17 December 2007- The government's new transport target to increase cycling and walking to 30% of all trips by 2040 is welcome, but needs to happen much sooner, says Cycling Advocates Network (CAN) spokesperson Stephen McKernon.
This week the Minister of Transport Annette King announced the National Transport Strategy's combined target for walking and cycling is 30% of all trips by 2040, almost double the present figure. To help meet this target, the budget for walking and cycling will more than double to $28 million over the next ten years.
Mr McKernon says the 30% target and increased funding reflect the increasing importance of modes that are healthy, responsible, safe and economical for people within the wider community.
But the proposal also poses significant issues.
"CAN would like to see the 30% target met in ten years, not 33. We cannot afford to move slowly on this," says McKernon. "New Zealand's climate change, health, urban design and transport problems are all urgent reasons to increase support for walking and cycling. CAN suggests three intermediate targets for 2017: that 20% of trips are carried out by cycle, that cycling is positively perceived by most people, and that most cyclists are satisfied with their experiences of cycling."
"A more sustainable transport system will require integration of central and local government strategies across all sectors, including health, housing and regional development. It's not just a case of having a 30% target for 2040, but of making sure the full benefits of walking and cycling are realised in quality of life for the whole community. The national walking and cycling strategy (Getting There - on Foot, by Cycle) should be used to set intermediate targets and to ensure these are realised in actual projects. In particular, the Model Communities initiative provides a framework for learning how to integrate these different strategies," says McKernon.
NZ CYCLING CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS NOW ONLINE
Monday, 7 January 2008
Monday, 27 August 2007
Get away from traffic, get healthy, get on your bike! A London Example
Cycling is a convenient and low cost way to get around and lets you fit exercise into your daily routine. Riding a bike for 20 to 30 minutes three times a week will meet the Chief Medical Officer’s recommended minimum level of weekly physical activity.
Did you know a four mile trip in London takes on average 40 minutes by car, 30 minutes by public transport and 22 minutes by bicycle.
Interesting site to learn about cycling as a form of transport in a large city.
Thursday, 23 August 2007
Feetbeat - Physical activity programme
FEETBEAT STARTS 10 SEPTEMBER 2007, ENTRIES TO BE RECEIVED BY 6 SEPTEMBER 2007.
Feetbeat is an eight week physical activity programme organized by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) to encourage employees to exercise.
The goal of the programme is to encourage people to do 30 minutes per day of physical activity to support good health and wellbeing.
Teams of up to eight participants commit to the programme and document their combined distances of activity on a team record sheet. These activities may include walking, cycling, running and swimming. Bonus points can be gained through encouraging whanau and friends to participate with them on their journey to health. Team’s combined efforts can then be charted as a virtual journey on the Feetbeat map. See the links below for enrolment, general instructions, instructions on how to fill out your team record sheet, and walking tips.
For further information on Feetbeat programmes please see the links below or contact:
Sugar Te Paa
ARPHS Private Bag 93 5022
Takapuna
Auckland District Health Board
Ph (09) 488 2310 ext 8707
FEETBEAT STARTS 10 SEPTEMBER 2007, ENTRIES TO BE RECEIVED BY 6 SEPTEMBER 2007.
Source: Auckland District Health Board August 2007
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
Saturday, 18 August 2007
Workfit- better business Health AWARD 2007
Workfit Healthy Workplace Award
A Sport Hawkes Bay initiative that makes good business sense to have a healthy workforce.
Entrants in all categories will be polled and then assessed on how they promote an active workplace within their business.
For information on how to enter this business award check here organised by the Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce.
Hawkes Bay is a region of the North Island of New Zealand.
Workfit is a programme designed to increase the health of employees. Including physical activity and nutrition. A healthy workforce is a productive workforce.
More detail about workfit
A Sport Hawkes Bay initiative that makes good business sense to have a healthy workforce.
Entrants in all categories will be polled and then assessed on how they promote an active workplace within their business.
For information on how to enter this business award check here organised by the Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce.
Hawkes Bay is a region of the North Island of New Zealand.
Workfit is a programme designed to increase the health of employees. Including physical activity and nutrition. A healthy workforce is a productive workforce.
More detail about workfit
Ditch the car and ride a bike to work
BOSSES are giving employees extra money as an incentive to ditch their cars and ride a bike to work to help cut greenhouse gases.
Latest figures show about 10,000 workers now regularly use pedal power in the Sydney metropolitan area.
Bicycle NSW chief executive Alex Unwin said there has been a 50percent increase in bike commuters in the last five years.
At internet search engine company Google, employees at its Sydney office are given about $100 to donate to the charity of their choice for every 20 days they use bicycles and other "self-powered means" to get to work. Google Australia's spokesman said about 50 employees are now involved in the scheme.
"It is designed to encourage people to take self-powered means to work," he said.
As well as bike riding, employees can also walk or skateboard to get to work to earn the charitable donations.
