What's happening?
June'09: Great Urban Rides
With
the recent excitement about the
concept of a national cycleway and
the firm commitment to create a
series of “Great Rides” we see
a very real opportunity and a
wide range of benefits in ensuring
that New Zealand’s major cities have “Great Urban Rides” as a key
part of the network, and that these be included in the first rides to
be announced at the end of June 2009.
Have a look at Pippa and Julian's submission to the Ministry of Tourism and maps of proposed routes for Auckland Central here.
May'09: GetAcross Success!
Sunday
24 May 2009 will go down in history as the day thousands of
Aucklanders, walkers and cyclists alike, reclaimed their bridge
from the motorway barons. Watch a video of this momentous event here. Bouquets
to the Police who remained firm but good-humoured and ensured our
safety. Brickbats to the NZTA for failing to negotiate in good
faith with the GetAcross organisers for orderly access to the bridge
which could have kept the northbound traffic moving. Our
thanks too to Auckland's Regional Councillors, City Councillors and MPs
who spoke eloquently in support. Mike Lee, Christine Rose, Chris
Darby, Darien Fenton, Keith Locke and Russel Norman - we look forward
to your leadership roles in the new super city and for the region.
Interesting that National Party MPs were conspicuous by their
absence - perhaps they were working with Steven Joyce to remove the
last vestiges of active and public transport modes from the the
Government's transport plans. Cycle Action has a few words for the NZTA: - The people of Auckland are looking to you to provide good access for cyclists and walkers over the Harbour Bridge
- Walking and cycling are now considered legitimate transport modes
- National and regional strategies aim for a shift to more active modes of transport
- The time has come for Aucklanders and visitors to get across our Bridge using non-motorised transport.
Cycle Action calls on all its supporters and friends to make their feelings known to their local MPs, Councillors and the media. May'09: Ride ride ride! Lots happening this month: 7pm, Wednesday 27 May - Come along to Cycle Action's meeting. Normally we hold this in Freemans Bay, but as a one-off for May we'll be at Bike Central at 3 Britomart Place. Cycle Action member Pippa Coom will be giving a short presentation on “Ride the Ridges”
-
a plan for a central cycle connector route that we would like the
Council to adopt as a means of making cycling the transport option of
choice in the Greater Ponsonby area. An open discussion will
follow at 8pm. Please RSVP if you'd like to come along so we can get an idea of numbers for catering. 9am, Sunday 24 May - GetAcross rally
Show your support for walking and cycling over the Harbour
Bridge. The NZ Transport Agency says NO, over 10,000 GetAcross
supporters say YES! Celebrate the Bridge's 50th birthday, and
show the NZTA that walking and cycling are legitimate transport modes -
our Bridge isn't just for motor vehicles. Click here for a pdf of the details. 9.30am Sunday 10 May - Cycle Action social ride of the Devonport Peninsula. Contact Steve if you didn't receive an email about this ride and want to come along. 10am, Saturday 9 May
- the new SH20 motorway section from Onehunga to Mt Roskill has an open
day. Come and cycle it from 10am (pedestrians from 11am).
Click here for details. Apr'09: North Shore Cycling Safety Goals Trashed Says Barbara Cuthbert, Cycle Action's Co-Chair:
The
North Shore City Council’s proposal to cut the cycling budget for the
next 15 years from $15m to $2.7m makes a mockery of the transport goals
stated in the Council’s Long Term Council Community Plan, currently
open for public comment. These goals aim for
a transport system that
is safe and affordable, offers choice, and increases the numbers of
residents walking, cycling and using public transport. Read the full Press Release here. Do something about it here. Apr'09: Loose chips put cyclists in a spin Read
how Cycle Action teamed with local cyclists in the Eastern suburbs to
highlight how cycle safety and enjoyment is being compromised as road
surfaces are being downgraded to loose chip seal.
Apr'09: Submissions in support of cycling Cycle
Action Auckland is making submissions on the 10 year plans for all the
Local Councils, the ARC (Regional Council), ARTA (Auckland
Regional Transport Authority) and the proposed RLTP projects to be
funded for the next three years. If you would like to help with or add
to the submissions – or have a "I use my bike for transport" story –
contact chair@caa.org.nz Cycle Action has already submitted on North Shore City's Draft Cycle Strategy here, and ARTA's Regional Land Transport Plan here. Read what we have to say, and let us know if you have any comments on our submissions. Mar'09: Cyclists angered by funding
cuts Cyclists are angered by the
Government's slashing of walking and cycling funding to pay for more
state highways.
