Cyclists are asking Australians to pay them $1100 per year to ride to work because they are helping to ease congestion on roads.
Cyclists and road users in Australia have a complicated relationship with each other, something that could be described as a horrible one.
Vehicle drivers say that cyclists break the law, act dangerously, and should be asked to pay for registration.
The same thing goes with cyclists, they are not fans of vehicle drivers because they say they do not give them enough space on the road and say that drivers do not even look out for passing cyclists when they open their door’s car.
Recently, Craig Richards The CEO of The Bicycle Network asked the government to pay cyclists every time they ride on their bike, in a statement the network said, “Australians should be paid $5 every time they ride a bike to work. With the federal election set for 18 May, Bicycle Network is calling on all candidates and parties to commit to making it easier for more people to ride a bike to truly address the cost of living, congestion, and health.”
He added, “Research shows that for every kilometer cycled, society benefits up to $1.07. An average bike commute of around 10km contributes $10, but an average commute by car in Australia costs society up to $9.30. Rewarding people who ride to work with a $5 bonus will encourage even more people to swap out cars for bikes. Keen bike commuters who ride every day could earn up to $1,100 a year, while also saving on car and petrol costs.”
In a report released 2 years ago, numbers showed that there were around 3.7 million people in Australia who use cycles as their daily transport.
The report also called on leaders of the country to take action and commit to sustainable transport.
Mr. Richards said, “Australians want to ride bikes and get active more than ever, but we need federal leaders to stand up and say that active, space efficient, sustainable transport is our future.”
He also said that the scheme could be seen as the perfect opportunity for candidates to get elected by helping Australians benefit from it.
The Australian Automobile Association show that an average family in Australia spends around $18,000 on transportation per year.
The Bicycle Network says that a bike would cost a person less than $400 per year.
Craig Richards said that the scheme would cost the Federal Government around $500 Million per year.