e.CAN 169 -The email bulletin of Cycling Advocates' Network, NZ-

e.CAN

Contents:
- Harbour bridge: Transport Agency says 'Kill it', GetAcross says 'Trial it!'
- Great Harbour Way a step closer
- UK MPs say slow down for cyclists
- Bicycle production reaches 130 million units
- Credit crunch drives Brits to cycle
- Rethinking transportation safety
- Car lanes to shrink to make way for cyclists in Korea
- US cities rack up public artwork with bike racks
- European support for bicycles promotes sharing of the wheels
- Weblinks

------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARBOUR BRIDGE: TRANSPORT AGENCY SAYS 'KILL IT', GETACROSS SAYS 'TRIAL IT!'

26 November 2008- The NZ Transport Agency Board has announced that it will not support the walkway and cycleway on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, a decision GetAcross spokesman Bevan Woodward says "was very disappointing, given the strong support the walkway and cycleway has from ARC, ARTA and the majority of Aucklanders."

The NZTA says it isn't supporting the project because it believes it is not high priority. Mr Woodward says, "Let's really find out if the walkway and cycleway is a priority for Auckland with ARC chair Mike Lee's idea of the trial. We support his idea - let's get on and make it happen this summer!"

"Logistically, it is easy to do because the bridge's northbound clip-on lanes will be closed each Saturday night for the strengthening project, hence the lanes could remain closed until Sunday early afternoon to allow Aucklanders to walk and cycle across the harbour. Access to and from either end, using the local roads to Westhaven and Northcote Point is straightforward."

Another of the Transport Agency's reasons for not providing walking and cycling access is that it will reduce the economic life of the clip-ons. "This is a remarkable claim, given the recent assurances by the Board that the current strengthening project is future-proofing the clip-ons for walking and cycling options. Furthermore, in May this year the Transport Agency received extra funding of $500,000 for the strengthening project to ensure the walkway and cycleway could be added in future," says Mr Woodward.

"We'd like to see the NZTA adopt a 'can do' attitude to providing walking and cycling access on the Auckland Harbour Bridge, starting with the trial for this summer."

------------------------------------------------------------------------
GREAT HARBOUR WAY A STEP CLOSER

11 November 2008- A cycling and walking way skirting Wellington Harbour from the Capital to Eastbourne may be a step closer.

Last month Greater Wellington Regional Council's Transport and Access committee adopted an amendment to the Ngauranga to Airport Plan and Regional Walking Plan, supporting the concept of the harbour path. But the motion gives support for the concept only, without effect. Wellington City Council has already said it supports the idea.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
UK MPS SAY SLOW DOWN FOR CYCLISTS

29 October 2008- The UK Cyclists Touring Club (CTC) has strongly welcomed calls from an influential group of MPs for the Government to increase the number of 20 mph speed limits, and for road safety targets to be set in the context of the need to promote healthy and sustainable transport.

Read the full story here:

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopModules/Articles/ArticlesView.aspx?TabID=0&ItemID=130&mid=13641

------------------------------------------------------------------------
BICYCLE PRODUCTION REACHES 130 MILLION UNITS

12 November 2008- Bicycle production was up 3.2 percent in 2007 to 130 million units, a continuation of the upward trend that has characterized production for most of this decade. Global output continued to be largely a Chinese affair, as China produced two of every three bikes made worldwide. India, the European Union, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Brazil were the next five largest producers, accounting together for about a quarter of the total.

Cycling is potentially an important mode of sustainable transport: it is non-polluting, inexpensive, and good for users' health and the quality of urban life. But the amount of cycling in most cities worldwide remains well below its potential.

The share of all trips made by bike varies greatly among countries. Chinese cities still register some of the highest cycling rates in the world, despite growing consumer interest in private automobiles. In the most cycled cities, such as Tianjin, Xi'an, and Shijiazhuang, the bicycle accounts for more than half of all trips. In the west, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany have the highest rates of cycling, ranging from 10 to 27 percent of all trips. This compares with about 1 percent of trips in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia.

