Friday 14 October 2005 - A cycle crash reporting hotline in Nelson and a nationwide training course for transport professionals were amongst the four winners of the 2005 CAN Cycle Friendly Awards, announced at the NZ Cycling Conference in Lower Hutt.
Supported by national agency Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC), the Cycle Friendly Awards are designed to acknowledge and celebrate some of the most notable achievements in the country that are helping to promote cycling and to create a cycle-friendly environment.
Nominations were called for in four categories, and 13 finalists were selected from 28 nominations. Dr Jan Wright, chairperson of Land Transport New Zealand, presented each of the prize winners with a uniquely designed bicycle-bell trophy, a certificate, and a subscription to CAN.
CAN chairperson Robert Ibell said, "Each year the range and quality of projects nominated for the Cycle Friendly Awards impresses us. It has been great to see the rise in interest throughout the country, particularly in the cycling promotion category. We're keen to see more nominations in the business category, though, and we'll be working with SPARC and the business community to increase the profile of the awards in 2006."
Since their inception three years ago, the CAN Cycle-Friendly Awards have been supported by SPARC. "SPARC supports innovative ideas that provide people with opportunities to get active. We congratulate the four award winners, the finalists and CAN for working to improve the cycling environment for everyone," said SPARC spokesperson, Jason Morgan.
Axel Wilke receives a CAN Awards bike-bell trophy from LTNZ board chairperson Jan Wright, for the 'Planning & Design for Cycling
The four winning organisations are:
Best Cycle Facility Project: Christchurch City Council
Creyke Road Living Streets Project
The Christchurch City Council's "Living Streets" programme attempts to achieve a better balance amongst road users (including pedestrians and cyclists). As part of scheduled kerb and channel replacement on Creyke Road, it was decided to introduce the Living Streets philosophy. This was the first Christchurch arterial road to be treated in this way. 13,000 motor vehicles per day use the street, along with 900 cyclists and 1500 pedestrians cross the street. There are over 100 houses on the street, plus the University of Canterbury, a school and motel. The design narrows the one-kilometre long street, removes two thirds of on-street parking and provides cycle lanes, wide footpaths and 80 new street trees. Three central islands with trees at significant locations make it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to cross the road.
Creyke Road in Christchurch
Other finalists in this category were:
- Nelson City Council (Atawhai cycleway)
- Hamilton City Council (Waikato Riverside cycle/walkway)
- Rotary Pathways Trust (Napier Pathways project)
Best Cycling Promotion: Axel Wilke
'Planning & Design for Cycling' training course
Since late 2003, a group of expert cycle practitioners have presented one-day courses in cycle planning and design to over 200 people around New Zealand. They introduce the fundamental elements of New Zealand's recent cycle planning and design guidelines. The course material was developed in collaboration with government transport agencies, to ensure top-level support. The course is delivered nationally to industry with the assistance of NZIHT, while other courses are run in-house and as part of University Masters programmes. These courses fill an important need by outlining best practice for cycle provision to those involved with implementing cycling strategies.
Course notes
Other finalists in this category were:
- Auckland City Council (Promotion of cycling as alternative transport)
- Bike Taupo Inc ('Give cyclists space' road safety campaign)
- Bike Lanes in Paradise (Golden Bay cycle safety promotion)
Cycle-friendly commitment by business: EDS New Zealand Ltd
Secure cycle lockup
To promote cycling to work, EDS New Zealand provided 18 new cyclist-friendly stands for employees at the Head Office in Gilmer Terrace, Wellington. These stands are fully enclosed and secure. Before the project, there were on an average less than 10 employees cycling to work. The anticipated number of cyclists after this project was 18-20 in a year's time. However, the number of employees who asked for access to the facility, immediately after the project was completed, was 40, indicating a higher than expected acceptance and enthusiasm of employees to cycle to work.
EDS secure cycle lockup
Other finalists in this category were:
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Pulp & Paper Kinleith (Pulp & Paper Challenge)
Cycle-friendly commitment by public organisation: Nelson City Council
0800 Cycle Crash reporting hotline
To reduce the risk of injury to cyclists in Nelson and Tasman by provision of a free 0800 reporting line of cycling crashes and near hits. The gathered information will facilitate the elimination, isolation or minimisation of the hazards relating to these incidents through a combination of engineering, education and enforcement. After 6 months, nearly 150 calls had been received. Of the 46 injury crashes called in, only 7 injury crashes had been recorded by Police by normal means.
0800 Cycle Crash sticker
Other finalists in this category were:
- Palmerston North Green Bike Trust (4,000 community bikes for the Manawatu)
- Wellington City Council ('Being Cycle Aware' Police training workshops)