e.CAN 185 - The email bulletin of Cycling Advocates' Network, NZ

e.CAN 185 - The email bulletin of Cycling Advocates' Network, NZ

e.CAN

Contents:

Hastings and New Plymouth to receive $7 million boost for cycling and walking

25 June 2010- Hastings and New Plymouth will benefit from a $7 million Model Communities project aimed at getting more people cycling and walking.

Cycling groups welcomed the news.

"Everyone wins when there's more people walking and biking," said Cycling Advocates' Network spokesperson Anne FitzSimon.

"There will be less traffic congestion, less pollution, people will be healthier, and businesses will benefit from more cycling tourism."

"All New Zealand cyclists will be watching closely to see how councils in Taranaki and Hawkes Bay invest in better cycling facilities. If the project delivers good results as expected, we'll be asking the government to extend it around New Zealand so everyone can benefit."

The Model Communities project is a key part of the government's 'Getting There' walking and cycling strategy, which aims to develop walking and cycling environments that are as safe and simple to use as to travel by car.

Model Communities funds infrastructure development such as shared pathways and road widening as well as support programmes such as. improved cycle parking facilities, cycle skills training and driver education.

Reverse-in parking safer for drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists

21 June 2010- Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) says reverse-in parking is better for people in cars and pedestrians as well as cyclists.

CAN spokesperson, Anne FitzSimon, applauds New Zealand Transport Agency support for reverse-in parking.

"Reverse-in parking improves the driver's view when pulling out of parking spaces.

"It's safer for passengers as they face the footpath when getting out of a car. It's also easier to access a car boot from the footpath rather than standing in the road.

"And it greatly reduces conflict with cyclists."

Reverse-in parking induces traffic calming by lowering traffic speeds and improving conditions for cyclists and pedestrians.

Ms FitzSimon says, "We are concerned that the AA believes reverse parking will lead to more accidents."

The AA refers to women drivers, the elderly and those with limited mobility being most at risk.

Ms FitzSimon says, "Surely appropriate driver training and suitable mirrors for those with limited mobility should be encouraged by the AA.

"All angle parking requires reversing, whether in or out. Is the AA saying other road users, pedestrians and cyclists are at risk from women drivers, elderly and those with limited mobility?"

Wanted: CAN merchandise coordinator

We're looking for a keen volunteer to take over the role of CAN merchandise coordinator. CAN operates a small online shop (http://www.can.org.nz/shop) offering the famous 'One Less Car' back-pack covers and other items.

This is a voluntary position with a time commitment of about 1-2 hours per week, basically involving filling orders and ordering new stock when necessary. It could be done from anywhere in the country, and no particular experience is needed (though if you are a methodical type that will help).

Interested? Contact Karen Hunn (shop@can.org.nz).

Cycling crucial to future transport, says European Parliament

11 June 2010- The European Parliament has voted in favour of a report that labels cycling as crucial to the future of transport policy.

The report - titled 'A sustainable future for transport' - got the unanimous backing of the Transport and Tourism committee of the European Parliament on June 1st, recognised the role of cycling as a crucial mode of transport for urban areas and calls for increased funding for cycle-backing transport policies.

Read more here:

http://www.bikebiz.com/news/32291/The-future-of-cycling-put-to-the-vote-in-Brussels

Obama doubles spend on US cycling and walking

16 July 2010- Spending on biking and walking projects rose from less than $US600 million in 2008, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Twenty years ago, the federal government was spending only $US6 million a year on such projects.

The spending on biking and walking projects was scheduled to rise last year anyway, but the administration boosted it with $US400 million in funds set aside under the economic recovery program.

The new focus on biking and walking represents a turnaround from the administration of President George W Bush. Mary Peters, transportation secretary under Bush, dismissed biking paths and trails as projects that "really are not transportation," saying they had no place in federal transportation policy.

In March, Mr Obama's transportation secretary, Ray LaHood, announced a policy "sea change" that gives biking and walking projects the same importance as automobiles in transportation planning and the selection of projects for federal money.

Read more here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7834334/Obama-administration-spends-1.2-billion-on-cycling-and-walking-initiatives.html

Benefits of cycling outweigh the risks, new research confirms

A new study carried out by researchers at the University of Utrecht has confirmed that the individual health benefits of cycling outweigh the safety risks.

