Public transport

Every Breath You Take

Motor vehicles generate a lot of pollution, with far-reaching health effects. In New Zealand, vehicle emissions have been blamed for ~400 premature deaths every year (see Fisher et al 2002 for more details). Many would-be cyclists are put off by the prospect of being exposed to all those traffic fumes, while still others don face-masks when riding. So is it really that bad to cycle in such environments?

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The 10th National Bike Summit in Washington, DC & L.A. Street Summit 2010: Biking, Walking & Beyond

Elizabeth from StreetFilms went to the 10th National Bike Summit in Washington DC with her camera, and the video below is the result. It's great to hear from so many people and organisations working hard to fix the transportation sector, a crucial piece of the puzzle if we are to move to a more sustainable society. It can't be done without some policy changes, so we need effective lobbying if cyclists are to get their fair share of infrastructure and legislative protection.

Raise My Taxes Please! – Evaluating Household Savings from High Quality Public Transit Service

High quality public transit consists of service sufficiently convenient and comfortable to attract travel that would otherwise be by automobile. This report uses data from U.S. cities to investigate the incremental costs and benefits of high quality transit service. It indicates that high quality public transit typically requires about $268 in additional subsidies and $104 in additional fares annually per capita, but provides vehicle, parking and road cost savings averaging $1,040 per capita...

Public Transport Costing Myths

Public Transport Costing Myths (Melbourne, Australia)

“The MTF [Metropolitan Transport Forum] is of the view that public transport should be acknowledged as far more cost effective for transit in cities such as Melbourne, than car based solutions. As cities become conurbations, reliance on the motor vehicle as the primary mode of transport undermines city liveability, amenity and efficiency."...

Lancet Study: We Must Reduce Auto Dependency

WorldChanging Team, 30 Nov 09


by Sarah Goodyear

Austin on Two Wheels threw a link up on Twitter to a very intriguing article published last week in the influential medical journal The Lancet (registration required). According to the Montréal Gazette, the researchers concluded that infrastructure spending should be diverted from road building to pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure for a variety of public health reasons

Encouraging Cycling

Encouraging Cycling

There are many ways in which cycling can be encouraged which complement engineering and planning initiatives. Cycling England’s professional support team can provide advice on ways in which local authorities and others can encourage more people to cycle, working with those engaged as professionals and with elected members.

Cycling scheme to boost tourism

A mass bicycle hire scheme, said to be the largest of its kind in the UK, has been officially launched in Blackpool.

The £1m initiative, funded by Cycling England, Blackpool NHS and the council, is aimed at boosting tourism and its profile as a cycling destination.

Modelled on the popular Paris scheme, it involves a number of stands located around the resort's promenade, pleasure beach, and in local parks.