News

1000 passengers thrilled by cycleway-ferry service

5
Oct

Sarah Ulmer was one of the first of 1000 people to test Mapua's new "Flat Bottom Fairy" service yesterday.

The Olympic gold medallist attended the official opening of Tasman's Great Taste Trail cycleway ferry, which took visitors and their bikes across the estuary to test the new 6.8-kilometre trail through Rabbit Island to Mapua.

Ulmer, the national cycle-trail ambassador, said it was a fantastic cycle trail and congratulated everybody who was involved with the project, which was a great way to showcase the region.

"You guys have done an incredible job in making this a...

October 5, 2011 Anne F READ MORE

Post CAN Do bike ride 2011: Nelson - Picton

26
Sep

This year the post CAN Do bike ride took two days (31 October - 1 November) from Nelson to Picton, stopping at Pelorus Bridge, overnighting in Havelock and heading into Picton on the gorgeous Queen Charlotte Drive.

Day 1: Distance 75 km, ice-creams at Hira, then some climbing, over the Whangamoa Saddle (357 m) and Rai Saddle (247 m).  Lunch at Collins Valley then afternoon tea stop at Pelorus Bridge,  where there is a cafe and gorgeous bush walks.  We stayed the night in Havelock (Rutherford House YHA hostel).

Day 2: Distance 35 km, relatively...

September 26, 2011 adrian READ MORE

Salt Lake City expands bike lanes, encourages cycling

25
Sep

They wore silver racing shoes and black leather boots, sneakers and ballet flats, but all of them were there for one purpose: to ride. Several dozen bike lovers took to the streets Saturday morning on a tour of Salt Lake City’s newest bike lanes and innovations as city officials showed off their latest progress.

By winter’s start, about 50 miles of new and improved lanes will have been added to the capital this year, along with bike parking corrals and more bike symbols to help both motorists and cyclists stay safe. Salt Lake City may not be quite as bike-friendly as a city...

September 25, 2011 Alex admin READ MORE

China falls back in love with the bicycle

25
Sep

The humble bicycle, for decades the workhorse of the Communist proletariat, is this year's surprise fashion accessory in China.

The rivers of cyclists that used to flow through Chinese cities, all mounted on sturdy Flying Pigeon bikes and wearing monochrome Mao suits, have long dried up.

Instead, for two decades China has been a nation of drivers, embracing the car the point of gridlock and even outlawing bicycles from key thoroughfares in Shanghai.

But for a new generation of Chinese, inspired by the West and Japan, the bicycle is once again...

September 25, 2011 Alex admin READ MORE

CAN AGM 2011

19
Sep

CAN's Annual General Meeting will be held on the Saturday afternoon of the CAN Do, 29 October 2011 at 4.20 pm.

The venue will be the Auckland Point School, 111 Haven Road, Nelson. For more details, see the CAN Do page.

For your information, here are the minutes from the 2010 CAN AGM.
Also, here is a copy of CAN's Rules (aka Constitution).


ItemAgenda Item1    Welcome/Apologies/Proxies.2Review of Previous Minutes.3Matters arising.4Office holders' reports:
  Chairperson's report    ...

September 19, 2011 Graeme READ MORE

CAN Do 2011

19
Sep

Links from the CAN Do, CAN's annual get-together, now available. The weekend includes our AGM, workshops, training, rides, plenty of food and drink and a chance to catch up with fellow "CANners" from around New Zealand.
Dates: Saturday 29 - Sunday 30 October 2011

 

Registrations are now closed.

Venue: Auckland Point School, 111 Haven Road, Nelson.
 
Numbers expected: 20-30. 

Notes from the sessions are available here, or...

September 19, 2011 Graeme READ MORE

Seeking new committee members, a Secretary & Deputy Chair

14
Sep

.

Dear CAN groups,

At the next AGM, we will be in need of an elected officer to replace Adrian Croucher, the long serving CAN Secretary.  In addition Glen Koorey, the current CAN Deputy Chair and committee member, will not be standing for re-election.  

