Contents:
- Raising the profile of walking and cycling in New Zealand
- CAN welcomes RideStrong
- What works for you?
- Drivers behaving badly main factor keeping Kiwis off bikes
- New resources from HEHA
- Cycling and walking save billions, says new report
- Bike rage in Brisbane
- Time for Google to get cycle friendly
- Weblinks
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RAISING THE PROFILE OF WALKING AND CYCLING IN NEW ZEALAND
This new report from MoT highlights the range of benefits that can be gained from creating safe and convenient walking and cycling networks in our towns and cities.
The guide discusses the benefits that walking and cycling bring about, looks at the current state of affairs for these modes in New Zealand, and considers the initiatives that could be implemented to increase the number of people walking and cycling as a means of transport and for enjoyment.
The main audiences for this guide are decision-makers and key influencers in government, particularly at the regional and local level.
Members of the public who are interested in participating in regional or local transport planning will also find the guide useful.
Download it here:
http://www.transport.govt.nz/raising-the-profile-of-walking-and-cycling-in-new-zealand-1/
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CAN WELCOMES RIDESTRONG
19 December 2008- The Cycling Advocates Network (CAN) welcomes the launch of BikeNZ's recreational membership programme, RideStrong.
RideStrong is dedicated to promoting a safe and enjoyable environment for all cyclists, who it notes, "for too long, have travelled at the whims of fast traffic, slow bureaucracy and idle ignorance".
CAN spokesperson Stephen McKernon says, "It's great to see a recreational cycling programme speaking out so strongly for cyclists' rights. We hope RideStrong can build a large membership quickly and can impact on cycling with the assertiveness it has voiced to date. We look forward to working with them to build increasing support for cycling.
"Cycling advocacy is entering a new phase", says McKernon. "We're starting to harness the huge numbers of cyclists in New Zealand. About a third of the population cycles, and cyclists number about a third of the vehicles on the road. The new phase of cycling advocacy is about showing how popular cycling actually is. Given its popularity, it is much easier for authorities to then appreciate how safe and responsible cycling is, especially during hard economic times.
"It's shameful that transport authorities presently dedicate on average less than 1% of transport funding to this group. That's why we're starting to harness the huge numbers of cyclists we have. We need a much stronger voice in the committee rooms where transport funding, planning and project decisions are made."
CAN's success over recent decades is based on sustained input into policy and strategy initiatives. These include central government initiatives such as Getting There (New Zealand's first walking and cycling strategy) and cycling conferences, as well as ground level-initiatives such as cyclist training, cycling strategies and projects, development of new local cycling groups and many other practical initiatives.
"CAN's strength lies in its continual pressure on transport decision-makers to support cycling. Its successes are significant and its low-key influence is far-reaching, but these often go unnoticed by the average recreational cyclist," says McKernon.
"An assertive cycling organisation specifically for recreational cyclists, like RideStrong, is a welcome addition to cycling advocacy. The voices of the huge numbers of recreational cyclists will be amplified in the corridors of power," says McKernon.
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WHAT WORKS FOR YOU?
Is there something on your bike route that makes riding easier, or more pleasurable? It might be as small as a re-marked lane width, or as medium-sized as a signalised cycle crossing, or as big as a cycle-only flyover with built in tail wind. Or it might be something that has been taken away.
CAN exec member Jane Dawson is collecting examples of cycle-friendly improvements (particularly small ones) and would like to hear from you. Please email jane@can.org.nz with a short description, and location. No photos, please, or her inbox will explode!
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DRIVERS BEHAVING BADLY MAIN FACTOR KEEPING KIWIS OFF BIKES
14 December 2008- Fear of being bashed by rage-fuelled drivers is the main reason New Zealanders steer clear of bikes, according to a new report.
Otago University lecturers and passionate pedallers Dr Ben Wooliscroft and Alexandra Ganglmair-Wooliscroft sent out 3000 surveys to randomly selected Kiwis for their Mean Streets study focusing on attitudes to cycling.
They received almost 600 replies which revealed an overwhelming amount of respondents stayed off two wheels because of driver behaviour. The threat of attacks far outweighed factors that could entice people to part with their car, including petrol costs, cycle lanes and easier commutes to work.
