Media Advisory: Monday 4 July NZ’s best of the best cycling projects announced this week
The top contributions towards making New Zealand more cycle-friendly will be recognised at the Bike to the Future Awards in Auckland on Thursday.
The awards will be presented by Hon Simon Bridges, Minister of Transport at the 2WALKandCYCLE conference. More than 60 nominations have been received across six award categories:
Innovation Hub Award
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There's no doubt cycling is on the up. Along with walking It is an essential part of our transport networks. With more than a million and a half New Zealanders riding bikes, cities and towns are investing is cycling - for leisure, toursim and transport.
Join us in Auckland 6-8 July for the national walking and cycling conference.
This is the first step towards improving our communications with our members and with everyone interested in CAN's goal to get more people on bikes, more often.
Our next step is to restructure and refresh the website content – Rome didn't get built in a day!
We would appreciate your help. If you find any issues on the website please email webmaster@can.org.nz with a screenshot and short description of the problem. And if you know Drupal and are keen to volunteer to help on the CAN journey, our webmaster would love to hear from you!
The trialling of mandatory minimum overtaking distances for motor vehicles overtaking cyclists was a key recommendation of the New Zealand Cycle Safety Panel in 2014.
CAN is represented on an Opus / NZTA advisory panel.
CAN says:
Seeking New Zealand's best bike projects
The search is on for the best bike projects in New Zealand.
The Bike to the Future Awards are a joint initiative devised by the New Zealand Transport Agency and the Cycling Action Network (CAN), the national organisation promoting everyday cycling.
"We're delighted to see the quality of entries get better each year," said CAN spokesperson Patrick Morgan.
"With strong public demand and political support for investing in cycling, that's no surprise. Cycling delivers more transport choices, better...
Because cyclists are #harderthannails
Please bid on our fundraiser at Trade Me.
You are bidding on a piece of New Zealand history. This is collectable plaque displays some of the 500 nails scattered on the Island Bay Cycleway on 27 April 2016 by persons unknown.
This auction is a fundraiser for Cycling Action Network (can.org.nz). We campaign for better and safer cycling throughout New Zealand. Don't let the haters win.
These a tacks will not succeed.
As reported on RNZ
Tena koutou katoa,
My name is Hilleke Townsend and I'm here today on behalf of the Cycling Action Network.
I've been called in at the last minute so please go easy on me! This is my daughter, Maia, who has promised to behave during the meeting. Also since it's an election year, she'll be available for photo opportunities during the break.
But on a more serious note, having her here serves as a pretty good reminder that the decisions this council makes have long lasting ramifications. They not only affect current residents, but also future Wellingtonians. And with...
67% of submissions received by the Wellington City Council support the Hutt Road Improvements. This includes the submission from advocacy group Cycle Aware Wellington who see the design as a significant and long overdue improvement.
For years now the Hutt Road has been the bane for the numerous cyclists and pedestrians alike who use this route to commute in and out of the city. It has been the scene of many accidents and close calls, which last year led to a protest ride to the Civic Centre to call on the Council to "get on with it" and create better cycling infrastructure.
...
caption: Russell from NoCar Cargo gives winter riding the thumbs up
Cycling through winter
Winter is coming, but that's no reason to leave the bike at home. You can still enjoy the convenience, savings, health gains and fun of riding a bike, whatever the weather.
Sooner or later, everyone is faced with riding in the rain. With a little knowledge and the right gear, spinning through showers can actually be an enjoyable experience.
Light up
Shorter days mean you need to make sure your lights are charged and bright....
Do you want safer and more attractive cycling in New Zealand?
Whether you are a family with kids, a mountain biker, roadie, cycle chic rider, commuter or simply love to ride, now is the time to take action.
The Government and Councils have ambitious plans for building better bike routes, through the Urban Cycleways Programme - great news! But plans can be derailed by bikelash or lack of public support. Now is a good time to speak up for cycling.
Here's NZTA's list of cycling projects.
Ride your bike
...
2017 marks 200 years since the bicycle was invented, by Baron Karl von Drais. I reckon that's a good reason for a bike party - the Bikecentennial.
Baron Karl von Drais 1817
I'd like to see the Bikecentennial marked with events, story-telling, exhibitions and lots of rides.
