Cycle
Aware Wellington
13
May 2009
Who is Cycle Aware Wellington?
We are a
voluntary, not-for-profit organisation aimed at improving conditions
for cyclists and encouraging more people to bike more often. We are
the local advocacy group for cyclists who use their bikes for
transport and recreation. Since our inception in 1994, we have worked
constructively with local councils on a wide variety of projects,
including
* Bike to Work Day and other cycling promotion events
* Safety and bike skills training for...
News
28
May
May
28
May
May
Steve Waring was at a small meeting in Richmond this week. There were nine people in the room, and six, it emerged, had ridden the Central Otago Rail Trail.
...27
May
May
From an email forwarded by PNP:
Long Gully Station has applied for a resource consent from WCC for a wind farm (http://www.wellington.govt.nz/news/publicnotices/details/long-gully.html). As well as turbines on the ridge past the radar dome it also includes the construction of a transmission line down the tip track. The documents do not note whether the tip track will be altered in any way. Though the road beyond the radar dome will be upgraded to cater for construction traffic.
If this is given the go ahead then the Tip track is a preferred access for construction...
27
May
May
WCC are calling for feedback on the Kilbirnie Town Plan. There's a specific request for feedback on
How easy is it to walk and cycle to and aroundthe centre? Are there opportunities to improve connections
between the centre and nearby schools, Wellington
Regional Aquatic Centre and where people shop?
CAW needs volunteer(s) to look at this from the point of view of implications for cycling, and draft a submission. Feedback is needed by 15 June.
26
May
May
ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY UNDER REVISION
The Government is renewing the national road safety strategy, replacing the 2010 strategy with one that will operate until 2020. The Ministry of Transport is holding initial consultation meetings with stakeholders before issuing a discussion document for public comment. CAN, along with BikeNZ, met with MoT officials on 13 May to highlight key safety issues affecting cyclists.
The timetable from here is:
late July/early August 2009 - discussion document released for public comment December 2009 - strategy finalised...26
May
May
An update from Bevan Woodward and the Getacross Campaign:
Here's the plan from here..
- We intend meeting with the NZTA's CEO
to see if they will re-open the walk/cycle way study
- We will
ask the PM to consider making the walk/cycle a "Road of National
Significance", which means it is entitled to a share of the
recently announced $1 billion of extra funding for State Highway
projects.
- We are staging a short protest outside the NZTA's
"Bridges Linking Communities" Conference on Wednesday, 8:30
to 9:30am outside...
25
May
May
GetAcross Media Release 4:30pm, 24 May, 2009
Time for the Transport Agency to take walking and cycling seriously
After watching more than 5,000 people stream across the Auckland Harbour Bridge, GetAcross spokesperson Bevan Woodward says: "This is an incredible outcome. We are blown away by the high turn out of Aucklanders and their determination to get walking and cycling access on our Harbour Bridge.
"As organisers, we were very clear in our instructions that supporters mustn't force their way onto the Bridge, but 'people power' took over today. People of all ages and...
25
May
May
From: http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/637249
History provides many examples of famous associations: Romeo and Juliet, rum and coke, ice and hockey – but what about bicycles and business? This combination certainly has a nice ring to it, but until recently merchants and politicians have associated dollar signs with cars. And yet, there are signs that the times – and the thinking – are changing. The recent proposal by City of Toronto staff for a bike lane on busy Bloor St. is one such sign.
Merchants like to see a steady flow of people near their stores because people...
24
May
May
Some four thousand cyclists and walkers today crossed the Auckland Harbour Bridge as part of the GetAcross campaign. What a wonderful way to celebrate the 50th birthday of our Auckland Harbour Bridge!Some four thousand cyclists and walkers today crossed the Auckland Harbour Bridge as part of the GetAcross campaign. CAN congratulates the GetAcross team for their success in pressuring NZTA and so facilitating access to the Bridge for the huge crowd on the 50th Anniversary of the Bridge's opening. Happy Birthday, Auckland Harbour Bridge! The rally began with speeches held at the southern end...
