Dr Eric Richman

On the weekend, Simon and Michael from Brisbane West BUG met with Dr Eric Richman, Labor’s candidate for Moggill over coffee to discuss active transport in the Western Suburbs.

Eric is an emergency doctor in the Queensland health system and sees first hand the effects when things go wrong for someone riding a bike or e-scooter, so he has a really important perspective. We had a good discussion on the need for separated infrastructure so that people riding bikes (or scooters) don’t have to interact with much heavier vehicles, and also that pedestrians are less exposed to people travelling faster on bikes and scooters.

We talked about holistic planning for the movement of people (not just cars), and Eric believes that Labor’s policy of a central transport authority should include responsibility for active transport. That way the focus can be on how we move people around – whether it be by car, public transport, or active transport (bikes, e-mobility or walking). Eric would prefer to take a broader view on infrastructure planning rather than just focusing on individual projects, but recognises that getting the connections and missing links working would create opportunities for more active transport participation. In particular, he sees merit in a bus/active transport bridge at Bellbowrie, both in terms of getting cross-community movement of people but also as an emergency access point for future floods, fire etc.

Eric grew up in California and rode to school but hasn’t ridden a bike for quite a few years. We touched on the health benefits of cycling and walking particularly for school children. Eric noted that neighbourhoods where kids are out and about make for healthy vibrant communities.

Thanks for your time Eric, we hope to see you out on the bikeways soon!