e.CAN 166 - The email bulletin of Cycling Advocates' Network, NZ-

e.CAN 166 - The email bulletin of Cycling Advocates' Network, NZ-

Contents:
- Government oil-shock report recommends more space for cyclists
- Auckland City councillors vote against harbour bridge cycleway
- Walking and Cycling Micro-Fund provides $1000 grants
- Cyclist Skills Instructor Workshop, 8 - 10th October 2008, Wellington
- Cycling in Dunedin- are the councils keeping up?
- Nelson police keen to get pedalling
- Go and hear Gil Penalosa
- New York closes streets to traffic
- Scots offered free use of bikes in green transport scheme
- Weblinks

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GOVERNMENT OIL-SHOCK REPORT RECOMMENDS MORE SPACE FOR CYCLISTS

25 August 2008- Consultants to the government's newly-formed NZ Transport Agency are recommended a package of initiatives to help insulate the country from rising oil prices, including reallocating more road space to buses, cyclists and pedestrians.

A report by several teams of transport, economic and legal experts led by Auckland consultancy McCormick Rankin Cagney predicts a decline in private car use until 2011 in response to fuel prices, which it expects to rise to a plateau around $2.80 a litre of petrol and $2.50c for diesel.

The report recommends a smorgasbord of measures - including a national road pricing scheme and tax incentives for public transport passengers - to ensure those who are already driving less for economic reasons can continue doing so for decades to come.

Read more here:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10528808

or download the report itself here:

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/research/reports/357.pdf

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AUCKLAND CITY COUNCILLORS VOTE AGAINST HARBOUR BRIDGE CYCLEWAY

5 September 2008- Auckland City transport chairman Ken Baguley and his fellow Citizens and Ratepayers councillors won a committee vote by five to three to recognise walking and cycling links across Waitemata Harbour as "laudable" but not "the optimum use of limited funds" in view of the likely demand from Aucklanders and visitors.

The committee, acting under delegated authority without requirement for a full council vote, also decided that any future plans for walking and cycling across the bridge should be explored with another harbour crossing.

But representatives of the Getacross campaign of cyclists and walkers are challenging a prediction of only 300 pedestrian trips a day, and urged the council not to vote on findings from the consultants report, given that it had yet to be published.

Cyclist and planning consultant Barbara Cuthbert told the committee it should not make decisions on a project of regional and possible national importance, on the basis of a publicly-funded report which neither councillors nor the campaigners had seen.

Cycle Action Auckland chairman Bevan Woodward said later that he believed the council's decision breached consultation requirements of the Local Government Act, and was therefore open to legal challenge. A meeting would be held next week with lawyers willing to donate time to the campaign, to discuss prospects for a judicial review.

Read more here:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10530649

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WALKING AND CYCLING MICRO-FUND PROVIDES $1000 GRANTS

The 2008-09 funding round is now open for the Walking and Cycling Micro-Fund. Start on your application now!

The Walking and Cycling Micro-Fund is run jointly by Living Streets Aotearoa and Cycling Advocates' Network.

The Fund provides opportunities for organisations to apply for funding of up to $1000 towards events, promotions and initiatives which promote walking and cycling as a transport option for short trips. The New Zealand Transport Agency provides the funding.

Closing date: 17 October 2008

For more information, a guide and an application form, go to:

http://www.livingstreets.org.nz/WaCMicrofunding.htm

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CYCLIST SKILLS INSTRUCTOR WORKSHOP, 8 - 10TH OCTOBER 2008, WELLINGTON

The NZ Transport Agency is seeking interest from 6 - 8 current instructors across New Zealand to enable the guidelines to be assessed within a range of environments (both rural and urban).

The course is free, but travel and accommodation are to be paid by participants.

Being in the trial programme entails:
- participation at the Cyclist Skills Instructor Workshop
- undertaking a trial of the NZ guidelines and providing feedback on their use and adaptability within your own programme
- undertaking an evaluation component to assess the outcomes of the trial.

Following the trial of the NZ Guidelines it is likely that the guidelines will be updated early in 2009 for use across New Zealand.

