News: July 2008

SIMON EDWARDS - Hutt News | Wednesday, 23 July 2008 http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominionpost/4628148a24118.html 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. The new trains...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/auckland/4626913a6497.html By NEIL DUDDY - Eastern Courier | Wednesday, 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 Knack-...

Cycle Safety Petition & Campaign Please pass this message on to anyone who might be interested in it. For many Kiwis the distressing deaths of two cyclists in the Wellington region on Friday 19 June have highlighted the need for New Zealand's roads to be made safer for people already cycling or wanting to take it up. There are Government strategies and programmes to promote cycling and cycle safety, but we haven't seen many changes on the street yet. The Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) is running a campaign to get its 9-Point Plan for Cycle Safety adopted by the Government. Sign the e-petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/NZCycleSafety/ Visit http://www.can.org.nz for more information about the campaign. Contact: CAN, 04-972 2552, campaigns@can.org.nz Robert Ibell, Chairperson Cycling Advocates' Network Inc....

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...

Covers induced traffic, congestion, public transport and transport policy. Why not cycleways? It has been an interesting week in the world of New Zealand transport. Firstly, we have the government launching Kiwirail. The day after we hear that peak traffic has gone down by 20% in Wellington, we assume as a result of the recent rises in fuel price. We know that in Christchurch bus patronage is up and anecdotal evidence suggests a decrease in traffic volumes and an increase in cycling. From the perspective of a sustainable transport system, the future is looking good. But to burst the bubble of hope, we read that Transit New Zealand continues to prioritise a 10.5km extension of Christchurch's southern motorway, with further plans for a similar extension of the northern motorway. The total costs of these projects is predicted to be in excess of $250m. Yet, evidence from all round the...