The prize winners in each category were announced at a ceremony at the Cycling Conference 2007 dinner in Napier on Thursday 1st November. The Minister of Transport, the Hon Annette King, presented the awards to the finalists and winners. The winners received a uniquely designed "bicycle-bell" trophy, a certificate, and a subscription to CAN.
Devised by the Cycling Advocates’ Network (CAN), the national organisation promoting everyday cycling, and sponsored by 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.
Winners 2007
The prize winners in each category were announced at a ceremony at the Cycling Conference 2007 dinner in Napier on Thursday 1st November. The Minister of Transport, the Hon Annette King, presented the awards to the finalists and winners. The winners received a uniquely designed "bicycle-bell" trophy, a certificate, and a subscription to CAN.
Hon Annette King, Minister of Transport says, "that one of the most important aspects of meeting New Zealand's goals in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is to initiate behaviour changes and cement the message that leaving the car at home and instead cycling, walking or taking public transport is usually a better and realistic alternative".
Avanti Award for Best Cycle Facility Project: Transit NZ
Basin Reserve Cycle/Pedestrian Crossings
The Basin Reserve is at the junction of key commuter routes used by both cyclists and motorists from Wellington's southern and eastern suburbs. Only experienced and confident cyclists have braved the multi-lane gyratory system around the Basin, which is part of State Highway 1 and 2. This project, by providing light-controlled crossings for cyclists and pedestrians at key parts of the Basin, has made it easy, safe for cyclists to use the Reserve itself as a pleasant, off-road section of their journey. The introduction of more light-controlled intersections around the Basin has also improved safety for cyclists using the roadway.
Basin Reserve in Wellington
Land Transport NZ Award for Best Cycling Promotion: Massey University PR Team
On Ya Bike
The On Ya Bike campaign was a project given to a team of Massey University Public Relations students. They were given the broad brief to make cycling a more attractive alternative to driving in Palmerston North. After assessing current biking campaigns, they aligned with PNCC and Road Safe Central and built on existing campaigns and addressed significant gaps. Creative tactics and a comprehensive media strategy were executed over a two-week campaign and post analysis was carried out to evaluate the success of the event.
On Ya Bike
Land Transport NZ Award for Cycle-Friendly Commitment by Business: MWH New Zealand Ltd
Green Kilometres on 'pool' bikes
The team at MWH Christchurch can now choose pedal power when travelling to meetings or running errands. Just like company vehicles, the company bikes operate on a booking system and are available to all staff. During the BikeWise Business Battle (BWBB) MWH ran an internal company promotion called “throw your leg over” which proved a huge success. MWH took out the BWBB very large company national category. The prize money was used to purchase two “pool” bikes which were repainted, rebranded and even given names. The process has raised the profile of cycling as a fun way to achieve sustainability.
Hamish and Rick with Ernie and Bert
ViaStrada Award for Cycle-Friendly Commitment by a Public Organisation: Nelson City Council
Nelson City Council – Pedalling Along
From the high level Cycle Strategy adopted in December 2006 down to the “tin tacks” of providing puncture repair courses, NCC has worked hard to make cycling a safe, convenient and commonplace way of getting around Nelson.
Examples include initiatives for staff as well as for the general population of Nelson involve an integrated approach using the 3E’s of engineering enforcement and encouragement and include:
- Financial commitment of $2.6 million in the next 5 years
- Hosting regional cycle forums and Road Safety Action Plans with emphasis on cycling
- Starting “at home” – upgrade of on-site cycle cage that provides secure, covered, lit and video surveyed cycle storage facilities for staff.
- Participation in the national “BIKE NOW” pilot scheme and efforts to overcome outstanding barriers to staff biking to work – e.g. provision of more lockers/ maintenance courses for staff etc
- Expansion of Council cycle fleet to include a kick bike - suitable for use when wearing skirts and high heels!
- Winners of National Bike Wise Business Battle. Over 70% of our staff participated in the battle.
- Running the national pilot for school cycle trains.
- Subsidy to schools to provide secure bike cages.
- On going provision of safety and promotional campaigns
- Continued construction of, and improved destination signage on, our off road cycle network.
Pedalling along
Roger Boulter Consulting Award for Cycling Champion of the Year: Tama Easton
VORB Owner/Director, Editor of Spoke Magazine
Tama Easton has been a champion of all forms of cycling in New Zealand via the vorb.org.nz website. Tama started the website as a hobby in 2000, hosting it on his own computer, and quit his day job in 2004 to develop it full time. It now attracts close to 50,000 unique visitors and over 1.5 million page views per month, and was the recipient in 2007 of a Netguide Award for best Sports site.
Tama Easton
All Finalists
Avanti Award for Best Cycle Facility Project:
Finalist: 1.1 Palmerston North City Council for College Street Cycle Lanes
Council’s decision to investigate cycle lanes on College Street was about implementing the Transportation Management Plan which includes the development of a Principal Cycle Network. At 2.5km in length, this section of College Street, from Botanical Road to Victoria Avenue was identified as a major cross town route. With over 50% of on street parking to be removed to make way for cycle lanes, it was never envisaged as an easy task. In addition, several bus stops were converted to recessed bus bays. This project involved extensive consultation to remedy any concerns prior to construction.
College Street cycle lanes
Finalist 1.2 Auckland City Council for Waikaraka cycleway (first stage, off road section)
Auckland City has recently completed a significant section of the regional cycle network, a 4km off-road shared pedestrian and cyclist path in Onehunga called the Waikaraka cycleway. The 3m wide cycleway runs along the Manukau Harbour foreshore from Pikes point (Hugo Johnston Drive) in the east to the old Mangere Bridge. This section is part of an eventual 12km long cycleway, providing a significant cross-city link for cyclists.
