Bike Auckland Welcomes ATAP 2 Announcement Bike Auckland celebrates today’s Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) 2 announcement by Mayor Phil Goff and Minister of Transport Phil Twyford that will increase the walking and cycling budget to $900 million over 10 years. ‘The huge news is the government getting Skypath off the ground after years of Aucklanders crying out for that missing link across the harbour, which will be an iconic addition to...
News: April 2018
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Cycling advocates dismayed by Council decision not to address Thorndon Quay black zone The decision by the Wellington City Council City to ignore pleas to make Thorndon Quay safe has dismayed and angered cycling advocates. “This flies in the face of the Government’s recent call for a zero road death toll and Associate Minister of Transport Julie Anne Genter’s message that Council’s need to show more courage in providing safer infrastructure for cyclists”, says Ron Beernink, chair of Cycle Aware Wellington. At a public meeting on 12 April the Strategy Committee heard from various cycling advocacy representatives and individuals that the proposed interim improvements to only a small part of the northern end of Thorndon Quay were not acceptable, and that the Council needed to instead urgently address the serious risks along all of Thorndon Quay, particularly those caused by angle...
April 19, 2018
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Transport Policy submission guide The Government’s new transport policy (the GPS) will invest more in cycling, walking, public transport and safety than ever before. CAN rates it at 9/10. But it's still in draft form, and we need to have our say to make sure it gets approved. Follow our submission guide and have your say BEFORE 5pm Wednesday 2 May 2018. What's this about? We know you're busy. So we only ask you to make a submission on Government transport policy when it really matters. This one really matters. The Government has just released a new draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on transport. It represents a significant change from the previous Government's motorway-dominated policies. Here at CAN, we reckon it's a vital and welcome change of direction. But it's only a draft, and it's under threat. It's hard to change...
April 17, 2018
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Vision Zero is the only ethical approach to road safety Patrick MorganCycling Action Network Last Saturday two men were killed while crossing Wyllie Road in Papatoetoe, Auckland. This was no accident. Their deaths were preventable. There were 380 avoidable deaths and thousands of serious injuries on our roads in 2017, resulting in untold heartache and more than $4 billion in total social costs. Why do we tolerate that? How do we fix that? Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter raised a few eyebrows last week when she announced a new road safety strategy, based on the idea that no loss of life is acceptable. She called for an audacious target of zero deaths and serious injuries. That's right, zero. “No other industry accepts hundreds of people dying each year as normal. No person I know thinks losing a loved one in a crash is an acceptable price to pay for...
April 16, 2018
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The Dutch experience of urban design for cycling A synopsis of a talk by Netherlands Ambassador Rob Zaagman March 2018, Wellington “Cycling is a way of life in the Netherlands”. But until the 1980s transport provisions for cars in Holland, just as in New Zealand, had priority over cycling and walking. Cycling after WWII in Holland was in steep decline. That was all changed with the "Stop de Kindermoord" ("Stop the Child Murder") campaign following 450 child road deaths in 1973. Dutch cities and towns have been transformed into more liveable attractive places. (See how public attitudes to cycling were transformed http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/2011/01/stop-child-murder.html ) Some interesting facts about cycling in the Netherlands detailed by Mr Zaagman: 84% of people own a bike There are 23 million bikes owned by Holland’s 17 million...
April 12, 2018
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Cycling advocates are applauding new Government strategy which sets a goal of zero deaths and serious injuries. Patrick Morgan from Cycling Action Network says it's time New Zealand caught up with world-best practice on road safety. "Cyclists welcome this audacious approach to protecting lives. For too long our Government has stood by while road deaths have increased." "There are proven actions which will reduce risk. These include safer speeds, investment in protected bike lanes and public transport, and better education for drivers and people on bikes." He says there is plenty of public support for safer streets. "More than 11,500 people signed our road safety petition in just a few weeks." On Wednesday please join us at Parliament.What: Cycling Action Network presents an 11,500 signature road safety petition to...
April 9, 2018
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New Zealand’s best cycling projects will be recognised as nominations open for the 2018 Bike to the Future Awards – with refreshed award categories to better reflect the sector. The awards are a joint initiative between Cycling Action Network (CAN) and the NZ Transport Agency, aimed at recognising the people and projects contributing to a more bike-friendly New Zealand.As the public's perception of cycling is changing, the award categories have been amended this year. Changes to the award categories include the 'Built Excellence Award', the 'Revolutionary Award' and the 'Bikes at Work and School Award'. CAN spokesperson Patrick Morgan says a review of some categories was necessary to recognise important work being done across the cycling sector, in particular the growing number of events, engagement projects, and education programmes that are helping to change how cycling...
April 9, 2018
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Cyclists call for safer spaces, and drivers to happily share the roadA new survey from the Cycling Action Network reveals the biggest concern among more than a thousand cyclists is safety.68 percent said drivers are not prepared to ‘share the road’ with people on bikes.67 percent are concerned about the lack of safe cycling networks. A record 18 people on bikes were killed in 2017 and more than 700 injured. Cycling advocate Jan Nisbet (pictured), who just received a Lifetime Achievement Award said, “Most cyclists are also car drivers. If you just think about slowing down, it makes it easier for everyone”. The survey also showed the reason people cycle differs by age:30-65 year olds cycle for exercise, fun and commutingUnder 30s cycle to save money, out of concern for the planet, for exercise and for commuting. Half of all those surveyed do it to save money. The survey...
April 2, 2018
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