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Parliament debates new cycle-friendly law

18.03.2010 07:40

Parliament hears the first reading of an amendment to Poland’s traffic laws, Thursday, to adjust the regulations to European standards for bicycle users.

Civic Platform MP Ewa Wolak Group from the parliamentary cycling group told Polskie Radio that the amendment will give priority for bikes on the road and more rights to cyclists.

Wolak added that the objective is to increase the number of bicycles on Polish roads.

The bill is the initiative of the NGO Cities for Bikes. Cezary Grochowski from the organisation says that cyclists in Poland need state support.

The most important of the planned changes is the creation of more bike lanes in major cities with clear markings on where cyclists have priority.

The project also envisages the elimination of a number of legal anomalies, such as the ban on carrying children on bike trailers.

According to statistics, Poland has a high rate of cycle accidents but with ten times less bike son the road than in Western Europe. (pg)

Comments: 2 Add new comment

Jonty

18/03/2010 08:59:14

First the law should be enforced to require cyclists to display lights at night and to punish drunk cyclists.

robmin

18/03/2010 09:35:16

Jonty, you are not very well informed and probably are a bike basher. Your FIRST is really a LAST, as the priority is to safeguard the lives of thousands of adults and CHILDREN that ride their bikes in Poland and not focus on the fraction of cyclists without lights or riding drunk.
I bike commute over 10,000 km annually because I like it and not because I have to. Of course I have lights for riding at night and berate those “ninja” cyclists which I literally run into. .I share your opinion that current laws about illumination at night should be enforced. HOWEVER, If you wish to talk about enforcement, how about the road rage issues that confront cyclists here as the general public, and perhaps yourself, really don’t think that bikes belong on the road.
Poland already has the strictness laws in the EU for riding a bike under the influence. In my opinion it is too harsh. Of course we don’t need obviously drunk cyclists on the road, but a bit higher tolerance than for auto drivers may encourage normal people to bike to the pub (like in our neighboring countries) rather than driving.
On a side note, I’ve traveled with children with a bike trailer in Poland for nearly two decades now. They are much safer than the bike seats. Didn’t know that I was illegal.

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