e.CAN 165 - The email bulletin of Cycling Advocates' Network, NZ-

e.CAN 165 - The email bulletin of Cycling Advocates' Network, NZ-

Contents:
- Gemini Cycle Friendly Awards- deadline extension
- Reminder- have you signed the petition supporting CAN's 9-point plan?
- Job vacancy- CAN Administration Officer
- Who CAN Do?
- New Zealand transport strategy takes baby steps
- Inspirational cycling stories wanted
- Train charge gone but cyclists no better off
- Cyclists in greater danger during winter
- Health Promotion Forum Symposium 2008
- Sydney's drivers 'worst' for bike rage
- Trek Announces "Go By Bike Challenge"
- Weblinks

------------------------------------------------------------------------
GEMINI CYCLE FRIENDLY AWARDS- DEADLINE EXTENSION

The deadline for entries for the Gemini Cycle Friendly Awards has been extended to Friday 15th August 2008- so get your nominations in now!

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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
REMINDER- HAVE YOU SIGNED THE PETITION SUPPORTING CAN'S 9-POINT PLAN?

A reminder that CAN is calling for urgent action to promote the safety of cyclists, and has launched a petition so you can show your support for our 9-point plan.  Sign it here:

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

CAN apologises for any confusion or difficulties caused by the donations request from ipetitions on their website. We were unaware of the donations page when we set the petition up and publicised it. Please note that the donations page has now been removed.

If you haven't already got your family, friends and workmates to sign the petition, please try and do this over the next week or two. We hope to present the petition to the Minister of Transport and Transport Safety by the end of the month.

Check out http://www.can.org.nz/9PointPlan for updates on our cycle safety campaign.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
JOB VACANCY- CAN ADMINISTRATION OFFICER

The Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) is seeking an organised and motivated person to support its three staff and ensure its office runs smoothly.

The role involves event coordination, processing accounts, dealing with inquiries, and running the library. Excellent communication, organisational and computer skills needed. Layout skills  a plus.

This is a Wellington based one-year position, 10 hours/week, $20/hour.

For a job description, contact patrick@can.org.nz.  To learn more about CAN, visit http://www.can.org.nz.

Applications close on Sunday 17 August 2008.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHO CAN DO?

The CAN Do, CAN's annual get-together for members from all around NZ, happens on October 4-5 in Christchurch. With sustainability, transport, health and energy issues on the agenda it's an exciting time for cycling advocates.

CAN Do is a great chance for us to network, share experiences, get new energy and ideas.

We're working on bringing you a programme full of seminars, training, ideas, solutions - and some rides around New Zealand's leading cycling city.

Stick the dates in your calendar and visit http://can.org.nz/Cando to stay up to date.

In addition to the main CAN Do schedule there will also be:

- Digital Strategy workshop (the new CAN website), Friday Oct 3 (9 am - 4 pm)
- Gemini Cycle Friendly Awards presentation, Friday Oct 3 (5 - 7 pm)
- the CANterbury Ride - a cruisy 2-day bike ride along the Little River Rail Trail

Assistance with travel costs will be available - for details, contact Patrick Morgan, patrick@can.org.nz, 04-385 4967, 027-449 1844.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW ZEALAND TRANSPORT STRATEGY TAKES BABY STEPS

8 August 2008- This week the Minister of Transport, Annette King announced that the NZ Transport Strategy's (NZTS) combined target for walking and cycling is 30% of all trips in urban areas by 2040, almost double the present figure.  To help meet this target, the budget for walking and cycling will more than double over the next ten years.

'The updated NZTS indicates a real culture shift', says Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) spokesperson Stephen McKernon. 'It recognises that,

- cycling, walking and public transport are keys to improving transport reliability
- improving access to stations by cycling and walking are critical to encouraging public transport usage
- investing in cycling and walking is real value for money, as it makes much better use of space and resources.'

But CAN is questioning the government's targets and timetable for change.

'The government needs to increase walking and cycling much faster than at present if it is to achieve a more sustainable transport system within decades,' says McKernon. 'Baby steps are simply not enough.'

'While the NZTS recognises the case for walking and cycling, targets and funding for these modes do not support the desired growth towards sustainable transport.'

'At present walking and cycling take place with minimal support. In fact, the dedicated budget for walking and cycling is about 1% of the total. Doubling the budget will have a negligible effect on the growth of these modes, as the budget will actually still be about 1% of the total. These numbers don’t stack up against the stated targets. At this rate walking and cycling will only just be keeping pace, not growing.'

'We estimate the budget needs to increase by a factor of five to even begin to achieve NZTS targets. Increasing walking and cycling requires a range of measures to make them both appealing and safe, especially for commuters. These include promotion of walking and cycling, motorist education, cyclist training, improving paths and roads for walkers and cyclists, reduced road speeds, and ways of ensuring that all roading projects fully support walking and cycling. It takes a network of actions to achieve change.'

------------------------------------------------------------------------
INSPIRATIONAL CYCLING STORIES WANTED

John Willmer at BikeNZ writes:

We have a fantastic opportunity to promote cycling for sport and recreation, on and off-road.

I need your help to find inspirational stories about people getting physically active on a bike and building physical activity into their lives. The stories are to be used to support SPARC's push play promotion in October. The promotion will have a regional and national focus with local stories being run in regional papers, and for the exceptional stories - a national campaign including stories run in some key mainstream magazines.

The target audience (and stories) are for women (25-50 years of age) and men (35-50 years of age) that have discovered or rediscovered the joy / value of being physically active - on a bike naturally. The campaign is to appeal to the average kiwi - stories that people can relate to - so not about the super human sports nut.

The inspiration nature of the stories could be someone turning their life around, building up to do something like an event or tour, juggling family work and biking.

