Cycle Friendly Awards 2010

Cycle Friendly Awards 2010 

Media Release

The annual cycle-friendly awards are upon us again! This year’s nominations have yielded a bumper crop of exemplary projects and cycling champions. The judges were hard pressed to select the best from among so many strong nominations: Competition was so close that several categories produced more than the usual three finalists.

Each finalist receives a certificate of accomplishment, and the overall winner for each category takes home the coveted bike bell trophy. In addition, Avanti Cycles has donated a Spirit Cycle to be raffled to one of the lucky five overall winners.

The awards ceremony is open to the public without reservation or ticketing. It will be held at the Wellington City Council Chambers on Friday 29 October starting at 5:30 PM. Wellington Regional Council Chair Fran Wilde will officiate, with Glen Koorey of CAN as MC. For more information, see http://can.org.nz/asb-cycle-friendly-awards-2010

During the two days following the ceremony, Cycling Advocates’ Network annual Can Do cycle advocates get-together will be held in Lower Hutt. Anyone is welcome to this valuable opportunity for meeting other cycle advocates and sharing ideas and enthusiasm. Just register at http://can.org.nz/can-do-2010  

Details on all 19 finalists are provided below. To contact individual nominees, you can send emails for forwarding to awards@can.org.nz

Avanti Best Cycle Facility Project

For transport infrastructure projects which promote cycling and a cycle-friendly environment. Examples include new cycle ways, cycle parking facilities, or general roading projects. Projects are typically undertaken by local or central government agencies.

Bikes in Schools

St Mary's School, Hastings

Contact: Elizabeth Crowley, Principal, stmarys.hastings@xtra.co.nz

Description: Bikes in Schools is a unique project that provides all pupils at a primary school regular access to a bike, helmet and specially designed bike tracks within the school environment. The aim is to encourage pupils to become active and healthy, develop bike skills, and build self esteem and confidence.

Kingsland Cycleway

NZTA

Contact: Scott Wickman, scott.wickman@nzta.govt.nz

Description: This project provides the “missing link” in the Northwestern cycleway through a new 1.2km stretch of off-road cycleway alongside State Highway 16. The new facility replaces the existing on-road cycle route, marked by steep terrain and narrow streets, and serves a large and diverse catchments area spanning Waitakere and Auckland.

Te Rewa Rewa bridge

New Plymouth District Council

Contact: Mayor Peter Tennent, peter.tennent@npdc.govt.nz

Description: New Plymouth’s new iconic Te Rewa Rewa Bridge and Coastal Walkway extension have linked the city and the suburb of Bell Block. As well as being breathtakingly beautiful, the bridge and new 3km section provide cyclists with a safe off-road route for commuting and exercising beside the wild Tasman Sea.

Canterbury District Health Board Best Cycling Promotion Project

For education or encouragement efforts which promote cycling and a cycle-friendly environment. Examples include publicity campaigns, school education programmes, or promotional cycling events.

Active a2b

Greater Wellington Regional Council

Contact: Claire Pascoe Claire.pascoe@gw.govt.nz

Description: Active a2b was a health and wellbeing programme aimed at getting more people walking and cycling to work in Wellington CBD. Using social support, challenges, events and useful tools, Active a2b achieved a significant increase in trips by bike. For regular drivers, cycling trips increased from 4.6% to 14.4% of commuting journeys.

Auckland Cycle Style - an evening of fabulous bikes & fashion

Frocks on Bikes (Auckland chapter)

Description: Over 450 people braved a mid-winter evening to attend a unique show of stylish bikes and fashion at Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour. Guests were treated to valet bike parking, wine and gourmet canapés, invited to try out Copenhagen- style and everyday bikes and were treated to a Cycle Style fashion show.

Cruise the Waterfront                         

Cycle Aware Wellington

Contact: Patrick Morgan Patrick@can.org.nz

Description: Cruise the Waterfront campaign: Wellington cyclists are cleaning up their act with a courtesy campaign aimed at curbing bad biking behaviour on the waterfront. The campaign includes a printed courtesy code, events, a video, news releases, bell giveaways and a grand prize of a cruise to Kapiti Island.

Selwyn Bikewise Month

Selwyn District Council

Contact: Lee Wright Lee.wright@selwyn.govt.nz

Description: Selwyn Bikewise Month is all about lifting cycling’s profile and getting even more Selwynites to realise or re-discover how enjoyable and convenient it is.  Events have a heavy emphasis on fun, and they are designed to suit anyone.  Within Selwyn district we really, truly want to increase the use of cycling as a recreational and transport option for adults and children. 

NZ Transport Agency Cycle Friendly Commitment by a Business 

For companies that have encouraged and supported cycling by staff, customers and clients. Examples include cyclist parking / changing facilities, employee support and incentive programmes, and company 'pool' bikes. Nominations cover both general businesses and those directly involved in the bicycle industry.

Green Bikes

Sustainable Whanganui

Contact: John Milnes  jmilnes@callplus.net.nz

Details: Whanganui Green Bikes is run by Hadi Gurton, manager, and Jonah Marinovich, workshop supervisor. Cycles are donated to Green Bikes where they are made roadworthy and sold for a nominal price. Green Bikes promotes and supports cycling events, cycle safety, and awareness of the benefits of cycling.

