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Nominations are now open for the 2017 Bike to the Future Awards. The awards, organised by Cycling Action Network (CAN) and the NZ Transport Agency, celebrate the people and projects working tirelessly and innovatively to create a more cycle-friendly New Zealand so that more Kiwis can choose to get about by bike.

CAN spokesperson, Patrick Morgan, says there's no doubt that cycling is on the up.

“Bike sales are increasing, e-bikes are attracting new riders, and cycleways are being built at an unprecedented rate.

“The Bike to the Future Awards...

Nationally iconic Tamaki Drive faces an Auckland Transport re-design which is at once underwhelming and potentially lethal

Bike Auckland have rolled up their sleeves and produced a better option.

Check out BA's blog post with links to how you can help here.

This is important for all kiwis interested in making things better for people on bikes: NZ's largest city has a big influence on the standards our other regions set.

Don't let them away with doing a half-baked job.

Feedback is open til Sunday June 18th.

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Prior to the 2017 election, CAN set out a prioritised list of actions and goals which we now call on our new Government to implement

The number one priority? Get kids biking to school, of course.

Kids love biking. But it’s a national shame that only 2% of children do cycle to school. Programmes such as Bikesafe (Auckland) and Pedal Ready (Wellington) show that with encouragement and facilities, this trend can be reversed. The timing is right to roll out a national programme. 

See below for more.

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Did you ride a bike when you were a kid? Do you remember the freedom and fun?

I remember learning to ride a bike at my grandmother's house in Whanganui. I set myself the goal of riding around the house 50 times. I got a growling for making a rut in the lawn, but it was worth it.

Sadly, many New Zealand children miss out on biking. They lose the opportunity to develop fitness, independence, risk management and social skills. They miss out on the fun of exploring their neighbourhood under their own steam.

The Ministry of Transport says that the...

Government must move faster to avoid more cyclists dying under trucks

News release from Cycling Action Network

The Government is not moving fast enough to protect New Zealanders say advocates, following a third fatal crash involving a truck and a cyclist in a month.

Five of the last 7 cyclist fatalities involved a truck.

'It's been two and half years since the Cycling Safety Panel recommended 15 high priority actions to make our roads safer,' says Patrick Morgan, spokesman for Cycling Action Network (CAN). 'Action has been too...

This section of the cycleway is still out for consultation due to protest from property and businesses owners about loss of on-street parking spaces. This is a BIG deal, so come and have a look for yourself, enjoy the ride and have your say in the matter.

We'll make a short detour around Falsgrave/Stevens St to admire a couple of Christchurch's amazing Street Art murals before heading back into the city centre on the...

Chair’s Report 2016 to 17 

This is the report a summary of which was approved by CAN's 2017 AGM.  The new Governance system of CAN and the new fee subscription system were also approved at the AGM, so some parts of this report were superseded then.

This report summarises the activities of CAN’s central Committee, paid staff and national-body volunteers since the 2016 AGM in Hamilton.  ‘Headline’ issues included-

No it’s not to do with route finding but the Government Policy Statement on land transport 2018

The Statement, updated every 3 years, sets out Government’s policies for investment in land transport for the coming decade. The Ministry of Transport have recently issued a draft for consultation.

The document has so far received an unenthusiastic reception from transport experts and professionals with The NZ Institute of Engineers’ Transport Group making warning submissions prior to the draft and the respected Auckland Transport Blog crying, in a piece partly titled...

It’s a pretty standard part of any cycleway debate to have someone say “But we’re not Amsterdam, people are never going to bike here”

Here I review Pete Jordan’s In the City of Bikes, an immigrant American’s view of biking in Amsterdam, and Janette Sadik Khan’s Streetfight, about her battle to turn New York into the Amsterdam of the US.

Jordan moved to Amsterdam because he was entranced by Amsterdam bike culture. One of his first steps (after acquiring a bike of his own) was to purchase a traditional omfiets bike for his soon to arrive girlfriend. After lovingly...