Cycling
Advocates Network (CAN) spokes person Stephen McKernon says, "about a
third of New Zealanders cycle on our roads and cycling is one of the
ten most popular recreational activities nationwide. The 2006 Census
shows 9% of people walk and cycle to work, and the Household Travel
Survey 2008 shows 17% of trips are made by walking and cycling."
"Yet
cycling and walking in combination have received less than 1% of Land
Transport Programme funding, and even this has now been halved."
Read the full press release here.Mar'09: Cycle Awareness Campaign - Scenic Drive, Waitakere Ranges Waitakere
City Council has commissioned Core Communications to develop and launch
a cycle awareness campaign targeting drivers, residents and cyclists
that use Scenic Drive in the Waitakere Ranges.
The campaign
includes researching existing attitudes about travelling along the
road, testing key messages that will appear on road side signage and
installing the signs. There will also be a publicity campaign launched
to coincide with the installation of the new signage. Overall the
campaign seeks to make the environment along Scenic Drive a safer one
for both cyclists and drivers by encouraging a better understanding of
each other. Watch this space and your email inbox for more info.18 Mar'09: Walk to Work day on the Shore & win! Yes,
even cyclists have to dismount and walk their bikes sometimes!
Following in the tradition of the enormously successful Go By
Bike Breakfasts in February, the walkers are encouraged to do the same
on Wed 18 March. Score a free continental breakfast and be in the
draw for spot prizes. More details here. Mar'09: Cycle Action applauds the visionary National Cycleway proposal Says
our co chair Barbara Cuthbert: "Cycle Action Auckland applauds Prime
Minister Key's proposal to create a cycleway through New Zealand. The
cycleway would be a powerful symbol for New Zealand's environmental
strengths and allow tourists and locals to enjoy our outdoors and rural
towns in a whole new way. It would also be a spectacular economic
multiplier in creating opportunities for the tourist, hospitality and
accomodation industries in provincial New Zealand, and injection of
demand in Auckland and other main cities, as these visitors travel to
join the route." Mar'09: NSCC consulting on its draft Cycling Strategy 2009 document North Shore City has released a draft of its updated cycling strategy, which is now open to public feedback. Take a look here and be sure to have your say by 16 March. Feb'09: Bikes win again! "Buses, cars struggle to keep pace with runaway cyclists" says the Herald,
as yet again cyclists clean up in the commuter challenge. Well,
that is apart from the poor cyclist departing from Birkenhead who
had to wait 15 minutes for a ferry, as the NZTA continues to deny
cyclists the ability to get across the Harbour Bridge. The Go By Bike Breakfasts
on Wed 18 Feb were well supported too, with 850 cyclists down at the
Viaduct, 500 at the Strand in Takapuna, and 150 in Manukau City.
Cycle Action was present at all three Breakfasts, and signed up
many new friends to the cause. Feb'09: Bikewise Month Beginning in February 2009, the annual NZ Bike Wise Week will become Bike Wise Month. Bike
Wise Month is an opportunity for people of all ages to give cycling a
go. Cycling is a great way to travel short distances
quickly. It’s cheap, and good for you and the environment.
The
signature events for Bike Wise Month are the Go By Bike breakfasts from
6.30-9am on Wednesday 18 February, where New Zealanders are encouraged
to ditch vehicular transport and 'go by bike' instead.
Just like
in previous years, people across New Zealand will bike to their local
event where they will be rewarded with a scrumptious healthy
breakfast. Cycle Action will be present at both the Auckland City
and North Shore City breakfasts, so come and enjoy the fun.
For details: Auckland City: http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/whatson/events/gobybike/default.asp North Shore City: http://www.northshorecity.govt.nz/transport_and_roads/travelwise/Bikewise/Bikewise_home.htm Nov'08: New Chairs at Cycle Action! We're
delighted to announce that Barb Insull and Barb Cuthbert have agreed to
become Co-Chairs of Cycle Action Auckland. But we're not losing Bevan
- he's staying on the committee, and spending more time
in a communications role with our parent organisation, CAN. A win-win
for everyone! June'08: Be
in to win 100 great cycle prize packs with
Auckland
City
Council!
Calling
all cyclists! Auckland City Council is kicking off its third cycle
awareness campaign, ‘Hey! we’re all on the same road’,
encouraging motorists and cyclists to share with care and improve
safety for cyclists on
Auckland
city roads. See http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/news/council/200806/15/a05.asp
for more information on how you, your family and friends can enter
our fantastic competition and stand a chance of winning a cycle
prize pack. Be quick as the competition closes on Monday, 30 June
2008. Prize packs include a backpack, backpack cover, first aid
kit, bicycle tool kit and bike lights.
