News

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) announced today (28/08/2009) details of an $8.7 billion investment in New Zealand over the next three years through the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).  However BikeNZ CEO Kieran Turner says the announcement is a mixed bag for cyclists, and a much stronger commitment to cycling is critical to improve transport options in NZ.

"New Zealand is bucking international trends by pouring increased investment into road infrastructure, while providing few solutions for increasing cycling and walking as a form of transport. Investment in cycling...

Results from the 2009 Summer Cycle Survey carried out by the Centre for Recreation Research are available for download here:

http://www.crr.otago.ac.nz/pubs.aspx

The conclusions are as follows:

This research provides information about use trends and perspectives towards Dunedin’s cycleway system. 109 respondents, both users and non-users of the cycleway system, returned the questionnaire. The information gathered included cycleway use frequency, barriers to use, safety concerns, motivations, and general thoughts on cycleway...

BOSTON — In a city known for its aggressive drivers, flummoxing street layout, confusing rotaries and overall rudeness on the road, what is a cyclist to do?

Cyclist battles on the urban highway

Nicole Freedman, the city’s "bike czar," said, "The grand plan is to change the culture, which is an incredible task."

Start pedaling, some say.

Boston, long known as a minefield for bicycle riders, is feverishly working to shed that reputation by creating bike lanes, installing bike racks, restoring bike paths and...

From Tom Halliburton, CAW rep on Hutt Road Safety Advisory Committee:

Attached the minutes from last week's Hutt Road Safety Advisory Committee
meeting which I attended.

I raised two points:

1/  Education of drivers for a 1.5 metre passing distance
2/  Consideration should be given in the design of cycle lanes to the
strategies cyclists must follow at the end of the lane.

The road transport representative commented that the 1.5 metre passing
distance would create issues for heavy vehicles in some situations, and a...

Ghost Bikes: A Memorial to Cyclists

Whenever we write about bike/car "interactions" we get a lot of complaints that cyclists bring much of this upon themselves by blowing through red lights and stop signs, and generally cycling aggressively.

While convalescing after being hit by a truck, Dr. Chris Cavacuiti of the University of Toronto had some time to study the statistics and concluded otherwise. He is interviewed by Bet McIlroy in the U of T's Experience Research:

Another U of T Professor was not so lucky.

Who causes accidents—...

 From http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ideas

We’ve heard a lot lately about John Key’s so-called Great Rides Cycle Way. A network of cycle tracks aimed squarely at the recreational and tourism markets.

But the vast majority of cyclists, both in this country and abroad, do most their riding in cities and towns.

So how do you create truly cycle-friendly cities? What is it about Copenhagen that sees 55 percent of its residents commute by bicycle?

And what needs to change in New Zealand cities to stop the decades long decline in those...

I don't regularly ride through this intersection, but had the chance yesterday on the way to the Regional Active Transport Forum. Some points I noticed below - any other comments from people who use the route?

- coming from Wellington on the shared cycle/walking path on the south side of the Hutt Rd, the natural line to cross the intersection to get to the on ramp to SH2 (the red line on the attached image), joins the green strip after the detector pads, so it's likely that a cyclist won't set off the warning sign.

- when the warning sign is set off, the light on the...

CAN CYCLE-FRIENDLY AWARDS 2009- GET YOUR NOMINATIONS IN!

Nominations have just been opened for the CAN Cycle-Friendly Awards 2009
in five categories:

1. Avanti award for best cycle facility project;

2. NZ Transport Agency award for best cycling promotion;

3. NZ Transport Agency award for cycle-friendly commitment by a business;

4. ViaStrada award for cycle-friendly commitment by a public
organisation and

5. Taranaki Regional Council Award for cycling champion of the year

...

Invitation from
Barbara Branch
Councillor, Hutt City
 
I would like to invite you and your organisation members to a hear a special 'keynote' speaker - Steve Henry, who we have been very fortunate to persuade to speak in Lower Hutt for one night only.  Steve was the most inspirational speaker at a recent Local Government NZ conference held in Christchurch earlier this year.  All the delegates who attended from all the community boards were impressed with his ideas and vision for interacting with local communities, including businesses and also councils to encourage eco...