Regions where SPARC are really struggling to get stories include Northland, Gisborne and Wanganui.

The sooner we can get the stories in, the more likely we are to be successful get them profiled - so don't wait - put your thinking caps on.

If people can come back to me with an outline of the story and contact details for the person or key contact that would be great and we can follow it up from here.

Kind regards,
John Willmer
Cycling Development Manager, BikeNZ
DDI 04 560 0332, Mobile 021 599 102, Skype: john.willmer

------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRAIN CHARGE GONE BUT CYCLISTS NO BETTER OFF

23 July 2008- A two cycles per unit restriction has "undone" any benefits from scrapping the $4 charge for taking a bike on Wellington's commuter trains, says Cycle Aware Wellington (CAW).

"It's worse now than it was," CAW's Claire Pascoe told Greater Wellington Regional Council's transport and access committee last Wednesday.

In a bid to make it easier for recreational cyclists and those starting/ending their commute to work on two wheels, GWRC made it free to put up to two cycles in the baggage compartment (or 'dog box') of each Tranz Metro double unit.  But each dog box  used to be able to take five bikes, Ms Pascoe said, and now loading has to be done with railways staff supervision. CAW's discussion with the Rail Union confirms that train staff don't like dealing with bikes.

Read more here:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4628148a24118.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------
CYCLISTS IN GREATER DANGER DURING WINTER

23 July 2008- Motorists need to take extra care for cyclists in winter.

There have been several bike crashes in the eastern region in recent months resulting in injuries to cyclists.

The incidents have mainly been due to motorists not seeing cyclists and turning across their path.

Former national road safety policing manager superintendent Steve Fitzgerald was killed in a roundabout crash while cycling home from work on June 19 in Wellington.

Despite wearing a helmet, high visibility clothing and having flashing lights front and rear on his cycle Mr Fitzgerald was one of two cyclists to die in crashes in the capital that day.

The second victim died when a parked vehicle door was opened knocking him into the path of a truck. Land Transport New Zealand spokesman Andy Knackstedt says drivers should be extra vigilant regarding cyclists in the winter months when conditions and visibility on the roads are at their lowest.

Read the full story here:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/auckland/4626913a6497.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------
HEALTH PROMOTION FORUM SYMPOSIUM 2008

Where: Rotorua Convention Centre
When: Monday, 1st September, 2008 (9 am - 4.30 pm)

This year's Symposium will focus on Leadership & Workforce Development in Health Promotion.

The main issues that will be covered on the day are:
1. Leadership for social change and across sectors
2. How do we develop the health promotion workforce?
3. Should we establish a Health Promoters' Collective?

For more information, go to http://www.hauora.co.nz and click on the Symposium 2008 page.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
SYDNEY'S DRIVERS 'WORST' FOR BIKE RAGE

2 August 2008- Sydney drivers are more hostile towards cyclists than motorists of any other country, says a world authority on transport.

Christian Wolmar, a Briton who was invited by the State Government to promote bicycle use in NSW, said Sydney's cycling infrastructure is 10 years behind that of London.

"And believe me, London is by no means at the forefront of cycling," Mr Wolmar told the Herald. "You have to be much more careful here than in London because the drivers here are so much more hostile."

Read more at:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/sydneys-drivers-worst-for-bike-rage/...

------------------------------------------------------------------------
TREK ANNOUNCES "GO BY BIKE CHALLENGE"

17 July 2008- Trek Bicycle today announced the "Go By Bike Challenge," a national pledge campaign sponsored by 1 World 2 Wheels (Trek's cycling advocacy initiative) that challenges people to put down the car keys and instead go by bike.

"The momentum for going by bike is undeniable," noted Trek's Director of Advocacy, Rebecca Anderson. "Growing traffic congestion; skyrocketing gas prices; alarming obesity rates; concerns about global climate change as the result of greenhouse gas emissions; there is interest all over the country for transportation alternatives. The bicycle- as arguably the most efficient mode of transportation on the planet- represents a simple solution to some of the toughest problems; and tons of communities are recognizing this fact by taking steps to become bike-friendly. There has never been a better time to go by bike!"

From July 17th through August 31st, 1world2wheels.org will accept "Go By Bike" mileage pledges online, displaying a homepage ticker that tracks total miles pledged, money saved, calories burned, and pounds of carbon offset accumulated. Visitors to http://www.trekbikes.com will also be presented with the "Go By Bike" ticker and invited to visit http://www.1world2wheels.org to take the "Go By Bike Challenge."

To promote the challenge nationally, Trek will take out two full-page print ads in USA Today, and Trek's network of independent bicycle dealers will ask customers to make in-store pledges. Each day of the campaign, one lucky pledger will also be selected at random to receive a brand new Trek 7.2 FX fitness hybrid bike, valued at US$519.99.

According to a National Personal Transportation Survey, nearly 40% of all trips taken by car are two miles or less. Whether it's to work, to school, to the park, store, or gym, the "Go By Bike Challenge" asks individuals to think about all the short trips they take by car and instead pledge to go by bike.

[Wall Street Journal]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEBLINKS

- Public Bike Systems: a new entry in the Victoria Transport Policy Institute's 'Travel Demand Management Encyclopedia' on public bike schemes like Velib in Paris:

http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm126.htm

- Velo Mondial blog:

http://velomondial.blogspot.com/

- Cycle promotion video, Hungarian style: don't worry if your Hungarian is a bit rusty, you'll get the idea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM_HTdpgcRE

- Weird Bike Stuff: a collection of odd bicycle-related inventions:

http://www.sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/weird_bike_stuff.htm

------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.

--
Adrian Croucher
Secretary, Cycling Advocates Network (CAN)
PO Box 6491, Auckland
email: secretary@can.org.nz
CAN website: www.can.org.nz