For individuals who shift from car to bicycle, they estimated that beneficial effects of increased physical activity are substantially larger (3 - 14 months gained) than the potential mortality effect of increased inhaled air pollution doses (0.8 - 40 days lost) and the increase in traffic accidents (5 - 9 days lost). Societal benefits are even larger due to a modest reduction in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and traffic accidents.

The research is published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives and can be freely downloaded here:

http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/info:doi/10.1289/ehp.0901747

Sydney streets may drop speed limits to increase cycle safety

25 June 2010- Suburban streets could become like 24-hour school zones under a City of Sydney plan to make roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians by dropping the speed limit to 40km/h.

The council will ask the Roads and Traffic Authority to cut the speed limit on all local roads in three suburbs - Newtown, Camperdown and Darlington - a move crash experts say could reduce the frequency and severity of cycling accidents if applied across the city.

"As more people walk and cycle to work, the potential for conflict between pedestrians, cyclists and motor vehicles increases", a council spokeswoman said.

"Evidence shows travelling at lower speeds improves a driver's ability to stop and avoid crashes."

Read more here:

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/putting-a-brake-on-traffic-speed-across-inner-city-to-protect-cyclists-20100624-z3py.html

iPod oblivion lethal for walkers and cyclists

1 July 2010- In the jargon of this tech-savvy age, it has been dubbed "iPod oblivion" - and Australian police say it can be lethal for pedestrians and cyclists, alike.

It is a near trance-like state people can apparently enter while using mobile phones, MP3 players or electronic personal organisers.

Psychologists call it "divided attention" or "inattentional blindness," and it is increasingly becoming the focus of road safety awareness campaigns around the world.

Some of the worst offenders are pedestrians who not only listen to music with headphones plugged into both ears, but simultaneously punch out text messages or check e-mails as they pound the pavement. Cyclists who ride while listening to iPods are also at risk, according to campaigners.

In the Australian state of Victoria, police have been warning for months about the dangers of "iPod oblivion" and their fears were realised earlier this month when a 45-year-old cyclist rode into the path of a tram while using one of the players.

Read more here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_pacific/10463227.stm

Weblinks

Relative costs and benefits of modal transport solutions: a study commissioned by NZTA to inform local authorities about the costs and benefits of transport modes:

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/research/reports/393

Smart Measures: Cycling England's portfolio of resources on smart ways to encourage cycling:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/cyclingengland/encouraging-cycling/smart-measures-portfolio/

Safety in numbers again: latest figures from the UK show cycling miles are up and fatalities down:

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopModules/Articles/ArticlesView.aspx?TabID=0&ItemID=431&mid=13641

Policies to Promote Bicycle Use: from the OECD's Working Group on Transport:

http://www.oecd.org/document/3/0,3343,en_2649_34363_44578435_1_1_1_1,00.html

A Billion Bikes: bicycling lifestyles around the world- see part 1 of their documentary on Copenhagen here:

http://www.youtube.com/abillionbikes#p/u/12/ibCcp0Y3OB0

Bicycle rush hour:

http://www.snotr.com/video/4541

David Byrne's journal: blog of ex-Talking Head David Byrne, who gets around by bike and writes about it (and about other interesting stuff):

http://journal.davidbyrne.com/

How to build a cargo bike:

http://www.instructables.com/id/how-to-build-a-cargo-bike/

How to steal your own bike nine times:

http://www.cherwell.org/content/10501

About CAN

Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) is New Zealand's voice for cyclists. We want to see cycling become an everyday activity in NZ. CAN's membership includes experienced cyclists, advocates, engineers, planners, local and regional councils, bike shops, and local advocacy groups throughout the country.

To find out more about CAN, go to our website, http://www.can.org.nz.

Sign up to CAN online via credit card at http://www.can.org.nz/join-can/. Join us!

We also welcome donations to support our work. You can donate online at: http://can.org.nz/donate

About e.CAN

e.CAN is distributed approximately every 4 weeks to CAN members and other interested people. CAN members also get our bi-monthly magazine, ChainLinks.

To check back issues of e.CAN, go to http://www.can.org.nz/ecan .

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