In the rest of the world, cargo bicycles, freight bicycles, bicycle attachments for towing children, etc, are a growing – and welcome trend.
Not so in South Africa – where policy on the one hand purports to promote non-motorised transport (practice being an entirely different matter), and on the other seeks to further illegimitise NMT…
NOTICE 458 OF 2012, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT, NATIONAL ROAD TRAFFIC ACf, 1996 (ACf NO. 93 OF 1996) proposes the following AMENDMENT OF THE NATIONAL ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATIONS, No.35413 3
Amendment of regulation 311 of the Regulations 68. Regulation 311 of the Regulations is hereby amended by the addition of the following subregulation after subregulation (8): “(9) No person shall ride a pedal cycle on a public road drawing or towing a trailer or anything.”.
This will have a serious impact on a number of new and proposed micro-businesses in South Africa, and on attempts to introduce low-carbon, congestion-reducing inner-city freight solutions such as cargo bicycles. One wonders who did DoT consult in this regard?
We’ll certainly be sending in comments… Such as a requirement for adequate visibility (such as a flag), and a requirement that trailers are specifically designed for bikes, etc – not a blanket ban… If these regulations are supposed to make an impact on road safety, well, there are WAY better ways to go about it. How about a 1.5 m passing rule? Or lower urban speed limits…
All interested parties who have any objections, inputs or comments to the proposed amendments are called upon to lodge their objections, inputs or comments, within four weeks from the date of publication (THAT’s 4 JULY) of this Notice to:
JOHN MOTSATSING DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT PRIVATE BAG X 193 PRETORIA
0001
Tel: (012) 309 3574
Fax (012) 309 3962
E-mail: motsatsj@dot.gov.za
Sibusiso Joel Ndebele Minister of Transport
PHILUP MAGAGANE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT PRIVATE BAG X 193 PRETORIA
0001
Tel: (012) 309 3684 Fax (012) 309 3962 magaganp@dot.gov.za
#moonlightmass and Sunday Shootout (Cape Town) shared Bicycle Cape Town’s photo.
Wall Photos
Press ‘Like’ to tell SA Road Traffic that we want to keep bicycle trailers on the road! Find out more about the proposed regulation to ban bicycle trailers here: http://rideyourcity.wordpress.com/2012/06/13/new-south-african-regulations-proposed-which-ban-bicycle-towed-trailers/
by: Bicycle Cape Town
#moonlightmass shared Bicycle Cape Town’s photo.
Like · · 52 · about an hour ago ·
Sunday Shootout (Cape Town) shared Bicycle Cape Town’s photo.
Help us keep bicycle trailers legal
Werner Heinrich @1W3RN3R1
RT @RideMagazineSA RT @rideyourcity: New South African regulations proposed – which ban bicycle-towed trailers…: http://bit.ly/MLcoxG
Zwelakhe Mayaba and justMobility retweeted you
13 Jun:
New SA Road Traffic regulations proposed, which ban bicycle trailers… Comment period ends 4 July 2012. http://fb.me/19e568u9e
Zwelakhe Mayaba
justMobility
Captain Awesome @captainGrimmy
@CriticalMassJhb it’s weird. The city wants nmt but there are so many restrictions
moonlightmass @moonlightmass
New South African regulations proposed – which ban bicycle-towed trailers… http://fb.me/WEmV9Yus