Illawarra Bicycle Users Group extends our deepest concern and thoughts to the two cyclists seriously injured in separate collisions today, a woman in her 20s in Russell Vale and a man in his 30s in Coalcliff, and to their families during this difficult time. We hope for their full recovery.
These incidents are a stark reminder that our current road infrastructure is failing to protect vulnerable road users. The Illawarra’s cycling network remains inadequate, with insufficient separated cycling infrastructure leaving cyclists to share space with motor vehicles in conditions that are often unsafe.
Every serious injury or death on our roads represents a preventable tragedy that devastates families and our community. These are NOT isolated incidents but symptoms of systematic underinvestment in safe cycling infrastructure.
IBUG continues to call on our local and state authorities to:
- Prioritise the urgent development of separated cycling lanes throughout the Illawarra.
- Accelerate planned active transport infrastructure projects.
- Conduct safety audits of high-risk cycling routes.
- Allocate sufficient funding to create a connected network of protected cycling paths.
Safe cycling infrastructure saves lives. Cycling is increasingly popular and will continue to be so with a range of factors seeing cycling growing in popularity in our beautiful region. Our community deserves roads where people can cycle without risking serious injury or death.
We must act now with a renewed sense of urgency to work together to prevent further tragedies.Cyclist hurt in Russell Vale crash, trucks crash on Hume Motorway | Illawarra Mercury | Wollongong, NSW