Toronto has added bike lanes over the past few years, but none have been as hotly debated as those on Yonge Street. The bike lanes were welcomed by cyclists in the city, as the road had always been considered dangerous due to traffic.
A pro-car lobbyist group has been against the bike lanes since its inception, and created a petition to have them removed in 2022. Robin Richardson is the founder of Happy Fiets, a company that rents out electric and cargo bikes, and a spokesperson of Yonge4All.
Yonge4All i s an advocacy group that aims to make the bike lanes on Yonge Street permanent.
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Richardson has been vocal about the reasons why the bike lanes should not be removed, and offers many rebutalls to claims from the pro car group’s reasons.
“It is human nature to be uncomfortable with change, and I think that’s what we are seeing here. Toronto has spent decades prioritizing motor vehicle travel, and as a result most people think of driving as the default and believe ‘roads should be for cars.’ But as the city grows, with more people living close to downtown, many residents do not own cars – choosing instead to walk, cycle, or take transit to get where they need to go,” she said. “These modes of travel are gentler on the environment, healthier for the users, and beneficial for our communities – studies have shown that people walking and biking visit local shops more often and spend more money while they are there. Yet many people are reluctant to try these options, because there is a lack of safe, dependable ways for them to do so. That’s why complete streets are so important; they leave room for people who choose to drive, while also giving space for people to walk, cycle, and take transit safely. Those opposed to the Midtown Yonge Complete Street disregard the data which show that bike lanes and other complete street elements benefit local businesses, keep everyone safer – even drivers! – and do not hinder emergency services from responding to calls in a timely manner.”
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Some of those who are opposed to the Yonge Street lanes have suggested moving the bike lanes to Avenue road, which is just a few blocks away. Why not both?
“Our campaign is focused on this specific project, since Council will be voting this month to either make it permanent or remove it entirely; we…
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