On March 16, 2018, the Government of Canada launched a survey titled, Let’s Talk Vulnerable Road Users and Heavy Vehicles Safety Measures. The survey is "an online public consultation to gather comments and input on strategies and preventive measures to better protect cyclists and pedestrians around heavy vehicles." Our responses are copied below.
Q1 – What information or safety measures do you feel are missing from the report?
There was no information about priority hierarchy of road users. In terms of public health promotion and safety for vulnerable road users around heavy vehicles, priority should be thus: firstly walkers, runners, cyclists, taxis & public transit, delivery vehicles, car sharing and lastly private automobiles. Where there is a conflict between safety for vulnerable road users and economic impact of limiting movement of trucks, safety for VRUs first. This hierarchy should help guide decisions.
The Moving Beyond Zero (Sweden) initiative was not addressed. "The public health and quality of life benefits of active mobility need to be given a more prominent role in the traffic safety discourse and in the socioeconomic models used for assessing infrastructure initiatives."
Q2 – What published evidence (e.g. studies, reports) would help improve this report?
Smart Growth America's report on 37 different Complete Streets project outcomes from across USA - Safer Streets, Stronger Economies
Q3 – Please provide general comments on the report and its contents
Why are there no public health representatives on the Steering Committee? It seems that only bodies that represent the interests of motor vehicles are on the Steering Committee while pedestrian and cycling advocates are relegated to the Advisory panel.
The Steering Committee, co-chaired by the Government of Alberta and Transport Canada, is comprised of individuals with decision-making authority and assembled with representatives from Transport Canada, provincial/territorial governments and jurisdictions including the Transportation Association of Canada(TAC) and Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). The Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) has also agreed to lend their assistance.