On May 15th BBAC made history with its first delegation to Brampton Committee of Council on May 15, 2013. The following is excerpted from the official Minutes of the Meeting.

David Laing, resident of Brampton and Chair of the Brampton Bicycle Advisory Committee (BBAC), made the following presentation in regard to making Brampton a Bicycle Friendly Community:

• Not enough of us are cycling
• Health benefits of cycling
• Road congestion
• Road capacity
• Environmental impact – car emissions
• Learning to share the road
• Safety – infrastructure, education, enforcement
• Bicycle Friendly Community Program
• Share the Road Bicycle Coalition
• Southern Ontario Bicycle Friendly Communities
• Bike infrastructure in Brampton
• Pathways lead to nowhere
• Multi-use pathways are not bicycle friendly
• Limited bike route signage
• Brampton can be a Bicycle Friendly Community
• Request to submit a Bicycle Friendly Community application before the end of July 2013
• Objectives
  • Approval of the strategy for the implementation of bicycle facilities within Brampton road allowance
  • Establishment of Brampton Bicycle Advisory Committee

Mr. Laing advised Committee that he rides his bicycle for transportation, to stay healthy and for the environment. He indicated that to date, over 300 people have signed his petition in support of making Brampton a Bicycle Friendly Community, and requested Committee’s support in this regard.

Committee discussions took place with respect to the following:

• City of Brampton Enforcement and By-law Services Bicycle Patrol
• Consultation with the cycling community and general public
• Establishment of a Bicycle Safety Advisory Committee
• Lack of east-west trails
• Conflict between cyclists and pedestrians on shared pathways
• Clarification that cyclists are not permitted to ride on the sidewalk
• Cyclist behaviour and the requirement for cyclists to warn pedestrians upon approach
• Bike paths on Regional roads
• Bicycle markings on pathways
• Categories in the designation of a Bicycle Friendly Community
• Brampton Transit bicycle initiatives (e.g. bike racks and accommodation facilities)
• Perception of limited use of the bicycle path on Rutherford Road
• Benefits of Brampton becoming a Bicycle Friendly Community
• The need to improve the driver/cyclist relationship
• Possibility of incorporating the Advisory Committee mandate into the mandate of the current Road Safety Committee (Brampton Safe City Association)
• Submission of a Bicycle Friendly Community application
• Bicycle restrictions in downtown Brampton

The following motion was considered. CW158-2013

1. That the delegation and petition from David Laing, resident of Brampton and Chair of the Brampton Bicycle Advisory Committee (BBAC), to the Committee of Council Meeting of May 15, 2013, re: Request that the City of Brampton Apply to Become a Bicycle Friendly Community, as Defined by the Share the Road Bicycle Coalition, and Recognition of the “Brampton Bicycle Advisory Committee” (BBAC) be received; and,
2. That the presentation by M. Parks, Manager of Traffic Engineering Services, Works and Transportation, to the Committee of Council Meeting of May 15, 2013, re: Strategy for Implementing Bicycle Facilities within the City of Brampton Road Rights-of-Way – RML #2011-017 (File P40) be received; and,
3. That the report from M. Parks, Manager of Traffic Engineering Services, Works and Transportation, dated April 25, 2013, to the Committee of Council Meeting of May 15, 2013, re: Strategy for Implementing Bicycle Facilities within the City of Brampton Road Rights-of-Way – RML #2011-017 (File P40) be received; and,
4. That all arterial roads and collector roads under the City’s jurisdiction be considered candidates for the incorporation of bicycle related improvements, subject to the ‘Guiding Principles for Facility Selection’ and subject to public consultation; and,
5. That the ‘Guiding Principles for Facility Selection’, attached as Appendix B to the subject report, be approved; and,
6. That staff be authorized to schedule a public event to promote active transportation on June 15, 2013, coinciding with “Brampton Day” and in coordination with the Region of Peel’s Active Transportation initiative; and,
7. That staff report back to Committee of Council when the Ontario Traffic Manual Book 18: Bicycle Facilities, is released, to consider endorsement of the guidelines contained within the manual; and,
8. That staff complete and submit an application to designate Brampton as a “Bicycle Friendly Community” through the Bicycle Friendly Community Award (BFC) Program; and,
9. That Planning Design and Development staff, in conjunction with the Works and Transportation Department, report back to the Committee of Council with a proposal to update the 2002 PathWays Master Plan.

A recorded vote was requested with respect to the foregoing

Yea: Dhillon, Gibson, Hames, Hutton, Miles, Moore, Palleschi, Sanderson, Sprovieri

Nay: Callahan

Carried: 9 Yeas 1 Nays 0 Absent

The following motion was considered. CW159-2013

1. That a Brampton Cycling Advisory Committee be established, subject to staff reporting back to Committee of Council with Committee terms of reference for approval, setting out Committee composition, mandate, staff and resource supports, and reporting process; and,
2. That staff be requested to also investigate opportunities for incorporating the Advisory Committee mandate into the mandate of the current Road Safety Committee (Brampton Safe City Association) and report back to Committee.

Carried

Seven members of BBAC cheered silently from the Council Chambers gallery. Some members even took a day off work — such was the significance and importance of this delegation.

Comments

comments