Warning Lights For Rowing Crews
03 June, 2009
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman is giving $100,000 for warning lights to be installed on rowing boats in the Brisbane River, in a bid to make the sport of rowing safer.
The grant will fund more than half of the $176,000 cost to provide 1100 lights to club and school rowers who train within the bounds of Council’s ferry network.
The lighting, which was a recommendation of the Lord Mayor’s River Safety Taskforce, will be distributed by Rowing Queensland.
Cr Newman said the lights would improve the safety of rowers as Council expanded its CityCat ferry fleet to cope with increased ferry patronage.
He said Council was also conducting a three month trial of infrared cameras on CityCats to locate rowers on the water.
“This is all about making rowers safer by increasing their visibility,” Cr Newman said.
“Rowing is a great sport and a great way to keep fit. We want to make sure that these rowers are as visible as possible to the staff on our 14 CityCat ferries, particularly since the fleet will expand to 19 CityCat ferries by 2012.”
The Lord Mayor said the lights automatically activated once a boat was turned right way up, ready to be placed in the water. Special sensors meant the lights only activated when visibility was low.
Schools and clubs rowing throughout winter had already received the lights, while the remainder of clubs would receive lights ahead of the summer rowing season.
Rowing Queensland would also issue safety information encouraging rowers to wear reflective clothing and abide by Maritime Safety Queensland’s Code of Conduct.
Lord Mayor Campbell Newman said CityCat ferry patronage had jumped 79 per cent over four years, with over six million passengers travelling on CityCats in 2008/09.
About $24 million was allocated this term for new CityCats and facility upgrades.
“There is no doubt the Brisbane River is getting busier and Council wants to do its bit to make it safe for everyone,” the Lord Mayor said.
“We don’t want to see a situation where rowers and ferries collide again.”
[Ends] June 3, 2009
