Best cycling projects and champions announced – CAN
Best cycling projects and champions announced – CAN
New Zealand’s best cycling projects, campaigns and champions were announced at the 2 Walk and Cycle Conference in Hastings today.
The finalists were applauded for their contributions to making cycling a fun, safe everyday activity for all New Zealanders.
The Department of Conservation and NZTA banded together to provide world class cycling and walking paths between Fox and Franz Josef glaciers. The success of this effort along with the techniques learned hold promise for better access to all of New Zealand’s Parks.
Hastings’ iWay Share the Road campaign reminded us to share the road safely and courteously. Many cyclists also drive cars; they are teachers in our schools, fire fighters, police, labourers and even mayors. We all get ahead when we all get along.
Auckland’s cyclists led the way with their stunning Harbour Bridge Project. Government’s original reservations were overcome by the creativity, professionalism and sheer determination of the community to make all our lives safer and better.
Hastings’ iWay project is an example of how our cities and towns can move to meet the future. Changing circumstances will see more of us on foot, bicycle and public transport more often in the future. Hastings is pioneering how this can be done in ways which make us all glad for the opportunities.
In the cycling champion category, Steven Muir of Christchurch showed us all that we can do so much more. Steven raises a family, works full time and has still managed to offer bicycle trailer kits, bikes for low decile communities, organise free repairs, and run New Zealand’s first fossil fuel-free multisport event.
1. MWH award for Best Cycle Facility Project
Te Ara a Waiau Walkway / Cycleway & Te Weheka Walkway / Cycleway (Fox and Franz Glaciers Access Project) – Dept. of Conservation, NZTA
Contact: [email protected]
The Franz Josef and Fox Glacier shared walking and cycling tracks are the first of their kind in New Zealand. Using innovative planning, design and construction methods they have provided a high quality, fit-for-purpose solution that greatly enhances the visitor experience and heralds a new approach to accessing areas of the country’s 2.5 million hectares of National Parks.
2. NZTA award for Best Cycling Promotion Project
i-Way Share the Road Campaign – Hastings District Council
Contact: Owen Mata, [email protected]
The “Share the Road” media campaign was created as part of the Hastings iWay programme, to promote tolerance and better understanding between road users by moving the debate away from a “them and us” type confrontation. Safety concerns have been identified as the top reasons preventing more people cycling. A review of worldwide Share the Road campaigns and cycling literature showed that a strongly emotive – but positive – message is most effective in addressing some of the dangerous behaviour seen by both drivers and cyclists. The Hastings campaign emphasises that cyclists are often car drivers as well, by showing them in both these roles. Through posters, billboards, newspaper and radio ads it promotes a variety of real local cyclists, using their occupations and relationships in order to portray them as members of a caring community – “Lets look out for each other”
3. Dunedin City Council award for Cycle Friendly Commitment by a Business
Auckland Harbour Bridge – Copeland/Airey
Contacts: Barry Copeland, [email protected]
Roger Twiname, [email protected]
Airey Consultants, engineers, and Copelands Associates, architects are jointly responsible for the creation of a structurally feasible and architecturally stunning concept design for the Auckland Harbour Bridge Pathway. As well as providing a break-through creative and structural solution to the critical issue of access on the bridge, their directors and staff have shown a passionate commitment to the wider issues involved, contributing thousands of hours of voluntary and pro-bono advocacy in addition to their professional work.
4. Auckland Transport award for Cycle Friendly Commitment by a Public Organisation
i-Way Model Communities project – Hastings District Council
Contact: Owen Mata [email protected]
Since 1 July 2010 The Hastings District Council, led by Mayor Lawrence Yule, have implemented their joint NZTA / HDC funded $6.4m Model Communities project to create a successful biking and walking city that is a example to the rest of NZ. By delivering both new quality infrastructure and clever behaviour change programs, Hastings is fast becoming the NZ city where biking and walking is easy, safe and fun. The success of this project encourages and enables NZTA and local authorities to fund and implement similar projects around NZ. The positive impact for cycling has the potential to create better cycling environments through out NZ.
5. iWay award for Cycling Champion of the Year
Steven Muir – Cycle Trailers, IceCycles, Fossil Free Event
Contact: Steven Muir [email protected]
Steven helps hundreds of people in Christchurch make more trips by bike, more often.
Since 2005 he has made 180 bike trailers. His supermarket challenges demonstrated how time-efficient shopping by bike and trailer is.
http://www.cycletrailers.co.nz/challenge07.pdf
Over the past year he has taken over the organisation of “ICECycles”, a bike maintenance workshop and bike giveaway service in a low decile area. To date there have been 7 workshops. http://www.cycletrailers.co.nz/icecycles.htm
Steven provided 3 bikes to Karanga Mai Young Parent College. Karanga Mai Young Parent College bikes.pdf
Recently Steven organised the world’s first fossil fuel free triathlon. http://www.cycletrailers.co.nz/multisport.pdf
Steven continues to loan out his clean green limousine – a tandem for airport pickups for up to four passengers, complete with a luggage trailer and folding bikes.
http://www.cycletrailers.co.nz/limo.pdf
6. Joint Walking and Cycling Award
This award is for any project, promotion or facility that enables more people to walk or cycle more often, for recreational and or utility purposes. These projects recognise that people have different physical abilities and needs, and provides people with real recreation or transport choices.
Let’s Go – Walk Ride Bus – New Plymouth District Council
Description: The Let’s Go project is tasked with an outcome of making walking and cycling an easier choice for some of our daily trips. Our Let’s Go brand is an invitation to our community to get out and give walking, cycling or taking the bus a go.
Contact: [email protected]
CAN contact: Patrick Morgan 027 563 4733
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