Bikestorage proud to complete first bike hubs in Sydney
In what we believe is a first for NSW www.bikestorage.com.au has recently completed two bicycle parking hubs for Parramatta City Council. The innovative hubs feature a mixture of wall hung and ground mounted racks, lockers, a lock stop, swipe card entry, seats and custom fitted security cages. There are also bathrooms for bike commuters to use. The members only facility is only $20 a month. Visit www.parracity.nsw.gov.au/securebikeparking for more information
Mayors get on their bikes
Wet and miserable weather did little to deter Mayors from around NSW's Central Western region who collectively got on their pushbikes, electric bikes and recumbents to do a lap of Bathurst's famous Mt Panorama motorway in late July. It was all part of a conference aimed at 'Recharing the Region' via innovative transport, energy, water use and commmunity solutions.
Calling all single speed fans
If you're quick there's still time to catch the 'Fixed Up @ The Galeries' a celebration of Sydney's fixed gear bike culture at The Galeries - 500 George Street - Sydney. The exhibition has fixed gear bicycle installations, paraphenalia and lots of pics. It's on until 15 August 2010.
US Bicycle Commuter Act
While Australians may think of Americans as being solely fixated on cars as their way to get around Americans have moved much closer than Australians from a legal point of view to legitimising the bicycle as a way to commute to work with the Bicycle Commuter Act. This Act has given employers the freedom to recognise their cyclist commuter employees by providing them with a tax free monthly reimbursement of $20 per month. Although it is hardly going to make anyone rich and is designed to help cyclists with their commuting costs the Act enshrines the role of the bicycle as a legitimate travel mode that deserves government support. Source:http://www.bikeleague.org/news/100708faq.php
Complete Streets Movement growing in the US
Still in the US, the Complete Street movement has grown to include 43 jurisdictions. The idea is 'to provide safe and accessible design for all modes of travel, instead of focusing solely on automobiles'. Complete Streets policies offer one way for a city, region, or state to safely provide multimodal access. From 1971 through 2009, there have been 121 complete streets policies adopted by various agencies, a figure that continues to grow each month. Cyclists and pedestrians are considered in road design and operation standards aiming to 'ensure that safe travel options exist for all users.' http://www.walkinginfo.org/15_year_report/
Park your ....thongs?!*
Here at www.bikestorage.com.au we see a lot of twisted bits locked to all kinds of bicycle parking racks but they are usually recognisable as being part of a bike before thieves and vandals had their way. Out on a job replacing old racks recently we had a chuckle when we came across a pair of thongs carefully locked to a chain. We're not sure how secure these thongs are but it's thumbs up for innovative use of a rack.
What's the difference between traditional bicycle parking and best practice secure bike parking?
Best practice bicycle parking puts the users' needs at the centre of bicycle parking design and installation. Traditional bike parking infrastructure typically approaches bicycle parking with the idea 'if you put a rack or two in that should do it!'. Examples of poor infrastructure include racks that only support the bicycle at one point (ie. only the front wheel or only the frame) and don't allow the bicycle's wheels and frames to be locked to the rack. The location of cycle parking is key to its success. Correct spacing of racks is also critical to allow ease of access. Cramped conditions will deter users from using the facility. A wholistic approach taking into account cyclists' needs will ensure success and a best practice facility.
Want to know how six towns in one country got a 27% increase in cycling?
Cycling England chose six towns in England (Aylesbury, Brighton & Hove, Darlington, Derby, Exeter, Lancaster with Morecombe) and studied what happened when you invested in cycling and developed locally specific plans. With a total investment of 10 pounds per head - compared to the average investment of 70 pence per head (mostly spent on poor infrastructure) cycling numbers soon skyrocketed. The study also discovered that town wide physical activity increased. The three crucial ingredients for cycling success were discovered to be: consistent political leadership coupled with a determination to champion sustainable travel; sustained investment over time; a combination of investment in both infrastructure and smarter choice measures. Cycling England's study also showed that infrastructure worth one million pounds only needs to convert 109 people to cycling regularly to reap payback in health, congestion and pollution benefits. Source: http://www.dft.gov.uk/cyclingengland/cycling-cities-towns/results/
Good Bike Parking Ettiquette Makes for Happy Relations
Parking your bike correctly can help keep your bike intact and keep other cyclists, pedestrians and road users happy. Perhaps the worst faux pax is to lock your bike inadvertently to somebody else's bike. Ensure it is not blocking the footpath in any way and is attached securely to its support. Using racks that meet Australian standards means that your bike will be well supported and less likely to fall over or to have a wheel jutting out causing an OH&S danger to others.