Involvement at the national level gives one an opportunity to provide collective leadership for CAN and to help shape the strategic direction for cycling advocacy at a national level.

I would encourage you as a group to consider who locally in your area could be in a position to become a CAN committee member.  

...

September 14, 2011 Graeme READ MORE

Spotlight on Cycling - Spring 2011

12
Sep

Regular giving helps CAN keep the spotlight on Cycling

 

At CAN we're united by our love of cycling and all the benefits it brings: to our health, wallets, wellbeing, family and friends, community, and our environment. CAN is committed to a broad vision:

To promote the benefits of everyday cycling: cost savings, better health, less congestion, cleaner air, reduced reliance on imported fuel, and a better quality of life.

More than ever, the tight economic environment opens the door to develop affordable, sustainable, and healthy transport opportunities throughout New...

September 12, 2011 Anne F READ MORE

New cycle trail from Taumarunui to New Plymouth opens

22
Aug

The "Big Wheels" of the cycling industry will be riding 180km from Taumarunui and New Plymouth this weekend to celebrate the opening of the first cycle touring routes under Nga Haerenga, The New Zealand Cycle Trail (NZCT).

The cycle routes will be the first in a series of new cycle rides, comprising of largely on-road cycle routes around New Zealand.

About 30 cyclists including Green Party MP Kevin Hague, Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown, Bike NZ Chair Richard Leggat, Cycle Action Network Manager Patrick Morgan and The Kennett Brothers will be joining NZCT project team members...

August 22, 2011 Patrick READ MORE

New Name Proposed for Coastal Walkway

19
Aug

The public will be asked their opinion on this in September, when the Council considers whether Coastal Pathway or another name is more appropriate for the award-winning shared-use route.

"There have been questions from users about whether walkers or cyclists have more rights on the Coastal Walkway, when the answer is that all users are equal," says Acting General Manager Community Assets Mark Bruhn.

See full news release from  the NPDC at:

http://www.newplymouthnz.com/CouncilDocuments/NewsReleases/NewNamePropos...

 

August 19, 2011 Graeme READ MORE

Cycle Friendly Awards 2011-12 Nominations

16
Aug

Congratulations to the 2011-12 Cycle Friendly Award winners!
Winners announced here.

Finalists have been announced here, with the winners awarded at the 2Walk&Cycle Conference dinner in Hastings on 23rd February 2012.

For a brief history of the awards go here http://can.org.nz/cycle-friendly-awards-history

Here's your chance to recognise best efforts to promote cycling anywhere in New Zealand!

Self-nominate, or nominate that local cycling project or champion you reckon is amazing...

August 16, 2011 Dirk READ MORE

How to become a cycling 'ambassador'

9
Aug

There is a rather unlikely new vogue word in cycling circles: ambassador.

I'm trying to get the images of the Ferrero Rocher ad out of my head (the euro-kitsch classic in which those almost inedible bonbons are handed round by flunkies at an embassy party: "Monsieur, with these Rocher, you're really spoiling us"), because actually the cycling ambassadorial role is a fine and noble one.

Just this week, a bike shop in Portland, Oregon – which is widely seen as a countercultural cycling nirvana in the automobile-loving US – launched an initiative it's calling "21Ambassadors"....

August 9, 2011 Alex admin READ MORE

Commuter Bike Traffic Sets Record in NYC

3
Aug


NEW YORK, NY (BRAIN)—The number of commuter bike riders in New York City increased 14 percent compared to last spring, according to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, who has been the subject of vitriol for her strong advocacy of bike lanes and other cycling amenities in the nation's most populous city.

Commuter cycling has increased by 62 percent when compared to spring of 2008 and by 262 percent overall since 2000, according to data released by the city. The data is collected by counts of actual cyclists...

