Infrastructure the key to Dutch cycling success
In the majority of western countries, car culture has grown at the expense of cycling, according to Streetsblog. But not in Holland. The Dutch chose to develop infrastructure that supported and enhanced the safety and convenience of riding a bike. According to A view from the cycle path, contributor David Hembrow, “Dutch people are empowered to […]
Transport Stats – Sydney vs Vancouver
Following on from our Vancouver Promotes Active Transportation story, we were pleased to see a post recently from The Urbanist, ‘How Does Sydney Compare to Vancouver on Travel’. Vancouver and Sydney are often grouped together when it comes to comparing cities around the globe. Built upon opposite shores of the Pacific Ocean, residents of both cities lead a very […]
Vancouver promotes ‘active transportation’
Due to an innovative planning move by the City of Vancouver, the iconic Burrard Bridge handled about 300,000 bike trips per month between September and November last year, as reported in Streetsblog USA. Thanks to a protected bike path lane and an overhaul of the intersection at one end of the bridge, Burrard Bridge has […]
US Report Card on State cycling
A pro-active and leading authority on bike riding in the US, the League of American Bicyclists, has released its 2015 State Rankings, highlighting which states are doing the most – and the least – to make bicycling a safe and convenient way to get around. Washington must be doing something right as they top the […]
Transport planning for “Millennials”
A recent US survey, presented by Progressive Railroading, found a majority of forward thinking citizens with an environmentally-friendly vision for the future, want access to public transportation options so they don’t have to rely so much on owning and driving a car. According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), they have defined this […]
Hospital Cycling Initiative Reduces Carbon Emissions
Forward thinking, planning and initiative paved the way for the Seattle Children’s Hospital to develop a comprehensive Transportation Plan. According to a well-known American blog – Streetsblog USA, The Seattle Children’s Hospital is leading the way in “Sustainable Healthcare Architecture”. Launched in 2008, “the new target was to reduce the share of commuters who arrive […]
Dutch cycling experts offer advice on road safety
There’s no easy answer to the problems of cycling safety in Australia, but the first order of business is a change in attitude toward cycling and cyclists. This was the observation of Dutch experts, Arie Vijfhuizen and Martijn te Lintelo, recently visiting Australia on a national tour speaking about road safety and cycling, reports the […]
Amsterdam runs out of bicycle parking
It’s a problem that most cities can only imagine…to have exhausted the supply of bike parking! It could only be Amsterdam, a city of 800,000, whose inhabitants own an estimated 880,000 bikes — four times the number of cars in their garages. The ridership statistics are impressive – reportedly 58% of the population use a […]
School Traffic: Looking at reduction options
In the last of our school traffic series, we are taking a look at some of the school traffic congestion alternatives being put forward locally and overseas. The alternatives relate not only to traffic congestion but also how school communities can encourage more active alternatives for children travelling to and from school. In Mosman, Councillor […]
London: Cycling now considered mass transport
Transport for London’s new Cycling Design Standards Policy begins with the words “Cycling is now mass transport and must be treated as such”. Councils in London boroughs are now requiring developers to integrate this approach into their development plans. A recent example is the 250 City Road project which was required to include ample parking […]
Adding HEAT to transport planning
Photo Credit: For best results, ride hot and slow. (Getty Images) via Bicycling.com For planners and politicians convincing the public of the need to expand cycleways and walking paths is not always an easy sell. For various reasons be it cost, impact on road users or inconvenience in public spaces, urban and transport planners often […]
Paris plans car free city centre
Photo credit: Christopher Thomond for The Guardian The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo has announced plans to reduce traffic and pollution by converting the city centre to a primarily pedestrian and bicycle zone, in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche. Hidalgo wants to tackle the level of pollution in Paris with a view […]
Repurposing roads and cycleways for renewable energy
In the Netherlands the first SolaRoad will open this week. The SolaRoad experiment is using a 100 metre stretch of cycleway to test whether solar power generated from these types of roads could “eventually be used for street lighting, traffic systems, electric cars and even households.” With 35,000 kilometres of cycleways and over 18 million […]
Brisbane’s Priority Cycle Crossing
In an effort to improve safety for cyclists along a notorious stretch of road, the Queensland government and Brisbane City Council are working together on a trial which will give cyclists priority crossing areas along the North Brisbane Bikeway. As reported in the Courier Mail, the crossings include a raised platform and the use of […]
IKEA tries urban stores with No Parking
IKEA is making a foray into the urban market with a number of new “city” stores that have smaller footprints and no parking provision. It sounds improbable if not impossible, given that the mainstay of IKEA inventory is the DIY flat packs which could be rather difficult to carry home on the bus, train or […]
