comfortable letting them ride bikes without cars.
AustraliaBrisbane families can reclaim their streets and neighbourhoods on Saturday night with fewer cars around.
Corroborated bytheage.com.au·watoday.com.au
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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