e.CAN 164 - The email bulletin of Cycling Advocates' Network, NZ-

e.CAN

Contents:
- Cyclists petition government for cycle safety
- Gemini Cycle Friendly Awards- get your nominations in
- Need funds for your local cycling advocacy group?
- U.S. Mayors adopt bike resolution
- Fuel crunch boosts demand for commuter bikes
- U.S. cities going green, on two wheels
- Ghost bikes
- Roading New Zealand Conference: Sustainability & People
- Call for conference papers: 'Improving the Road Network'
- Job vacancy: Living Streets, Auckland
- Weblinks

------------------------------------------------------------------------
CYCLISTS PETITION GOVERNMENT FOR CYCLE SAFETY

19 July 2008- Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) are petitioning the Ministers of Transport, Police and Road Safety to urgently implement proposed plans to make cycling safer. Its petition includes a 9-point plan for improving cycle safety.

The petition is prompted by the recent deaths in Wellington of Des Eyre and Steve Fitzgerald.

Spokesperson Stephen McKernon says, 'Cyclists in the Wellington area have advocated for decades to improve the roads on which these cyclists died. Their deaths highlight the urgency of improving road safety for cyclists'.

McKernon says, 'The Government and many local authorities have cycling strategies and programmes, but actual changes are taking far too long to put in place. These require much greater resources and the will to act on existing commitments.

'If New Zealand is serious about making the most of all the benefits of cycling, then we need immediate action to make our roads safer and more attractive for people to cycle on.

CAN is calling for urgent action to promote the safety of cyclists and has launched a petition to give New Zealanders the chance to show their support in person. The petition can be found at

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/NZCycleSafety/

or at http://www.can.org.nz/. The petition includes a 9-point plan covering cycling safety improvements through better planning, funding, roading project criteria, promotion, education and training, speed limits and driver licensing.

CAN is meeting with Government Ministers and officials to ask them to adopt the 9-point plan. CAN will also press for a coroner's review of the two recent cycle fatalities to look for systemic causes behind cycle crashes and to recommend remedies.

The Ministry of Transport's Household Travel Survey 2003 - 2006 shows there are about 1.3 million cyclists in New Zealand (about 30% of the population) making it one of the country's most popular sporting and leisure pursuits.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
GEMINI CYCLE FRIENDLY AWARDS- GET YOUR NOMINATIONS IN

A reminder that entries for the Gemini Cycle Friendly Awards close on Friday 8th August 2008- so get your nominations in now. For nomination received by 25th July, the nominating person goes in a draw to win a $150 Ground Effect voucher.

The Cycle-friendly Awards acknowledge and celebrate the most notable achievements undertaken between January 2007 and June 2008. There are 5 categories:

- Avanti award for best cycle facility project
- Land Transport NZ award for best cycling promotion
- Land Transport NZ award for cycle-friendly commitment by a business
- ViaStrada award for cycle-friendly commitment by a public organisation
- Roger Boulter Consulting award for cycling champion of the year

For more info see: http://www.can.org.nz/awards.

You can download an entry form here: http://can.org.nz/awards/downloads/CFA08EntryForm.doc

or a poster here: http://can.org.nz/awards/downloads/CFA08Poster.pdf

Awards will be presented on Friday 3rd October in Christchurch, by the Hon. Annette King, Minister of Transport.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEED FUNDS FOR YOUR LOCAL CYCLING ADVOCACY GROUP?

A reminder than CAN has a 'Local Group Fund' with $1500 per annum to assist local cycling advocacy groups affiliated to CAN.

Local groups may apply for up to $200 for projects where the local group is prepared to contribute a minimum 20% (for example, claim $200 for a $250 project) or apply for 100% funding of projects up to $100 in cost.

For an application form or any questions, please contact CAN treasurer Liz Mikkelsen: liz@can.org.nz.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. MAYORS ADOPT BIKE RESOLUTION

On June 23, the U.S. Conference of Mayors passed and adopted a resolution that bicycling should be integrated into the United States' transportation, climate, energy and health policy initiatives. It got widespread support from the mayors, including more than 25 mayors who signed on to co-sponsors the bill. Chris Koos, the mayor of Normal, Ill., originated the popular resolution.

To read the resolution, go to:

http://www.bikeleague.org/news/newsletter/e-news_061008.html

[from CenterLines, the e-newsletter of the U.S. National Center for Bicycling & Walking]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
FUEL CRUNCH BOOSTS DEMAND FOR COMMUTER BIKES

2 July 2008- When hardcore cyclists think of a hot new ride, they don't usually envision baskets, bells and headlights. But just as soaring gas prices are creating a new population of Segway believers, they're driving bike manufacturers big and small to break all their old rules and cater to a new generation of bike commuters.