Executive Cycle Suit sans Lycra
For cyclists, the home to office commute will now be even more efficient, with the latest business suit technology available from the US. Using Australian 135 Performance wool (breathable, moisture and odour resistant, and a little bit stretchy), San Francisco-based company Parker Dusseau has designed the “Commuter Suit”. It is designed to move like cyclists […]
Melbourne cyclists face parking shortages
Melbourne cyclists are growing in number, but the facilities to accommodate them have not kept pace. As reported in the The Age last month, the City of Melbourne has estimated that cyclists currently make up 15% of morning peak commuter traffic, a significant increase since 2006, when estimated at only 4%. Bicycle Network Victoria spokesperson, […]
Beautiful engineering creates cycling heaven in The Netherlands
There’s no shortage of cycle-friendly stories coming out of Europe, and we love sharing them with you. This recent post from Treehugger should provide both inspiration and aspiration for other cities and urban planners that are working on cycling solutions. The Hovenring is the first elevated cycle roundabout in the world. Commissioned by the Dutch […]
Bogotá leads the way with a car-free week
This story from Treehugger is a great follow up to our recent post featuring former Mayor, Enrique Peñalosa and his inspiring TED Talk on creating cities of the future. Peñalosa was responsible for Bogotá’s first car-free day back in 2000, which was subsequently approved as an annual event. Last week marked a new first in […]
The Greening of Hamburg
A team of 30 city planners in Hamburg, Germany are working on a massive project that is sure to keep Hamburg in the list of one of Europe’s most sustainable cities. A previous winner of the European Green Capital award in 2011, Hamburg has recently announced ambitious plans for reshaping the city centre over the next […]
Invisible bike helmet on show
Last month, the Sydney Morning Herald brought us news of the “invisible” bike helmet. Well, it’s not really invisible — it just isn’t worn where you normally think a helmet would be worn! You may struggle to find it in the photo, because it is cleverly disguised as fashionable neckwear. The project started out as […]
New technology could make streetlamps obsolete
A new technology is being trialled in the UK that could make standard street lighting a thing of the past. Surrey-based company Pro-Teq has come up with a product aptly named “Starpath” which is a photo-luminescent surface material that can be applied to roads and footpaths. The particles in the material absorb sun during daylight […]
Reclaiming your city – lessons from the transformation of NYC
Here’s an inspiring and interesting TED talk from Janette Sadik-Khan, the Transportation Commissioner of New York City, sharing her strategy for transforming urban areas into a place for people. In the space of five years, New York has been reclaimed by the people thanks to some bold moves in the area of transport and planning. […]
Sydney bike lanes to absorb some parking spaces
Not everyone will be happy with the NSW government’s new City Centre Access Strategy, and that is expected when dealing with complex transport issues, multiple stakeholders, and the fixed infrastructure in a city the size of Sydney. The Sydney Morning Herald reports this week that planned expansion of bike lanes will be particularly detrimental to […]
Pedal power cleverly promoted
We came across this great infographic recently, which we have already shared via our newsletter. Created in the US, this visually appealing work entitled “Pedal Power” gives some interesting statistics on the growth of cycling, as well as some of the many benefits to our health, our economy, and of course, our planet…Enjoy! Source: http://onlinemastersinpublichealth.com/
Cycling called unprofessional?
Just when you thought you had heard it all…this story coming out of Treehugger about a Vancouver woman who was ticketed for parking her bike on a bike rack outside her place of work. The offense? It seems the owner of the building, Cadillac Fairview, was intending that the racks were for “casual users”, not […]
Bi(re)cycling
Love your old bike but can’t seem to part with it? Another gem from Treehugger brings us an innovative way to keep your trusty companion with you forever. Austrian designer, Andreas Scheiger has created a recycled product that is sure to be a hit with the cycling community, who may be looking for ways to […]
Contender for the cycling hazard of the year!
And one more item on the cycling theme….a parking ticket seems rather insignificant compared to some things cyclists have to put up with! Another story just in from Brazil (via Treehugger), check out what Sao Paolo cyclists met on their way to work – a wall, constructed overnight without warning which completely obstructed the bike […]
Leicester opens bicycle park
A secure cycle parking facility in the centre of Leicester has been reopened under new management after a year-long refurbishment programme. The Bike Park, which is located beneath Leicester Town Hall, incorporates showers, lockers and a bike shop as well as parking spaces for 110 bikes. According to the BBC, the premises were refurbished at […]
…as Monorail’s planned demolition calls for higher line
Due to be demolished to make way for the redevelopment of Darling Harbour, Sydney’s monorail has seen significant debate over what should happen to the structure once dismantled. Landscape architect David Vago has drawn up a plan to take inspiration from New York’s famous High Line (see our blog post about the High Line here!), […]