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...
News
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,...
20
May
May
Dear OAC member or supporter
The Ministry of Health’s contract with OAC expires on 30 June 2009.
We have been advised that the continuation of the contract has been considered, along with other nutrition and physical activity services that the Ministry funds, and as part of the Government’s line by line review of departmental expenditure and the efficiency, effectiveness and value for money of programmes such as ours.
Unfortunately, as a result of this review our contract will not renewed after 30 June 2009.
The Ministry has acknowledged and commended OAC for...
20
May
May
It will be different spokes for different folks, with a new bike-hire scheme to be introduced in Wellington.
Nextbike, based in Auckland, will hire out 100 custom-built bikes from up to 20 sites in central Wellington from October to May.
Nextbike boss Julian Hulls said the German-designed, Chinese-built cycles would be ideal for tourists to move around Wellington during the Rugby World Cup. They could also be used on the great rides cycling project championed by Prime Minister John Key.
"They [hire bikes] are a missing piece of the puzzle really."
The bikes have...
20
May
May
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Last Friday, at the final day of the international conference on cycling policy, Velo-city 2009, 27 cities signed the “Charter of Brussels” in the European Parliament. With this Charter the cities commit themselves to achieve at least a 15% share of all trips made in urban areas to be done by bicycle. Today, this share stands at about 5 % in Europe.
Next to the mayors from EU cities also the European Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee signed the Charter of Brussels whereby they commit themselves to investing in cycling policy by both...
19
May
May
15 May 2009
Cycle Aware Wellington welcomes Minister of Tourism John Key's proposal for a series of Great Rides forming the backbone of a national cycleway.
An iconic Great Ride will be the Great Harbour Way, a cycling and walking route around Wellington Harbour (http://www.greatharbourway.org.nz/).
"The Great Harbour Way route passes Wellington Airport, the ferry terminals and railway station, and so will be accessible to tourists visiting Wellington and in transit to the South Island," says CAW spokesman Patrick Morgan.
"There are few places in the world...
19
May
May
The Green Party has extended its agreement with National to include the New Zealand Cycleway Project.
"The cycleway can benefit the economy and the environment at the same time, and we strongly support this type of Green New Deal spending," said Green Party Tourism spokesperson Kevin Hague.
"We look forward to working with the Prime Minister to see a network of cycleways spread across the country."
The agreement to support the cycleway initiative has been added to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two parties.
...
18
May
May
A pedal-powered printer is proving a hit with Ricoh staff and customers.
On World Environment Day each year Ricoh, a company which manufactures printers, copiers and fax machines, has its own Eco Action Day. On June 5 Ricoh will again be powering appliances through its custom built Power Cycle generator.
Ricoh NZ's MD Mike Pollok pedalling the Power Cycle
In previous years Ricoh has invited special guests such as ex-All Blacks, politicians and TV presenters to take a turn on the Power Cycle, with their output being used to supply electricity...
18
May
May
http://yesmagazine.org/article.asp?id=3441
Bike Kitchens: Building Community, Bikes
by Rob Forbes
18
May
May
Zen proverb
A Zen teacher saw five of his students returning from the market, riding their bicycles. When they arrived at the monastery and had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, ‘Why are you riding your bicycles?’
The first student replied, ‘The bicycle is carrying this sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to
carry them on my back!’ The teacher praised the first student. ‘You are a smart boy! When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over like I do.’
The second student replied, ‘I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I...
15
May
May
Dunedin Cycling hits the headlines again!
http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/dunedin/56112/transport-options-dominate-hearings
(Adrienne Mulqueen (Spokes Dunedin new Secretary) is quoted, unfortunately left out Spokes so looks like she speaks for Grey Power!, but her topics were listed and she is writing a letter to the editor to get the proposals correctly attributed)
http://www.odt.co.nz/your-town/dunedin/56122/funding-excites-cycleway-backers
...