Auckland
City
council promotes cycling as a fun, healthy and sustainable travel
choice for all.
May'08: The East Auckland mapping project is
starting soon and we'll reward you for your input at the Focus
Groups on Wed, May 21. Learn
more here.
April'08: Have your say on the proposed Fuel Tax, click
here to find out how you can contribute to Cycle Action's
submission to the ARC.
Mar'08: City Bikes are now available in Auckland's CBD,
register now and enjoy the
conveniece of city cycling!
Mar'08: Come along to the
'get across' campaign launch. Hear from a range
of well known Aucklanders, including Hamish Carter, Jo Lawn,
Cameron Brown, Jon Bridges, Mayor Bob Harvey and more, on why they
support the campaign for the walkway/cycleway over the Auckland
Harbour Bridge.
Feb'08: Would you like meet
fellow cyclists by helping out with a bike bus into the CDB from
Takapuna or St Helliers? Learn
more and get involved.
Feb'08: BikeWise week is happening from Saturday
23 February to Sunday 2 March 2008. Find out what's
happening here.
Feb'08: Critical
Mass ride. Friday, 5:30pm Feb 29. For families,
teenages and recreational cyclists. Leaves from Albert park (by
the fountain), goes up Symonds St, onto K Rd, down Pitt St looping
round to Queen St. From there we'll go down Queen to Brittomart,
have a brief stop and head back up Queen St onto Victorian and
then to Fordes bar on Symonds St for a social event.
Jan'08: The next Fundamentals of
Planning and Design for Cycling course will be held in Auckland on
Wed, March 5th 2008. This is a great course for cycle
advocates - you can find out more information at http://viastrada.
co.nz/fundamenta
ls CAN will pay for two members of Cycle Action to
attend this course, you'll need to contact anne@can.org.
nz by 13 Feb 2008.
Jan'08:
The North Western cycleway is scheduled to be closed for
maintenance from Monday, Feb 11. Depending on project
progress (largley determined by the weather) it may reopen on
Wednesday, Feb 13. We'll post updates here as they come to
hand.
Jan'08: Michael West has been
appointed as Cycle
Action's Project Coordinator, a part-time role.
Michael is a former cycle courier, road safety coordinator
(walking and cycling) and passionate commuter cyclist. He has
cycled in a various cycle-friendly cities around the world and
loves to cycle in Auckland, purely because of the "level of
engagement and awareness it requires!". Michael is excited to
be part of Cycle Action and looks forward to helping members
realise visions of Auckland as a cycle friendly city.
Mike can be e-mailed on coordinator@caa.org.nz
Dec'07. Anne Gummer, has been
employed by CAN (The Cycling Advocates' Network) in a new
part-time role as a Project Officer within CAN's Networking
Project. Her role is to support local cycle advocacy groups in the
upper half of the North Island, including Cycle Action Auckland,
and provide them with resources, assistance and advice. She is
working from the Cycle Action office - lower level Freemans Bay Community
Centre, 52 Hepburn St and would love it if people wanted to drop
in for a chat - Anne is in the office from Tues-Fridays during
school term. You can contact her on 378 0953 or by emailing:
anne@can.org.nz
Dec'07: Jon Bridges was on Friday's
National Radio 'Panel Discussion' and gave a very good overview of
the walkway/cycleway situation, which included describing our
Harbour Bridge as "an embarrassment".
Nov'07: We're working hard for a
walkway/cycleway over the Harbour Bridge - if you want to help or
learn more - click here!
Nov'07: The boys at the Bike Central have
been busy and open for business next month, check it out at www.bikecentral.co.nz
Nov'07: Recruiting! We need a coordinator to help manage the office and oversee our
various projects? Can you turn madness into a well oiled efficient
organisation? Then talk to us about this part time role for
the next 3 months.
Oct'07: Our chair, Bevan Woodward attended
the European Transport Conference in Leiden, Holland. What
were the key themes? Find out here.
August'07: We've got a
special Guest speaker for our AGM (Aug 22),
along with some important decisions for you
to help us make! You'll be rewarded with refreshments afterwards.
August'07: It's time to celebrate our
cycling achievements (plus you'll go in the draw to win Ground
Effect gear!) with the SPARC
Cycle Friendly Awards 2007
July'07: Our chair, Bevan Woodward attended
the Transport'07 conference in Christchurch. Was he overcome
with bitumen breath? Did he learn anything? Find
out here!
Click here for more news.
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