The case for safe and appropriate speeds
AA bosses argued that cutting limits did not necessarily increase road safety, while transport leaders said such a move risked "slowing New Zealand down".
But Patrick Morgan, from the advocacy group Cycling Action Network, said road safety should not be framed as a "productivity or compliance issue".
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Patrick goes Dutch
What can the Dutch teach New Zealand about cycling and street design?
That's what cycling advocate Patrick Morgan will find out at the Planning the Cycling City summer school in Amsterdam this month.
He is one of thirty people from around the world selected for the three week programme.
Mr...
MEDIA STATEMENT from Bike Auckland: 10am Wednesday 22 May 2019
Certainty at last for Aucklanders yearning to bike across the bridge?
Bike Auckland welcomes the New Zealand Transport Agency’s preferred design for an Auckland
Harbour Bridge Shared Path as an important breakthrough.
“Ever since the bridge was built, people have wanted to walk and bike across it,” says Barb
Cuthbert, Chair of the advocacy organisation Bike Auckland. “Locals and visitors alike constantly tell
us they’re aghast that in 2019, in our biggest city,...
Thorndon Quay people protected bike lane
People on bikes deserve protection. We love the protected bike lanes Wellington City Council has built, but progress is far too slow. Will Let's Get Wellington Moving deliver?
Join us as we build a people protected bike lane, and demand the protection we need.
Let's show the Council we need them to move much faster on building safe and healthy streets. We'll all be better off.
Where: Thorndon Quay, opposite the fire station.
When 7:30 – 8:30am, Wednesday 22 May 2019
Let's Get Wellington Biking - pop up bike party!
People on bikes deserve protection. We love the protected bike lanes Wellington City Council has built, but progress is far too slow. Will Let's Get Wellington Moving deliver?
Join us as we host a pop up bike party and demand the protection we need. Meet at the north end of the Basin Reserve by Kent and Cambridge Terraces.
Let's show the Council we need them to move much faster on building safe and healthy streets. We'll all be better off.
7:30 – 8:30am, Friday 17 May 2019
People on bikes deserve protection. We love the protected bike lanes Wellington City Council has built, but progress is far too slow. So we're taking action into our own hands. If the city won’t protect us, we will protect our own.
Join us as we build our own people protected bike lane on Victoria St. Meet on the corner of Victoria and Bond St, by the Lido cafe. Let's show the Council we need them to move much faster on building safe and healthy streets. We'll all be better off.
5 – 5:45pm, Wednesday 1 May 2019
People on bikes deserve protection. We love the protected bike lanes Wellington City Council has built, but progress is far too slow. So we're taking action into our own hands. If the city won’t protect us, we will protect our own.
Join us as we build our own people protected bike lane on Featherston St, Wellington. Meet on the corner of Featherston and Ballance Sts. Let's show the Council we need them to move much faster on building safe and healthy streets. We'll all be better off.
7:45 – 8:30am, Wednesday 10 April 2019...
We deserve Healthy Streets
You would expect a cycling advocacy organisation like CAN to be campaigning for bike lanes and safe traffic speeds. But as they say, "Sell the cake, not the ingredients". That's why we're fans of the Healthy Streets approach. It starts with an inclusive vision of what we want: streets that are good for us. Streets that are socially and economically vibrant and environmentally sustainable.
A street that works for people is a street that is good for health.
Towns and cities everywhere are facing the challenge of keeping...
The arrival of e-scooters in significant numbers in NZ creates issues for how we get around. What are the issues?
by Patrick Morgan
Although there are some risks, overall there are net benefits.
- more demand for bike lanes and traffic calming
- helps transition to low-carbon, less car-dependent transport
- but risks need to be managed
- footpaths are primarily for people on foot.
Policy
E-scooters are here already. It's a bad look to seek to restrict something that's already proving...
No loss of life is acceptable, is the message behind the development of the Government’s new road safety strategy,"says Associate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter.