Read more here:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10547937
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NEW RESOURCES FROM HEHA
Some new stuff here from the Ministry of Health's 'Healthy Eating Healthy Action' programme:
Knowledge Library: an online database of nutrition, physical activity, sport and recreation literature from NZ from 2000 onwards:
http://www.heha.org.nz/index.php?id=346
HEHA Evaluation Tool: an online toolbox of surveys and guides designed to make it easier for people, local providers and researchers to measure and monitor progress towards improving nutrition, increasing physical activity and reducing obesity:
http://www.heha.org.nz/index.php?id=328
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CYCLING AND WALKING SAVE BILLIONS, SAYS NEW REPORT
8 December 2008- Scotland would reap multi-billion-pound benefits by introducing a more environmentally friendly transport system with better facilities to encourage cycling and walking, according to a new report published today.
The Towards a Healthier Economy report, published by the Transform Scotland Trust, claims that Scotland's economy could benefit by up to £4bn annually if the country was to move to continental European levels of cycle use to meet Scottish Government ministers' aspirations.
The research, which used a number of complex costing methods to calculate benefits, claims switching 20% of Scottish car commutes to walking or cycling would lead to between £0.6bn and £2bn savings every year, more if it reached standards of other European countries.
Read more here:
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BIKE RAGE IN BRISBANE
15 December 2008- Growing tension between cyclists, joggers and walkers on Brisbane's burgeoning bikeway network has forced their separation on one busy strip, where a refusal to share the bitumen has been likened to "kindergarten behaviour".
Walkers and joggers have lodged 37 complaints this year about cyclists speeding or riding into them, as patience on Brisbane's two main shared cycle and pedestrian tracks wears thin.
Pedal pushers have retaliated with three complaints to Brisbane City Council about pedestrians straying on to their side of the path.
Read more here:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4793666a12.html
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TIME FOR GOOGLE TO GET CYCLE FRIENDLY
According to the Nov. 27th Life Cycle UK newsletter, "A global campaign is underway to persuade the planet's favourite search engine to be more cycle-friendly. Many of us use the wonderful Google maps to find our way around. The maps show a street plan, or at the click of a button, an aerial photo to help you get a feel for the terrain. Another click and you can summon up live traffic info, and car drivers can get detailed directions from A to B. For the USA and some other countries Google has also added a mass transit directions option which tells you how to reach your destination by bus, tram or train. Now cyclists are asking for a Bike There feature.
"The organisers of the campaign say: 'By implementing the "Public Transit" option, Google and the Google Maps team have shown themselves to be concerned and capable world citizens. A "Bike There" feature would be the ultimate statement in support of sustainable development, self-reliance, exercise and healthy living: that's bicycle directions.'
"Campaigners envisage the "Bike There" feature showing cycle lanes, bike paths and other infrastructure, and giving cyclists the option of seeing either the most direct route or the quietest and safest. The feature would make cycling easier and more pleasant for millions of people around the world. It would empower world citizens to adapt their lifestyles to face the challenges of global climate change and it would help Google fulfill its mission of "organising the world's information and making it universally accessible and useful. More than 40,000 people have already signed the on-line petition. Add your voice to the campaign now!"
For more info or to sign the petition, visit:
http://www.petitiononline.com/bikether/petition.html
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WEBLINKS
- Bike Sharing Map: a Google map showing bike-sharing schemes (e.g. Velib in Paris) around the world:
- Route Down: DIY bike lanes in Toronto:
- Better in bamboo: building bamboo bikes for the Third World:
http://www.calfeedesign.com/BambooOverview.htmp
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ABOUT CAN
Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) is New Zealand's voice for cyclists. We want to see cycling become an everyday activity in NZ. CAN's membership includes experienced cyclists, advocates, engineers, planners, local and regional councils, bike shops, and local advocacy groups throughout the country.
To find out more about CAN, go to our website, http://www.can.org.nz.
Sign up to CAN online via credit card at http://www.can.org.nz/join-can/. Join us!
ABOUT e.CAN
e.CAN is distributed approximately every 1-2 weeks to CAN members and other interested people. CAN members also get our bi-monthly magazine, ChainLinks.
To check back issues of e.CAN, go to http://www.can.org.nz/ecan .
To subscribe or unsubscribe from e.CAN, go to http://www.can.org.nz/joinfriend .
If you're getting e.CAN via a local 'Friends' Yahoo group (e.g. Friends of Cycle Aware Wellington, Bike Taupo), and you want to unsubscribe, use the 'unsubscribe' link at the bottom of this email.