Please register your interest in attending the workshop by Friday 26th September 2008 to Rachel Algar at Opus International Consultants Limited: email Rachel.algar@opus.co.nz.

And NZTA advises that the summary guide for cyclist skills training is now available:

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/road-user-safety/walking-and-cycling/docs/cyclist-skills-guide-summary.pdf

Version 2 of the guidelines should also be available shortly.

Please provide feedback to cyclisttraining@nzta.govt.nz.

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CYCLING IN DUNEDIN- ARE THE COUNCILS KEEPING UP?

30 August 2008- From Port Chalmers, to Caversham, to Portobello - the call for more cycle lanes is coming from all corners of the city. More people are turning to pedal power in the push to become more active and use more sustainable transport, but are local roading authorities keeping pace with the change?

Read the full story here:

http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/dunedin/20161/recycling-bicycle

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NELSON POLICE KEEN TO GET PEDALLING

14 August 2008- Complete with lights and sirens, the pushbike is Nelson police's newest patrol vehicle of choice.

Senior Sergeant Tony Bernards said four mountain bikes had been bought for use in the Nelson Bays police area, and the reaction from officers so far had been that they could not wait to take them out on the beat.

The bikes had been bought to help Nelson police reduce their carbon footprint, but they would also help officers forge links with the community, he said.

"They will take away the big steel cage we sometimes have to drive around in."

He said officers would be more visible and accessible on the bikes than in cars, and he hoped that members of the public would find it easier to approach officers if they needed to.

Read the full story at:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4655900a4560.html

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GO AND HEAR GIL PENALOSA

Internationally renowned alternative transport expert Gil Penalosa  is visiting NZ.  Gil has achieved tremendous results overseas, changing the way cities are planned and communities interact. He will be sharing his experiences and revealing how a simple change in behaviour, resulted in incredible changes in attitude, happiness and health for citizens of Bogota, Ottawa and Paris.

Entry is free to all participants - but you must register.  The dates are:

- Christchurch: 17 September, 1:45 - 4:45 pm, Christchurch Convention Centre.  RSVP to k.malpas@nzrecreation.org.nz by 12 September
- Wellington: 18 September, 1:15 - 2:30 pm, Ministry of Transport, Level 6, Novell House, 89 The Terrace, Wellington.
RSVP to ian.ngan@nzta.govt.nz by 12 September
- Auckland: 19 September, 1:15 - 3:00 pm, Rendezvous Hotel, Rendezvous II (corner of Mayoral Drive and Vincent Street, Auckland).  RSVP to reception@arta.co.nz by 15 September

Learn more about Gil at http://walkandbikeforlife.org/.

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NEW YORK CLOSES STREETS TO TRAFFIC

11 August 2008- New York City Department of Transportation held its first 'Summer Streets' event on Saturday by opening 7 miles of city streets to pedestrians and bike traffic only.  Surprise! people liked it and want more.

Watch a film clip about it here:

http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/summer-streets-2008-nyc/

or some still photos here:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/08/30/fashion/20080830-street/in...

or go to the Summer Streets official website to read more:

http://www.nyc.gov/summerstreets

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SCOTS OFFERED FREE USE OF BIKES IN GREEN TRANSPORT SCHEME

14 August 2008- Paris-style self-service cycle hire points are to be launched in Dundee and Dumfries as part of a new Scottish Government green transport drive.

The networks of pick-up, drop-off stands will offer free cycle use for the first half hour.

Dundee City Council, which has been awarded funding for one of the schemes, said the move followed successful projects in Paris, London, Barcelona and Stockholm.

Read more here:

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Scots-offered--free-use.4388534.jp

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WEBLINKS

- Copenhagenize: life in the world's cycling capital:

http://www.copenhagenize.com/

- 17 reasons why bicycles are the most popular vehicles in the world today:

http://ricky-saffron.blogspot.com/2008/08/17-reasons-why-bicycles-are-mo...

- Smartmovez: the NZ Transport Agency's new new site offering local and regional authorities (and cycling advocates) access to NZTA information, from funding manuals to road crash data:

http://www.smartmovez.org.nz/

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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

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