Waikaraka cycleway
Land Transport NZ Award for Best Cycling Promotion:
Finalist: 2.3 Auckland City Council for “Cyclists, Auckland needs you” awareness campaign
As part of its increased commitment to promote and encourage cycling within Auckland, Auckland City Council recently ran a high visibility cyclist awareness campaign - “Cyclists, Auckland needs you”. The campaign ran from mid February to mid March 2007, over the Bikewise Week and supporting the Go By Bike Breakfast event. The campaign consisted of high quality signs and posters containing the above message and an image of a cyclist (see attached). Signs were attached to roadside poles in key locations around the CBD fringe where cyclists (or potential cyclists) would see them, as well as large posters within bus shelters. This was supplemented with radio promotions and two overhead banners attached to over-bridges on Tamaki Drive and Wellesley Street.
Awareness campaign poster
Finalist: 2.1 Sports Bay Plenty for Re-Cycle
The recycle project was the result of an innovative partnership between Sport Bay of Plenty, Health Rotorua PHO and Bike Vegas. The public were invited to donate unused bikes, those their children may have grown out of to Sport Bay of Plenty. Bike Vegas serviced the bikes ensuring they were all in good working order for the children to whom the bikes were to be given to. The Sport Bay of Plenty Family Lifestyle Coach identified children and families who would benefit from receiving a new bike and not only provided the bikes but assisted the children in learning how to ride their new bikes.
Family Lifestyle Coaches work with families assisting them to increase their activity levels. These positions are funded by Health Rotorua PHO. Health Rotorua also sponsored a standards approved bike helmet with every bike.
Children on Re-Cycle bikes
ViaStrada Award for Cycle-Friendly Commitment by a Public Organisation:
Finalist: 4.7 Nayland Primary School for Nayland Primary School – on your bike!
Encouraged by the neighbouring Broadgreen Intermediate Schools staggering figure of 60 % of the school population cycling to school, and frustrated by the on-going issue of chaos at the school gate Nayland Primary school has worked hard to encourage pupils and parents to walk and cycle to and from School.
Much of this work has been in partnership with the Nelson City Council Road Safety Co-ordinator and Safe Journey to School Travel Planner. Examples include:
- Construction of a secure bike cage for pupils to store cycles and scooters.
- Participation in the national pilot for school cycle trains.
- Student artwork promoting the benefits of cycling and safety messages on the railway reserve during BIKEWISE week 2007.
- Student artwork murals on the new bike cage (a work currently in progress)
Nayland Primary School
Finalist: 4.6 North Shore City Council for North Shore City’s Cycle friendly commitment
Historically North Shore City Council has been very cycle friendly both internally and externally. We were one of the first councils to adopt a strategic cycle plan, and have continued to work on installing cycle lanes and cycle parking as part of that plan. Our Northern Busway stations were the first in the region to have secure cycle storage. We also aim to promote safe cycling and have focused on a “Be safe be seen” campaign this year as well as supporting other safe cycling events.
From January 2006 to June 2007 we’ve carried out the following cycling friendly activities:
- Beginner bike rides targeted at beginner cyclists in February 2007
- A Kids Bike day event to get kids cycling safely in 2006 and have two planned for 2007
- Our “Be safe be seen campaign” (which is a separate nomination)
- Hosting of two Bikewise breakfasts with 3 police escorted rides to ensure cyclists get there safely.
- Annual host of cycle criterium street race series
- Continued work on installing cycle lanes and cycle parking facilities
- Regular media articles and advertorials promoting cycling, cycle facilities and cycle safety
- We have a commitment of installing 50 new cycle racks per year.
Within North Shore City Council all staff cyclists are offered a CAN backpack cover for FREE. We also have facilities for secure cycle parking, lockers and showers, three fleet bikes for work use, negotiated discount at our local bike shop and a BUG (Bike Users Group) email group. We also ran a bike workshop for staff too.
North Shore City Council poster
Roger Boulter Consulting Award for Cycling Champion of the Year
Finalist: 5.8 Nick Singleton for Port Hills mountain bike tracks
Nick Singleton of Christchurch City Council is nominated for cycling champion of the year for his outstanding work in establishing the mountain bike track network on the Port Hills over the last 15 years. Nick’s initiative, drive and guidance are largely responsible for the creation of the MTB and downhill track network that Christchurch people enjoy today.
Let me add a personal note to this summary. Although Nick and I worked for the same organisation over a period of 9 years, we have never met. My mountain bike buddy and I call him our “hero” when we are out in the Port Hills. Sometimes, it appears that we can’t keep up with riding all the new tracks that keep magically appearing. Long shall Nick continue with the good work that he is doing.
Nick Singleton
Finalist: 5.9 Glen Koorey (Member of Spokes Canterbury)
Glen has been an active and effective advocate for years and right through the period of these Awards, January 2006-June 2007, and ongoing. Much of his work life and free time involves cycling in some form. He is freely available and willing to provide engineering, technical, and networking advice. His network of supporters, who have respect for him both personally and his work, that he has built up through his professional and personal cycling work, are a valuable asset to:
- the local cycling advocacy group (Spokes Canterbury),
- the Cycling Advocates' Network,
- Transport Authorities (Transit, Land Transport NZ, Ministry of Transport), and
- Territorial Authorities (Christchurch City and Canterbury Regional Councils).
In his professional life as a University of Canterbury Transport lecturer in the Engineering Department he has influenced several cohorts of engineers in relation to best practice for cycling planning and design.
Glen Koorey