24
May
May
Next Meeting: Mishima Room, NPDC, 27 May 2009, 12.30pm. Minutes should be distributed on Monday.
22
May
May
Nic from CAW is presenting our submission to WCC on Tue 26 May at 2:40pm at WCC, ground floor, Wakefield St.
Please come along asCouncillors pay attention when there's a show of numbers.
Our submission, in draft form, is here.
I'm presenting my personal submission at 11:40 on Wed 27th.
21
May
May
PRESS RELEASE: GETACROSS
The GetAcross campaign is lodging a complaint with the Auditor-General over the NZ Transport Agency's unprofessional and misleading conduct in regard to the Auckland Harbour Bridge walkway and cycleway study.
GetAcross spokesperson Bevan Woodward said "After meeting with Ministry of Transport officials to outline our concerns, it was suggested that we refer this matter to the Auditor-General."
"We have outlined four key concerns, summarised as:
Despite many prior assurances that the Bridge was being future-proofed for walking &...
21
May
May
The Cycling Advocates Network (CAN) is pleased to announce the launch of a new cycling safety vest.
"Our safety vest is bright orange, with a reflective strip to the rear. You can be sure that other road users will see you a mile away!" says CAN spokes person Stephen McKernon.
"You can also be sure to be the most stylish rider around, whether you are riding to work or on a long weekend ride. The vest has been specially designed for CAN by Ultimo Clothing. It is in the CAN orange, and features a CAN logo on the front. The car-repelling message on the back reads 'Think globally...
21
May
May
9 Solutions to common non-commuting excuses
I’m out of shape•Ride at an easy pace; in a few months you will be in great shape.
•Ride your route on a weekend to find the easiest way to work.
•You will improve your fitness when you become a regular bike commuter.
It takes too long
•The average commuter travels at 15 km/h; the more you ride...
21
May
May
New Zealand Police National News Release 8:49am 21 May 2009
http://www.police.govt.nz/news/release.html?id=5115
The safety of all individuals will be the primary focus for Police during the planned protest at the Harbour Bridge by the Auckland GetAcross campaign group.
Waitemata District Road Policing Manager Superintendent John Kelly says the NZ Transport Agency has decided to disallow the public from walking or cycling across the bridge on Sunday.
"There is no cycle or walkway on the bridge. The inherent danger to everyone accessing the bridge while it...
20
May
May
Government backs key CTC demand on road safety for cyclists 21/04/2009
CTC - the UK's national cyclists’ organisation, has strongly welcomed the inclusion of a new target to reduce the risk of cycling in the Government’s draft Road Safety Strategy, published today.
The strategy backs CTC’s call for a target to halve the risks of cycling within 10 years, and that this target should be based on reducing the actual risks faced by cyclists, not simply on reducing the number of cyclists injured.
...
20
May
May
Here's the Cabinet Paper on the NZ Cycleway.
Paragraphs 27 and 28 indicate the govt's approach: co-funding with regional partners. So if you want govt $ to build a cycleway, get a proposal together and start talking to the Ministry of Tourism.
http://www.tourism.govt.nz/Documents/Policy%20Website/Documents/Cycleway...
It's also attached below.
And from http://www.tourism.govt.nz/Our-Work/National-Cycleway-Project/
What’s nextThe Ministry of Tourism has been researching New Zealand’s existing and proposed cycleway...
20
May
May
Street Parking & Traders
Proposals to install bike lanes on major streets are often met with opposition from merchants who fear that the reallocation of road space from on‐street parking to on‐street bike lanes would hurt business.
To encourage more Canadians to use bicycles for utilitarian trips more often, it is essential that the implementation of bike lanes on major streets be accelerated.
The Bloor‐Danforth corridor is a particularly attractive option for a citywide east‐west bike lane in Toronto because it is one of the only long, straight,...