Mammachari Bicycles

Wellington 

Contact: Jason Penny, jason@mamachari.co.nz
Description: Mamacharis are second-hand, upright bicycles from Japan. Mamachari Bicycles' mission is to re-normalise everyday cycling in NZ by refurbishing and selling stylish bikes to people looking for a comfortable ride. Mamachari bicycles are a chic way of getting about your daily life - suit, skirt, heels and all.

New Cycling Postie uniform and driveway safety postcard

NZ Post

Contact: Jon Murchison jon.murchison@nzpost.co.nz

Description: Of New Zealand Post’s 2,300 Posties, 80% use bicycles for delivering mail. This makes them particularly vulnerable to cars on the road and backing out of driveways. In the last 12 months we had 55 incidents involving Posties and vehicles – of these almost 70% involved our cycling Posties.

Nextbikes as free public transport

Contact & Nominator: Julian Hulls, julian@nextbike.co.nz 

Description: Registered riders can do x1 ride, up to 30 minutes per day and relocate the bike to another rack within central Auckland for free. Rides are made possible by the advertising partners that appear on the bikes. These include Hubbards’ Cereals, Resene Paints, Contact Energy, Monteiths’ Cider and Open Polytechnic.

Revolve down to earth cycling for women

Revolve Training

Contact: Ashley Burgess, ashley@revolvetraining.co.nz

Description: Revolve's vision is to promote participation, develop self-confidence, and elevate enjoyment in women's cycling.  It’s mission therefore is to provide a range of free or low cost programmes, clinics, group rides, and events within the community that encourage and enhance women's participation in cycling.

ViaStrada Cycle Friendly Commitment by a Public Organisation   

For public or government organisations that encourage and support cycling. Examples include cyclist parking / changing facilities, employee support and incentive programmes.

Belmont Schoolcycle to school programme

Belmont Intermediate School

Contact: Principal, Justin Sommerville, istone@belmontint.school.nz

Description: The Auckland Region is known for its high levels of traffic congestion, concentrated around the school day. 20% of traffic is estimated to be school related. Belmont Intermediate has bucked the trend by actively promoting cycling to school by its students. It is a role model for the region in consistently achieving exceptionally high numbers of cyclists.

Making Hawke’s Bay the Walking and Cycling Capital of New Zealand

Hastings District Council

Contact: Cheryl Paget cherylp@hdc.govt.nz

Description: Considerable momentum has built up for years to make Hawkes Bay what it is - the Walking and Cycling Capital of New Zealand. HDC has invested a great deal of energy to making cycling a fun, healthy or competitive activity and a viable alternative to the car for our community. 

Various Cycling Projects

Greater Wellington Regional Council

Contact: Simon Kennett simon.kennett@gw.govt.nz

Description: The past year has seen renewed commitment by Greater Wellington Regional Council to cycling as a mode transport and recreational pastime. As well as supporting cycling in-house, the council has pursued several region-wide initiatives. These include sponsorships of everyday cycling events, the Active a2b workplace travel project, the cycling and walking journey planner, bus driver workshops, the Regional Active Transport Forum, cycling in regional parks and along the Hutt River Trail, support for cycle skills training, advocacy for cycle safety and much more.  

Greater Wellington Regional Council Cycling Champion of the Year

For contributions made by individual New Zealanders for the promotion of cycling.

Carl Whittleston

New Plymouth District Council

Contact Person: Mayor Peter Tennent, peter.tennent@npdc.govt.nz

Description: Carl has a passion for promoting active modes of transport both within his organisation and with his peers and friends. What he has undertaken through his work as a roading engineer within the NPDC’s Roading Team has had a significant effect on the cycling infrastructure throughout the New Plymouth District. Plus his enthusiasm for cycling and its benefits to society was instrumental in the District’s success in obtaining the Model Communities funding from the NZTA.

Iris Thomas 

Kids Can Ride

Description: Iris Thomas of Cycle Action Tauranga (CAT) recognised the need for the community to become more involved and accepting of the need to change their mode of transport in the area. Iris Thomas was a founding member of CAT and was passionate about cycle safety education and encouraging a ‘love’ of cycling.

 “Kids Can Ride” is an Iris Thomas and Tauranga City initiative which is achieving its aims - to promote safe cycling through professional education, awareness and practical skills development offered to all Tauranga primary schools.

Paul McArdle and Meg Frater 

Bike On NZ

Description: Paul McArdle and Meg Frater have applied their energy towards a simple goal: more people biking, more often. Projects such as Bikes in Schools, Police on Bikes, T-BO and Bike On Flaxmere have made headlines, raised funds, been endorsed by the Prime Minister, and most importantly, got more people

biking

Sarah Christian 

Road Cycling New Zealand Ltd. 

Contact: Sarah Christian, sarah@roadcycling.co.nz,

Description: RoadCycling.co.nz is a website set up by two Kiwis who believed Kiwi cyclists deserved more recognition. The mission “shine the light on Kiwi cycling success”.  Unfunded, Sarah has sourced, written and published close to 1,000 articles about Kiwi cyclists, which were read by 158,000 different people during the awards period.

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