Brisbane cyclists could soon lose helmets BRISBANE'S lord mayor wants to ease helmets laws to help revive the city's failed bike hire scheme, a rival councillor says. Brisbane City Council has told a Queensland parliamentary committee compulsory bike helmet laws should be relaxed in areas where cyclists will not be near cars, like on bike paths and in parks. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has backed the proposal. Further comment from Mr Quirk has been sought. But Labor councillor Kim Flesser, who was seriously injured in a bike accident in 2003, says its appalling Mr Quirk is supporting the change. Mr Flesser says ratepayers had already spent $14 million on council's CityCycle program, which allows people to hire bikes at terminals across the inner-city and surrounding areas. "The Lord Mayor thinks if the helmet laws are relaxed, more people will pay to use his CityCycles," Mr Flesser said in a statement. It's absolutely outrageous that Graham Quirk is willing to put peoples safety at risk, just to help prop up his embarrassing CityCycle scheme. Mr Flesser said his helmet saved his life during his crash. " (Mr Quirk) should spend some time at local hospitals talking to surgeons and experts in preventing injury - not one of them will say bike helmets don't save lives," he said. Queensland Parliament's Transport, Public Housing and Local Government Committee will hold public hearings next week and table its report on November 29.