Kate Sheppard: the vote, rational dress, Atalanta Ladies' cycling clubNZ bike entrepreneurs the Kennett Brothers, Ground Effect, framebuildersNZ Cycle Trailstrail builderssocial history and the changing role of the bikesporting successcargo biikes, BMX, MTB,...
Cycling advocates reminds people not to underestimate the speed of bicycles.
A recent case in Palmerston North highlighted the danger of turning into a side road too soon after passing a person on a bike.
CAN spokesperson Patrick Morgan said this is a common cause of bicycle crashes.
"Although on average bikes travel at around 15km/h, a fit person or an electric-assist bike can be travelling at speeds similar to a car. It is the responsibility of an overtaking driver to be aware of the speed of the vehicle they are overtaking."
Patrick Morgan
CAN - Cycling...
CAN went to the VéloCity Global conference last month.
VéloCity Global is the global get-together for all those interested in the promotion of cycling. The European Cycling Federation organises the event, and this year it was held in Taipei, Taiwan. Our delegate was Will Andrews, from Bicycle Nelson Bays.
The president of Trek Bikes, John Burke
Industry was one of the major threads this year. It was good to witness well-thought out presentations from the big bike manufacturers, showing an understanding the benefits of transportation cycling...
Social media tips
Social media posts should be:
Immediate
Twitter and Facebook work better if you post something immediately.
For example, if you're running a cycling event take a quick photo with your phone and post it with a short message.
Conversational, friendly, confident
Just be yourself. Don't be scared to show a bit of personality, as long as you're on message.
Positive and optimistic about our ability to make change
There's a lot to gripe about, the world's a terrible place, but...
Cycle lanes help attract top talent, say UK businesses
The chair of a major UK law firm says cycling infrastructure helps businesses attract top talent in cities like London, and says a "silent majority" of companies support investment in decent cycling routes.
David Morley, Senior Partner of Allen & Overy, which employs 3,000 staff worldwide, a third of those in London, says the firm's main assets are its employees and people friendly streets help make an attractive place for those employees to live.
Allen & Overy is among 40 businesses within...
Open Letter to a Car-Addicted City
Monday, November 10, 2014 by Brent Toderian
Source: http://www.planetizen.com/node/72068/open-letter-car-addicted-city
It's rare for a newspaper to dedicate two stories in the same issue to the planning, design, and transportation challenges of a city, and even more rare for a newspaper to ask for an additional op-ed piece from a visiting city planner to tie it all together. That's what the Western Australian newspaper did this past week, during my trip to Perth, Australia. I was there at the invitation of the Heart Foundation to work with...
Shifting gears, embracing change
Why Wellingtonians will embrace cycleways
Opinion for the DomPost
29 February 2016
by Patrick Morgan, Cycling Action Network
Cycling is a hot topic.
It generates strong feelings, plenty of letters to newspapers and social media posts.
But this discussion is as much about change as it is about cycling.
Smoke-free bars. Marriage equality. The metric system. All had their detractors, but somehow the sky didn't fall in. The lesson is that we get used to change. Eventually,...
A CAN Do cycling renaissance celebrated in Waikato
News release from Cycling Action Network
With cycling on the up, advocates from around New Zealand will gather in Hamilton next month to celebrate, to push for more progress and learn from each other.
The CAN Do is a national gathering for Cycling Action Network (CAN) . CAN Do is an annual summit to plan the future direction of cycling advocacy across New Zealand. This is a special CAN Do celebration, as it's been 20 years since CAN was founded.
Cycling Action Network spokesman Patrick...
Artists, creatives, clothing obsessives and designers- get out your software ok soft crayons, get freaky, and get your T-shirt design into our competition by March 16th!
Artists, creatives, clothing obsessives and designers- get out your software ok soft crayons, get freaky, and get your T-shirt design into our competition by March 16th!
Awesome prize package includes $250 bike voucher. Details on this JPG. Artists, creatives, clothing obsessives and designers- get out your software ok soft crayons, get freaky, and get your T-shirt design into our competition by...
Urban cycleways a core priority for safety and health, says Govt
The thousands of Kiwis taking part in Go by Bike Day today demonstrates the importance of the Government's Urban Cycleways Programme, says Transport Minister Simon Bridges.
Speaking at the annual event in Wellington this morning, Mr Bridges said making urban cycling a safer and more attractive transport choice was a core priority.
"Through the Urban Cycleways Programme central and local government are working together to deliver $333 million of new cycleway projects throughout the country...