News

26
Jun

Each year there's a global get-together for those interested in the promotion of cycling

Transportation experts, mayors, town councillors, advocates for liveable cities, roading engineers, documentary film-makers and of course cycling enthusiasts are among the delegates.

The European Cycling Federation, the peak body for cycling advocacy in Europe, organises the event, VéloCity, and this year it was held in Nijmegen, Holland, a town heralded as ‘the home of cycling’.

This year was the biggest ever, with more than 1,500 delegates, over 260 speakers, 107 sessions in two...

June 26, 2017 Will Andrews READ MORE
21
Jun

Ambitious road safety goal welcomed by cycling advocates

 

Cycling advocates have welcomed a decision by Hamilton City Council to set an ambitious goal for road safety.

"We congratulate Hamilton City Council on adopting a goal of zero deaths from traffic crashes within 10 years,” said Claire Sherrington, Deputy Chair of Cycling Action Network.

The Council has said it is no longer acceptable to have deaths on city streets.”

We think this is a first for New Zealand.”

Until 20 June, the Council's goal was to reduce road deaths over the next...

June 21, 2017 Patrick READ MORE
15
Jun

Time for traffic speeds that put New Zealanders’ safety firstNZTA is updating the country’s speed-limit setting rule but is unwilling to put New Zealanders' safety first.

Instead NZTA continues to require that speed limits be a compromise between safety and efficiency1

This has resulted in New Zealand having the highest traffic speeds and worst rates of road deaths amongst OECD nations.2

Patrick Morgan of Cycling Action Network says ‘We have been very impressed by the Government’s recent investment in cycle trails and pathways which is getting more Kiwis active...

June 15, 2017 Patrick READ MORE
12
Jun

Nominations are now open for the 2017 Bike to the Future Awards. The awards, organised by Cycling Action Network (CAN) and the NZ Transport Agency, celebrate the people and projects working tirelessly and innovatively to create a more cycle-friendly New Zealand so that more Kiwis can choose to get about by bike.

CAN spokesperson, Patrick Morgan, says there's no doubt that cycling is on the up.

“Bike sales are increasing, e-bikes are attracting new riders, and cycleways are being built at an unprecedented rate.

“The Bike to the Future Awards...

June 12, 2017 Patrick READ MORE
1
Jun

Now there’s a mayoral challenge!

Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall unveiled his city’s Active Transport Plan today with a challenge to his Palmie counterpart.

'I know my friend Palmerston North Mayor Grant Smith champions his city as having aspirations to be the best place to ride a bike in New Zealand', says McDouall.  

'I think every city in New Zealand should rise to this aspiration and push to have the best infrastructure, education and community culture that supports people to get about.  However, being a competitive person, I would love to see Whanganui...

June 1, 2017 Will Andrews READ MORE
30
May

Nationally iconic Tamaki Drive faces an Auckland Transport re-design which is at once underwhelming and potentially lethal

 

Bike Auckland have rolled up their sleeves and produced a better option.

Check out BA's blog post with links to how you can help here.

This is important for all kiwis interested in making things better for people on bikes: NZ's largest city has a big influence on the standards our other regions set.

Don't let them away with doing a half-baked job.

Feedback is open til Sunday June 18th.

 

 

Image...

May 30, 2017 Will Andrews READ MORE
29
May

Advocates say kids, bike lanes and safety are top priorities for cycling

30 May 2017

It's time to raise the bar for cycling, say advocates.

Cycling Action Network spokesman Patrick Morgan is calling on political parties to lift their game in the run-up to the election.

“Cycling is popular. It's excellent value for money. More people cycling means healthier communities, safer and more attractive cities and towns.”

CAN has released its...

May 29, 2017 Patrick READ MORE
28
May

CAN has updated its list of priorities which will be released shortly. The priorities below are from 2019. 

The number one priority? Get kids biking to school, of course.

Kids love biking. But it’s a national shame that only 2% of children do cycle to school. Programmes such as Bikesafe (Auckland) and Pedal Ready (Wellington) show that with encouragement and facilities, this trend can be reversed. The timing is right to roll out a national programme. 

 

______

Priority 1: Get kids biking to school 

Rototuna High School as featured in Stuff article, Feb 2016

The...

May 28, 2017 Will Andrews READ MORE
12
May

Cycling is the story that keeps giving. News media are invited to contact us any time 

Patrick Morgan
CAN – Cycling Action Network
Tel  027-563-4733
@patrickmorgan @CyclingActionNZ

Looking for facts, cyclists in your area, or experts? We can put you in touch with people from all parts of NZ who ride bikes.
We can provide video and still images on request. Here's NZTA's free cycling photo library.
Cycling facts and fiction - mythbusting.

Story ideas
- why are cyclists the happiest commuters?
- why is...

May 12, 2017 Patrick READ MORE
28
Apr

Did you ride a bike when you were a kid? Do you remember the freedom and fun?

 

I remember learning to ride a bike at my grandmother's house in Whanganui. I set myself the goal of riding around the house 50 times. I got a growling for making a rut in the lawn, but it was worth it.

 

Sadly, many New Zealand children miss out on biking. They lose the opportunity to develop fitness, independence, risk management and social skills. They miss out on the fun of exploring their neighbourhood under their own steam.

