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By admin, March 29, 2013

If you are passionate about Auckland becoming a cycling city, you are invited to this year’s conference of CAN (Cycling Advocates’ Network) held right here in our fair city!

CAN Do 2013:

Inspiring change – mainstreaming cycling

April 13 & 14, Central Auckland – see full programme and registration form.

NZ Cycling Advocates taking part in CAN Do 2008

CAN Do 2013 offers challenging, provocative guest speakers analyzing and demonstrating:

• how to get cycling on the map and in the media,
• how to communicate cycling messages so the cycling voice gets heard,
• how government and local agencies want to collaborate with and partner us as key cycling stakeholders
• culture change and mainstream cycling
• how to turn NZ into a cycling nation.

The programme includes:

• Media training & how to use social media
• Projects you can take to your school, local board, councillor
• what makes cycling initiatives successful,
• good catering along with the chance to influence how cycling advocacy will be shaped for the next 12 months.
• The CAN AGM. You may enjoy a role within the CAN national Exec. (Join CAN to be eligible to stand for the CAN committee).
• A fun 2 or 3 day bike ride, including trains, a shuttle and the best part of the Hauraki Rail Trail. Leaving Auckland Mon 14.

So if you work on, or advocate for cycling, this is where you want to be in mid-April! And if you are a known ally of CAA, you may even qualify to have your attendance fee paid for.

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By admin, November 26, 2012

Some 2 years ago now, CAA submitted on the 10 year plan for road safety in New Zealand, the Safer Journey’s Strategy. We supported the high-level strategy of “safe systems” (i.e. safe roads and roadsides, safe speeds, safe vehicles and safe road use). But we were also disappointed that government saw walking and cycling as only a medium priority area.

Mmmh, what country is this safety strategy for, again? Surely not the one where fear of injury has been named in surveys as the prime factor why people won’t give cycling a go?

Well, cycling still remains only a “medium” priority. And when you read the Action Plan for the current 2 years, on cycling there still seems to be a strong focus on education (and a lot of it on education of cyclists), and not enough on infrastructure (where are our “safe roads and roadsides”, please?).

CAN, the umbrella organisation for cycling advocacy in NZ, also raised a number of key concerns with the current Action Plan.

Their submission particularly highlights the lack of progress on reducing speeds, and reducing alcohol limits. There are also interesting specific (but potentially very important) items like finally getting European-style regulations for “under-run protection” equipment on trucks (so cyclists are more likely to be shunted to the side rather than trapped under the wheels during accidents).

So do you feel cycling has gotten safer? Road fatalities in total have been dropping quite a bit over the last decade. Cycling fatalities have stayed roughly the same, at around 10 a year. With cycling growing, that could be argued as a small success. But until most everyday New Zealanders agree that it feels safe to ride, we won’t be there yet.

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By Pippa, September 10, 2012

Guest post from Frocks on Bikes

Tweed is so the thing for all our frockfabuloso peeps out there. It is sweeping the globe as the ‘must do’ cyclecentric event and is soooo ‘now’. What’s more, the Auckland tweed run starts with brunch … how can you resist?

The Auckland Tweed Run – also celebrating 3 years of 40 km/h on Ponsonby Road – will be happening:

• When: at 11 am Sunday 16th September,
• Where: starting with brunch at T Whites Everyday Bikes (The 2nd Hand Bike Shop) with free scones, champagne etc

The ride will then take a leisurely route through the Grey Lynn / Ponsonby area with a stop for a trim cappi frappy latte coffee … in Ponsonby, of course!

Check it out on Facebook!

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By Max, May 2, 2012

By Bevan Woodward, AHB Pathway Trustee and Project Director

Following NZTA‘s agreement on the structural feasibility of the AHB Pathway, the proposal’s future is now in Auckland Council’s hands.

At their next meeting on May 15, Auckland Council’s Transport Committee will decide whether or not to support the Pathway project. Council support and funding through the LTP will enable full investigation of the proposal, including further design and local consultation.

Project Director Bevan Woodward says that the AHB Pathway Trust has identified a potential private funder and a naming rights sponsor. “The project now requires seed funding from Council of $2 million to cover the pre-construction costs. However these costs can be capitalised and reimbursed to Council by the project’s external funders once construction begins.”

The AHB Pathway Trust believes the Pathway can be built at minimal or no cost to Auckland Council, and the revenue projections show Council receiving dividends from the Pathway’s toll revenue in return for underwriting some of the project risk, with the majority of the project risk carried by the private debt and equity funders.

Bevan says he hopes Council chooses to support the Pathway given that NZTA has agreed it’s structurally feasible and won’t affect future bridge traffic in any way.

“It’s up to Council to carry through the benefits for Auckland and continue the positive progress made so far. The Pathway will have significant long-term tourism, commuting and recreational benefits for Auckland. With Council’s support it is possible that we can start construction next year.”

Since May 2011, NZTA and the AHB Pathway Trust have committed significant resources to identify and finalise the optimal design for a walking and cycling Pathway on the Auckland Harbour Bridge. As NZTA has said that funding for the Pathway won’t be available through the National Land Transport Programme, the Pathway Trust proposes that construction and operation is overseen by a Public Private Partnership (PPP) with Auckland Council and private funders.

The Pathway’s construction and operations will be funded by revenue from a toll on users and the sale of naming rights to the Pathway.

Bevan Woodward

AHB Pathway Trustee and Project Director
bevan.woodward@betterworldnz.com
Mobile: 021 122 6040

More information about the pathway at www.getacross.org.nz

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By jenan, March 18, 2012

Our very own Barb Insull – Frocker, Roadie, and CAA committee secretary – is currently sitting on the Board of BikeNZ.  She would like to invite everyone to the BikeNZ Roadshow – travelling NZ and in Auckland tomorrow night.

6-8pm Monday 19 March