March 2011 - New Zealand's cycling organisations are joining forces to make cycling safer.
The Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) and BikeNZ are working with the New Zealand Transport Agency on three new projects over the next 18 months, aimed at creating a safer environment for cycling.
The projects are:
- Cycling Skills Instructor Training: Led by BikeNZ, this project will develop training resources for Grade 1/2/3 Instructors of Cycle Skills to children and other groups. A series of training courses will provide the necessary skills and NZQA certification for Instructors to deliver this cycle training around the country (based on the NZTA-supported national guidelines) and this will be supported by ongoing mentoring of Instructors. The training resources will be based on BikeNZ's "Learn to Ride" and CAN's "Bikeability" programmes.
NB: actual Cycle Instruction to riders is separate from this project.
- Road User Workshops: Led by CAN, this project will run workshops putting cyclists alongside truck and bus drivers in a practical setting, so that all groups can understand how to safely co-exist on our roads. This is based on CAN's highly successful "Being Cycle Aware" bus driver workshops. A series of workshop facilitators will also be trained to deliver these workshops nationwide.
- "Share the Road" campaigns: Led by CAN, this project is aimed at developing nationwide "share the road" campaigns and resources for all road users to better interact together on our roads. This exercise includes research on previous Share the Road campaigns and workshops/engagement with key road user groups. It is aimed at producing initiatives that depart from traditional advertising methods for promoting better behaviour and instead aim to get road users to empathise and engage with their fellow road users and modify their behaviour accordingly.
The funding for this project has enabled the employment of several contract/staff members for both CAN and BikeNZ, supported by volunteer efforts from both groups. CAN's project work is being led by Jena Niquidet of Auckland.
CAN and BikeNZ are working together on all three projects, overseen by a Joint Steering Group comprising Graeme Lindup (CAN), Glen Koorey (CAN), Richard Leggat (BikeNZ) and Barb Insull (BikeNZ). This group meets on a regular basis to review project progress and ensure ongoing co-operation and collaboration between the two organisations.
Both CAN and BikeNZ welcome this opportunity to further work with the New Zealand Transport Agency in getting more New Zealanders safely cycling more often.
For more information, contact Jena (CAN Safer Cycling Project Manager), Graeme or Glen.
CAN, BikeNZ and NZTA members of the Safer Cycling project