Pedestrian Council of Australia

The Pedestrian Council of Australia (PCA) is a road safety lobby group which seeks to promote walking as a transport mode.[1] The chairman and sole member is Harold Scruby.

Scruby is often quoted in Australian media on matters relating to road safety.[2][3][4] The PCA achieves a high media profile by choosing issues and taking a controversial position, such as calling for more point-to-point and mobile speed cameras,[5][6] and increased fines for pedestrians.[7]

The PCA supports use of an app for dobbing in parking violations[8] and claims that children "do not have the physical or cognitive skills to cross roads on their own until they are 12".[9]

In 2017, the PCA released an advertisement warning against pedestrians being distracted around roads.[10]

Complaints from the PCA have resulted in several ads showing vehicles at speed (in controlled conditions) being banned from Australian television, following his complaints to the Australian Advertising Standards Bureau.[11][12][13][14] It is suggested that this is a result of a few individuals taking advantage of the system, rather than reflecting a common view in the wider community.[15] The PCA has also called for a major tourism event in Adelaide (the Supercars Championship round) to be banned, due to the theory that it encourages speeding.[16][17] It has also proposed that mp3 players be banned for drivers and for the manufacturers to place warnings on their packaging.[18] The Drift Mode of the Ford Focus RS has also been the campaigned against by the PCA, despite drivers being clearly notified that the mode is for racetrack use only.[19] These positions have been described by critics as nanny state behaviour.[20][21][22]

Several anti-bicycle proposals have been put forward by the PCA: banning bicycles from shared use paths, imposing a 10 km/h (6 mph) speed limit on bicycles and requiring bicycle riders to purchase third-party insurance.[23][24][25][26][27]