It will also mean your bike is safer.
Bike thief extraordinairre gets nicked - after 3000 bicycles
In what has to be a world record for stealing bikes Canadian Igor Kenk was found to have around 3000 bikes stashed in warehouses, garages and his home. He paid people in cash or drugs to steal for him. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Police Officer Aaron Dennis said that 528 bikes had been returned to their owners. "We don't often get the opportunity to make so many people happy by returning their stolen property. It was the biggest investigation I've been involved with in my 20 years on the service."
Source: www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2009/12/15/12164496.html
Copenhagenites love cycling
Copenhagen has invested close to $US50 million over the past three years in bicycle lanes and making cycling safer. Around 37 percent of the population cycles to work or study which the city hopes to boost to 50 percent by 2015. Klaus Bondam, Copenhagen's Technical and Environmental Chief says that cycling's popularity has something to do with the high tax on cars - in the 1930s and 1940s working class people couldn't afford cars. He also says the benefits of cycling over driving cars include: pollution and noise decline; public health improvements and a feeling of increased safety in a city when people walk or cycle. Source: www.moneycontrol.com/news/current-affairs/bicycle-friendly-copenhagen-model-for-big-cities-430964.html
Melbourne leads Sydney in numbers of women commuting by bicycle
US Academic and Transport Expert John Pucher said the numbers of women cycling provided a litmust test for cycling safety (Sydney Morning Herald 13-14 March 2010 page 1) and Melbourne was doing much better with women making up 25% of bike commuters compared to Sydney's 17%. In Denmark the figure is 45% while the Netherlands comes in at a spectacular 55%.
Scots urged to 'get on their bikes'
Five million pounds will be spent in Scotland to get 10% of the population of the targeted areas on bicycles.
"Cycling is cheap, healthy and quick for short journeys,"
Scotland's Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, Stewart Stevenson was reported as saying in bikeradar.com. The aim is also to cut carbon emmissions by 500,000 tonnes.
New Bike Parking facilities installed at the ABC
bikestorage.com.au recently fitted out the ABC's head office in Ultimo with an innovative bicycle parking facility. The best practice facility boasts a range of racks contained in fencing, an air compressor, a clothes line, a workbench with tools and a work stand. Pic Right: Part of the new bicycle parking facility.
Scots urged to 'get on their bikes'
Five million pounds will be spent in Scotland to get 10% of the population of the targeted areas on bicycles.
"Cycling is cheap, healthy and quick for short journeys,"
Scotland's Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change, Stewart Stevenson was reported as saying in bikeradar.com. The aim is also to cut carbon emmissions by 500,000 tonnes.
City of Sydney Cyclists Celebrate
The opening of the city's first dedicated cycleway in May 2009 has given Sydney's cyclists a reason to smile. It's part of a staged development which will link bicycle commuters travelling to and from the inner west to the city. It's all part of the City of Sydney's Cycle Strategy and Action Plan which aims to increase the number of bicycle trips made in the City of Sydney from less than 2% of total trips in 2006 to 10% by 2016.
Free cycle training for NSW Councils, Community Groups and Employers
Do you want to encourage more people to ride at your workplace but for many it's a daunting prospect?
Maybe you have occasional riders who want to develop their cycling skills? Or experienced riders who
want to learn more? For a limited time free cycle training delivered by benchmark training organisation
AustCycle is available to organisations via the NSW
Department of Environment and Climate Change. Each voucher is worth $360 (plus GST). For more info
contact DECC at OnYourBike@environment.nsw.gov.au
Tax Incentives for Cycling to Work?
Tax incentives for those riding their bikes to work in the UK mean that cyclists can claim 20p per mile. Under a plan proposed by Bicycle Victoria, employees could be given an incentive to ride to work by being able to claim $1500 off the bicycle cost and riding equipment 'The Age' reports. http://www.theage.com.au/national/four-steps-to-tackle-global-warming-right-now-20080802-3p0c.html?page=-1/
New Bicycle Storage Areas on Roads
'Bicycle storage areas' are being created at some NSW intersections allowing cyclists to wait ahead of the traffic safely when stopped at lights. Car drivers face penalties for being in a bike storage area at lights.
For more info visit http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregulations/roadrules/2008nswrrulechanges.html/
Cycle Friendly Workplaces Lead The Way
Mountain Goat boutique brewery provides a subsidy of $200 a year and $1.50 per day bonus payment to employees who ride into work reports the November/December 2008 issue of 'Australian Cyclist'. The magazine also reports that Ikea gave away around 70 000 bicycles to employees a few years ago.
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