Toowoomba Regional Council hopeful Andrew Reeson uses campaign to build community
Toowoomba Regional Council hopeful Andrew Reeson hosts community ride to build momentum for better active transport infrastructure.
Council
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Toowoomba Regional Council candidate Andrew Reeson said the strong turn out for a community bike ride he organised at the weekend was proof that there was strong demand for better active transport options in the Garden City.
“I wanted to prove to the council that there is broad appeal for cycling infrastructure,” he said.
“We have a lot of support from the mountain biking clubs, the BMX clubs, and road cyclists.
“There was a bloke on a penny-farthing, a bloke on a unicycle and a mother and son on a tandem bike.”
About 100 riders gathered at Queens Park early Sunday morning and rode to Lake Annand before having a brief morning tea and cycling back.
Mr Reeson said that while the ride was a campaign event, he hoped it would fulfil a dual aim of bringing people together and fostering community.
“My campaign strategy is to actually go out and do stuff – not just put my face on a heap of signs,” he said.
“I want to do some good, to run community events and bring people together, build connections, and reduce social isolation.
“I want to know that even if I don’t get elected I did some good along the way and I did not just send a pile of corflutes to the landfill.”
One of Mr Reeson’s election platforms is to expand the active transport infrastructure so the public has a wider range of options when they need to get around the region.
“We have outgrown the city,” he said
“The CBD was designed a century ago, it is not set up for everyone to have a 4WD.
“If we could shift just 10 per cent of commuters out of their car and on to bikes it would have a huge impact on congestion, on road wear and tear and on parking.
“There is an economic argument to be made.”
Mr Reeson pointed to PSA Consulting’s 2022 report on the TRC priority cycle network as proof that more work was needed.
The report found that the city’s funding fell short of expectations and that it would take about 30 years for it to deliver the top 10 initiatives identified within the report.
“The people I talk to say they want to ride to work or school but they don’t feel safe,” Mr Reeson said.
“The council knows what needs to be done but it lacks the political will to fund it.”
The next round of TRC elections will be held later this year.
Click here for a list of candidates.
Toowoomba Top 10 Priorities:
1. Herries Street – Kitchener Street to Anzac Avenue (Westbound) – PCN project 2022/23
2. Herries Street – Anzac Avenue to Kitchener Street (Eastbound) – PCN project 2022/23
3. New England Highway – Warrego Highway to Stenner Street (DTMR PCN Project)
4. Drayton Road – South Street to Stenner Street (Southbound) – PCN link
5. Drayton Road – Stenner Street to South Street (Northbound) – PCN link
6. Margaret Street – Lindsay Street to Neil Street (Westbound) – PCN link
7. Margaret Street – Neil Street to Lindsay Street (Eastbound) – PCN link
8. Margaret Street – West Street to Victoria Street (Eastbound) – PCN link
9. Margaret Street – Victoria Street to West Street (Westbound) – PCN link
10. Baker Street – College access to West Street – PCN link
Total distance of facilities 15km, notional council cost $6M
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