I need your help: 2019 will be a big year for road safety, with the Government consulting on a new safety strategy.
But there will be push back. We'll need to have our say to get good programmes across the line. There's potentially big wins on safe speeds, a close passing rule, and more cycleways.
CAN will upgrade our digital campaign tools, to help people have their say.
...
CAN is organising our biggest bike expo in Christchurch, on the 13 and 14 October, at the Air Force Museum of NZ, Wigram.
The NZ Bike Expo will bring together everything to do with the bicycle, in a vibrant and exciting consumer show. Visitors will have opportunities to trial bikes, meet top sports people, learn about new adventures on the Events Programme, and feature prizes and giveaways as well as showcasing a wonderful range of top bike and bike-related brands and retailers.
As a cycling advocacy group we’re very keen to get more people on their bikes, enjoying...
Why do people on bikes ride two abreast?
By Patrick Morgan, Cycling Action Network
When we were in kindergarten, we learned a few basic rules on how to get along with each other.
First, follow the rules.
Second, be kind.
Now that we've left kindergarten, this...
Bike to the Future awards review
To: CAN Board
From: Patrick Morgan
25 September 2018
With the 2018 awards behind us, it's timely to consider timing and branding of the Bike to the Future Awards.
Introduction
The Bike to the Future Awards...
Good news - Government invests a record $390m in cycling and walking
I want to share some welcome news with you – the Government has announced a record $390 million will be invested into cycling and walking projects over the next three years.
That's a 33 percent increase. It includes Skypath and Seapath. Sixty-two years after the Auckland Harbour Bridge was built, we will have a direct cycling route from the North Shore to...
NZTA wants our feedback on signs and road markings
What do you think about how signs and road markings are used?
We’re consulting on the Traffic control devices manual part 5 – traffic control devices for general use – between intersections.
This document provides guidance and best practice for road controlling authorities and traffic management practitioners on the use of traffic control devices, such as signs and road markings, between intersections. Traffic control devices are used to...
Cyclists applaud funding tailwinds
New Government funding for cycling is good news, whether you ride a bike or not, say cycling advocates.
The Government has today announced $390m investment in walking and cycling over three years, including fully-funding Auckland's Skypath over the harbour...
The indomitable Aro Valley cyclist
Alastair Smith at the end of the St James Cycleway.
20 November 2019
It is with a sad heart I must share the news that Alastair Smith passed away today.
I will always remember Alastair as a caring, considerate and funny man. He devoted huge energy to his passions. High among these was his love of riding a bicycle and sharing the simple pleasures of companionship and adventure. He kept the flame of bike advocacy burning, and we are all better off as a result. I will miss him dearly.
Patrick Morgan
In July 2018...
Give me room - a campaign for a safe passing rule
Introduce a safe passing rule, to protect people on bikes.
A safe passing rule was recommended by the NZ Cycle Safety Panel in 2014. Safe passing rules are common in Europe, the US, and most Australian states. They also protect people on foot, law enforcement and road workers.
Why are we waiting?
Updates
July 2021
No action yet by Government. CAN is following up with Transport Minister Michael Wood.
20 May 2020
Good...
Cyclists welcome record investment in safe and sustainable transport
Cycling advocates say the new transport budget is good news for safer roads.
The Government released the new Government Policy Statement (GPS) on transport funding today. It allocates up to $1.1 billion for new cycling and walking projects, up to $4.8 billion for rapid transit, and up to $8 billion for public transport over the next ten years.
...
Notes from Chris T-S, Living Streets Aotearoa
I attended the TRAFINZ safety workshop in Wellington.
The workshop featured Margaret Dugdale from NZTA and James Campbell from MoT talking about progress towards developing a new road safety strategy to replace safer journeys which they acknowledge has failed (first 5 years of declines in road death toll has been almost completely reversed in last 5 years).
Margaret put NZ in international context (it ain't...