August 3, 2011 Alex admin READ MORE

Where there's a wheel there's a way to save big money

2
Aug

DAMIAN Walsh is convinced of the financial windfall that cycling to work provides; it has helped pay for his home renovation and will pay his son's private school fees.

While Mr Walsh, a Collins Street lawyer, cycles to work from Brunswick, his wife, Junko Kobayashi, uses the family car for errands and school drop-offs. They have been a one-car household since 1997.

Mr Walsh said the money they have saved has helped pay for a $450,000 energy-efficient renovation to their home.

''Car insurance alone would cost us $1000 a year,'' he said.

Figures out today in...

August 2, 2011 Alex admin READ MORE

First cycle touring routes opening

1
Aug

The first cycle touring routes under Nga Haerenga, The New Zealand Cycle Trail (NZCT) will be opened this month.

The cycle routes will be the first in a series of new cycle rides, comprising of largely on-road cycle routes around New Zealand.

"The initial focus of the NZCT project has been to develop a series of 18 Great Rides, which are largely off-road cycle trails. The opening of these first cycle touring routes means that the longer term plan to expand the NZCT to also include a wider selection of existing scenic back country roads and cycle paths is now underway," NZCT...

August 1, 2011 Patrick READ MORE

Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding announced

26
Jul

The Government Policy Statement on Land Transport Funding (GPS) sets out the government's priorities for expenditure from the National Land Transport Fund over the next 10 years.

It sets out how funding is allocated between activities such as road safety policing, state highways, local roads and public transport.

Read Transport Minister Steven Joyce's statement on GPS 2012 (Beehive website)

Download GPS 2012 (PDF, 290kb)

Read questions and answers about GPS 2012

 

July 26, 2011 Patrick READ MORE

NZTA Safer Cycling Programme

24
Jul

NZTA Safer Cycling Programme
Since early 2011, the Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) and Cycling New Zealand (formerly BikeNZ) have been working with the New Zealand Transport Agency on three projects, aimed at creating a safer environment for cycling.
 
The projects are:

Cycling Skills Instructor Training: Led by Cycling New Zealand, this project is developing training resources for Grade 1/2/3 Instructors of Cycle Skills to children and other groups. A series of training courses are providing the necessary skills and NZQA certification...

July 24, 2011 glen READ MORE

2 Walk and Cycle Conference 2012, Hastings

17
Jul

2 Walk and Cycle Conference, 22-24 Feb 2012
The first ever joint NZ Walking and Cycling conference was held in Feb 2012 in Hastings, with nearly 200 delegates attending. Over 70 speakers presented - Presentations are now available to view.

 2 Walk and Cycle Conference - 22 to 24 February 2012

From 22 to 24 February 2012 the first ever 2 Walk and Cycle Conference will be held in Hastings at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House in the Opera House Theatre.

Whilst planning the next NZ Cycling Conference the organising committee agreed it was time to...

July 17, 2011 glen READ MORE

Hastings' Share the road campaign

11
Jul

We've created over 25 kilometres of new cycle lanes connecting our iWay commuter routes and making it safe for cyclists and motorists to use our roads.
A good cyclist will:

- Make eye contact with drivers and communicate with hand signals
- See and be seen
- Use lights at night

A safe driver will:

- Ease the pace and give cyclists space
- Look for cyclists before opening car doors, and
- Keep cycle lanes clear

http://www.iway.org.nz/sharetheroad

 

July 11, 2011 Patrick READ MORE

Universal bike lanes: the only way to mass cycling?

30
Jun

Study says vast majority of Britons won't cycle on urban roads as they are now. So what's the answer?

From The Guardian:
A major academic study has spent the past couple of years looking in depth into why people cycle (or don't cycle) in four English towns. I won't go into the research too much here, simply as I've written a separate news story on it, which will be up soon - I'll link to it when I can.

But I wanted to consider its main conclusion: the UK will never get anything close to a European-style mass cycling culture without some major (and to me,...

June 30, 2011 Patrick READ MORE