News: September 2008

Submission to Wellington City Council Safer Roads Newtown and Berhampore Proposal 14 July 2008 Submitted by Patrick Morgan Reducing crashes The best ways to reduce the number and severity of road crashes are to reduce the volume of traffic, and reduce the speed of traffic.   Mode shift as a result of rising fuel prices and climate change concerns is helping to achieve number 1. Travel demand management programmes will also help. A combination of methods is needed to achieve number 2. These include legal, environmental, engineering, education, encouragement and enforcement. Review by experienced engineers All safer roads designs should be reviewed by traffic engineers who are familiar with road design for cyclists and walkers. These proposals do not properly address cyclists'...

Ever glance enviously at the cyclists whizzing past while you're stuck in traffic? Joining 'em is easy -- and it doesn't have to involve full-body spandex. The health benefits of biking to work are plenty, from helmet hair a svelte physique to breathing fewer air pollutants than those stuck in cars. Regular bikers live longer and are less likely to get depressed than non-bikers, boasts the Chelsea Green Guide on biking to work. And with fuel prices showing no sign of coming down, you can save serious bling on gas -- plus, there's that teeny detail of cutting your carbon emissions. Employers are wising up to the perks of bike commuting, too, as two-wheeling workers are more productive and don't need parking spaces. Google gave 2,000 bikes to employees in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa last spring, and the lucky folks at New Belgium Brewing Co. receive a bike after a year of...

Squeaky Wheel Cycling Project list for the TDC LTCCP   Timaru Urban Projects List - to take cyclists off the Hilton Highway carriageway by creating the shared pathway proposed in the Active Transport Strategy (Page 11, Plan Ref. 34). - the shared pathway construction in Old North Road. Counting Cycling and Walking - The Active Transport Strategy (2006) under "District Wide" section notes "Investigate suitable options for counting cyclists and pedestrians". - TDC to implement a programme of measuring cyclists and pedestrians to supplement the five yearly Census and Annual Ministry of Transport Household Travel Survey for gathering baseline data and to monitor progress towards increasing the numbers cycling and walking. Cycling Maps - Timaru District Council allocates a budget for producing an urban cycling route map showing...

Hello there I am very pleased to be able to tell you that a panel of judges has shortlisted the Cycling Advocates' Network  for the New Zealand Open Source Awards 2008 (www.nzosa.org.nz) with the citation: Finalist : Open Source Use for Community Organisations Cycling Advocates' Network for community advocacy through open source We very much hope you and your colleagues will be able to attend the Awards event on 5.30-10pm Wed 24th September at the Intercontinental Hotel, Wellington. If you are not able to get to the event, please let me know. We are very happy for friends or relatives to come in your stead. I have set aside two places for you. We will be sending the shortlist to Computerworld, who may publish it before the event, and there will be a writeup on the NZOSA website after the 24th. If you have any questions, please ask. All the very best! Chris Daish...

Find out who is writing an individual submission, and what it is about. If you want to share with others what your submission is about, please leave a comment.Find out about the issues that matter most to you, and discuss those with other people who share your concern. Here you have a list of issues that people are submitting on. To upload a copy of your submission, please open an account, and create an article. If you don't know how to do it, send email to andrecymb@yahoo.com.General Issues: Robin Edgely (for a policy to lead from a firm cycling plan that includes consultation with cyclists; changes to road infrastructure includes cyclists needs)   Glen Warren (establishment of a cycle network; adopt engineering best practices; create a continuous cycle path)   John Monro (policy must clearly and actively promot an encourage mode shift from private motor vehicle to cycling)   Lynn...

The Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) says fuel price hikes are inevitable over the foreseeable future, so motorists need to get used to them, or drive less. CAN also calls for the government to increase fuel taxes to help wean New Zealand off its car addiction. CAN spokesperson Axel Wilke says ‘CAN calls for “tax shifting”, where government increases petrol taxes and introduces diesel excise tax while reducing company and income taxes. We need urgent measures to encourage more sustainable travel in line with the New Zealand Transport Strategy. Increasing the petrol price helps reduce dependence on the car, but on its own also has negative impacts for consumers, and for disadvantaged groups especially. Countries such as Austria, Finland, Germany and Sweden use tax-shifting successfully and New Zealand should follow suit.’ As a result CAN says people will have real incentives to walk,...