Read more here:

http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5462

------------------------------------------------------------------------
CREDIT CRUNCH DRIVES BRITS TO CYCLE

25 November 2008- The economic downturn in the UK is driving millions of commuters on to their bikes and with that urges Halfords to open 50 more BikeHut stores. The national cyclists' association CTC predicts that because of the credit crunch the number of miles cycled in Britain will increase by 40% while the number of commuters cycling to work has increased by 3.3 million since the start of the financial crisis last September.

More here:

http://www.bike-eu.com/news/3117/financial-crisis-urges-halfords-to-open-more-bike-shops.html

------------------------------------------------------------------------
RETHINKING TRANSPORTATION SAFETY

This new blog:

http://www.planetizen.com/node/36138

describes a paradigm shift that is changing the way transportation professionals think about safety. The new paradigm recognizes that crash risk increases with per capita vehicle mileage, so policies that stimulate vehicle travel tend to increase crashes, while traffic reductions and shifts to alternative modes tend to increase safety and health.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
CAR LANES TO SHRINK TO MAKE WAY FOR CYCLISTS IN KOREA

Car lanes in urban areas across South Korea will be narrowed to make way for bicycle paths from December. For the convenience of pedestrians no trees or electric poles will be put on sidewalks near national, provincial or county roads.

The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs on Thursday issued a preliminary notice on revised road legislation saying the rules will take effect after due process in December.

The minimum width of each car lane in urban areas, where the speed limit is 40 km/h, will be reduced from the current 3 m to 2.75 m to secure room for cycle paths.

Kim Hyun-kyu, director of the office for the promotion of bicycle traffic at the Seoul metropolitan government welcomed the policy. "But given that each road has different characteristics, it'll be necessary to find out by inspecting roads whether it's actually possible to build a cycle path of at least 1.2 m width each way by reducing the width of car lanes," he added.

The Seoul city government on Oct. 21 announced a plan to build 207 km of cycle paths in the capital by 2012 under the "road diet" principle, reducing the number of lanes on major roads, introducing a reversible lane system, or reducing the width of each lane. The ministry's new policy has nothing to say about these projected cycle paths because they are to be built along broad boulevards in the capital.

[The Chosun Ilbo]

------------------------------------------------------------------------
US CITIES RACK UP PUBLIC ARTWORK WITH BIKE RACKS

4 November 2008- Cyclists can chain their bikes to a dollar sign on New York City's Wall Street, a pair of giant toothbrushes in Portland, Ore., and sea creatures in Louisville and Mount Clemens, Mich.

Bicycle racks that combine the utility of security with the aesthetics of art are popping up across the USA.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
EUROPEAN SUPPORT FOR BICYCLES PROMOTES SHARING OF THE WHEELS

9 November 2008- In increasingly green-conscious Europe, there are said to be only two kinds of mayors: those who have a bicycle-sharing program and those who want one.

Over the last several years, the programs have sprung up and taken off in dozens of cities, on a scale no one had thought possible and in places where bicycling had never been popular.

And London is to get its own Paris-style bike hire scheme:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/nov/18/boris-cycling

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

- Otago Rail Trail Economic Impact and Trends survey: an update on what's happening with the Otago Rail Trail:

http://www.centralotagorailtrail.co.nz/reports/Report%202008.pdf

- Walking and Cycling Micro-Fund: check out the 53 successful applicants here:

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

- Caversham rail tunnel: a campaign to turn a disused rail tunnel in Dunedin into a cycle/ pedestrian route:

http://www.cavershamtunnel.org.nz/

- IBF calendar: the International Bicycle Fund's 'Cycle and Recycle' calendar for 2009 is now available:

http://www.ibike.org/calendar/index.htm

- Cycling up 35% in New York:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot//html/pr2008/pr08_047.shtml

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

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.