The Ministry of Transport says that the...

April 28, 2017 Patrick READ MORE
13
Apr

The NZ Transport Agency's Favourite Places to Ride competition is back for 2017. Nominate your favourite bike rides in New Zealand and help others discover world-class routes that might be in their own back yard.

 

Go to nzta.govt.nz/favplaces #nzfaveplaces

 

 

 

Nominations will be open until Wednesday 31 May and the winners will be announced in early June.The categories for this year’s competition are:Urban ride (This category recognises rides around your town or city including new urban cycleways and shared paths)Nga Haerenga...

April 13, 2017 Will Andrews READ MORE
7
Apr

Government must move faster to avoid more cyclists dying under trucks


News release from Cycling Action Network

The Government is not moving fast enough to protect New Zealanders say advocates, following a third fatal crash involving a truck and a cyclist in a month.


Five of the last 7 cyclist fatalities involved a truck.

'It's been two and half years since the Cycling Safety Panel recommended 15 high priority actions to make our roads safer,' says Patrick Morgan, spokesman for Cycling Action Network (CAN). 'Action has been too...

April 7, 2017 Patrick READ MORE
7
Apr

Cycling advocates call for action on making Hawkes Bay roads safer
The death of a cyclist on Brookfields Rd yesterday highlights the need for Councils to make roads safer, say cycling advocates.

"While we don't yet know the causes of this tragic event, we know that roads with shoulders are safer for everyone." says Patrick Morgan, spokesman for Cycling Action Network.

"We call on Hastings District Council to make quick progress on...

April 7, 2017 Patrick READ MORE
3
Apr

 

Cantabrians, join Spokes Canterbury for a leisurely ride to see what all the fuss is about around the Heathcote Expressway Cycle



This section of the cycleway is still out for consultation due to protest from property and businesses owners about loss of on-street parking spaces. This is a BIG deal, so come and have a look for yourself, enjoy the ride and have your say in the matter.



We'll make a short detour around Falsgrave/Stevens St to admire a couple of Christchurch's amazing Street Art murals before heading back into the city centre on the...

April 3, 2017 Will Andrews READ MORE
31
Mar

 

 

 

Joint submission on draft GPS 2018

For PDF of full statement with references click here.

 

Bike Auckland and CAN welcome the opportunity to make a submission on the draft Government Policy Statement 2018 and submit the following-

 

 

1.  We commend the positive measures in the Statement:

Allocation of funding to support ongoing cycleway investment through raised upper levels allocated to walking & cycling activity class;acknowledgement in section 1 of the rapid recent...

March 31, 2017 Will Andrews READ MORE
26
Mar

Chair’s Report 2016 to 17 

This is the report a summary of which was approved by CAN's 2017 AGM.  The new Governance system of CAN and the new fee subscription system were also approved at the AGM, so some parts of this report were superseded then.

 

Summary

This report summarises the activities of CAN’s central Committee, paid staff and national-body volunteers since the 2016 AGM in Hamilton.  ‘Headline’ issues included-

 

 Reacting to changes in regulations and NZTA’s push to grow cycling were a main part of CAN’s core...

March 26, 2017 Will Andrews READ MORE
20
Mar

Click through here for an online version of this recent edition of CAN's periodical.  Articles on overtaking gap research, cycle touring experiences, quaxing and more.

 

Chainlinks 

March 2017

In this issue

CAN-Do next weekend!

New Cycling Research Causes a Flurry

CAN is Targeting Politicians

Recycling bikes for those who need them

CAN's Share the Road campaign rolls on

Government Policy- opinion piece

Stories of Touring &...

March 20, 2017 Will Andrews READ MORE
18
Mar

No it’s not to do with route finding but the Government Policy Statement on land transport 2018

The Statement, updated every 3 years, sets out Government’s policies for investment in land transport for the coming decade. The Ministry of Transport have recently issued a draft for consultation.

 

The document has so far received an unenthusiastic reception from transport experts and professionals with The NZ Institute of Engineers’ Transport Group making warning submissions prior to the draft and the respected Auckland Transport Blog crying, in a piece partly titled...

March 18, 2017 Will Andrews READ MORE
17
Mar

‘I don’t know the actual law, but I’m sure it is against some law’. Steven Muir writes about being made to feel like a criminal without being given much supporting evidence:

My crime? I wanted to carry three lengths of stainless steel home on my bike for my latest trailer project.

It was around 10 kg of material in 3 m lengths that I planned to strap to the top tube of my bike, a method I’ve safely used before. I paid for the steel; then the conversation with the salesman at Steel & Tube Bromley went something like this:

Salesman: Sir, do you think you could...

March 17, 2017 Will Andrews READ MORE
17
Mar

It’s a pretty standard part of any cycleway debate to have someone say “But we’re not Amsterdam, people are never going to bike here”

Here I review Pete Jordan’s In the City of Bikes, an immigrant American’s view of biking in Amsterdam, and Janette Sadik Khan’s Streetfight, about her battle to turn New York into the Amsterdam of the US.

Jordan moved to Amsterdam because he was entranced by Amsterdam bike culture. One of his first steps (after acquiring a bike of his own) was to purchase a traditional omfiets bike for his soon to arrive girlfriend. After lovingly...

March 17, 2017 Will Andrews READ MORE