And if they must use a car, Google is encouraging them to use an eco-friendly version, offering a $5000 rebate to staff who purchase hybrid cars.
Despite growing ranks of cyclists, Sydney still lags behind cities such as Copenhagen where a stable of around 2000 bikes can be used free of charge by citizens and tourists. Paris also has a high cyclist population and recently announced plans to introduce a self-service network of more than 20,000 bikes that can be picked up and dropped off at a series of bike racks across the city.
Riding bikes instead of using cars is helping to reduce pollutants with each litre of petrol consumed in a car emitting 2.4kilograms of carbon dioxide, figures from the Department of the Environment and Water Resources show.
Sydney real estate developers are also beginning to encourage tenants to use bicycles.
When a new commercial development by GPT Group is completed in inner-city Pyrmont, tenants will have access to a set of bikes that they can use to get around town free of charge.
GPT Group head Tony Cope said he believes the scheme will give the company a competitive advantage while also helping the environment.
"We hope people will grab a bike and ride into the central business district of Sydney rather than getting a taxi," he said.
Innovative "bike buses" are being formed around NSW allowing cyclists to ride to work in the comfort of a group.
Computer programmer Fiona Campbell, who previously drove to work, runs the Marrickville to the city bike bus.
"It's growing all the time," she said.
"Initially it was just me and one other person. Now about 20 use it at some times."
Source: The Sun-Herald http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/staff-get-on-their-bikes/2007/08/11/1186530678565.html
Latest figures show about 10,000 workers now regularly use pedal power in the Sydney metropolitan area.
Bicycle NSW chief executive Alex Unwin said there has been a 50percent increase in bike commuters in the last five years.
At internet search engine company Google, employees at its Sydney office are given about $100 to donate to the charity of their choice for every 20 days they use bicycles and other "self-powered means" to get to work. Google Australia's spokesman said about 50 employees are now involved in the scheme.
"It is designed to encourage people to take self-powered means to work," he said.
As well as bike riding, employees can also walk or skateboard to get to work to earn the charitable donations.
And if they must use a car, Google is encouraging them to use an eco-friendly version, offering a $5000 rebate to staff who purchase hybrid cars.
Despite growing ranks of cyclists, Sydney still lags behind cities such as Copenhagen where a stable of around 2000 bikes can be used free of charge by citizens and tourists. Paris also has a high cyclist population and recently announced plans to introduce a self-service network of more than 20,000 bikes that can be picked up and dropped off at a series of bike racks across the city.
Riding bikes instead of using cars is helping to reduce pollutants with each litre of petrol consumed in a car emitting 2.4kilograms of carbon dioxide, figures from the Department of the Environment and Water Resources show.
Sydney real estate developers are also beginning to encourage tenants to use bicycles.
When a new commercial development by GPT Group is completed in inner-city Pyrmont, tenants will have access to a set of bikes that they can use to get around town free of charge.
GPT Group head Tony Cope said he believes the scheme will give the company a competitive advantage while also helping the environment.
"We hope people will grab a bike and ride into the central business district of Sydney rather than getting a taxi," he said.
Innovative "bike buses" are being formed around NSW allowing cyclists to ride to work in the comfort of a group.
Computer programmer Fiona Campbell, who previously drove to work, runs the Marrickville to the city bike bus.
"It's growing all the time," she said.
"Initially it was just me and one other person. Now about 20 use it at some times."
Source: The Sun-Herald http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/staff-get-on-their-bikes/2007/08/11/1186530678565.html
Thursday, 19 January 2006
Active Workplace Suggestions
Active Workplace Benchmark
Transportation
Company travel reimbursement policies that reimburse bicycle or public transport mileage for business trips when these modes are comparable in speed to driving, rather than only reimbursing car or taxi mileage.
Commuter subsidy allocated on frequency of use of alternative travel modes with greatest subsidy assistance to meet costs of more active transport modes. Ernst & Young 2001.
Provision, maintenance and promotion of fleet bikes available for commuting or recreational rides.
Rideshare with Guaranteed Ride Home Programme travel reimbursement for rideshare, public transport or active transport participants who must return home in an emergency or where extreme weather prevents normal travel alternatives.
Around the Office
Food provision like a fruit bowl located at various sites within the office with an honesty box. Fruit costs 50c per piece. Alternatives could include all staff being entitled to one lunch per week of salads and other nutritious food groups. Chapman Tripp Sheffield Young 2002.
Equipment provision could include exercycles or a small corporate gym with nominal membership fee for staff and other building tenants. IRD 2002.
Service Provision like a corporate physical activity trainer available for phone support and lunch time activity sessions for groups could include lunch-time yoga/pilates classes. Quotable Value, 2005 and IRD 2002.
8. Staff discounts for gyms, fitness centres, health studios and local retailers. Ford Motor Company 2002.
9. Stairs for Health point of decision posters, incentives and or rewards for frequent stair climbers. Can include stairwell spot prizes for staff and visitors. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/sth-evs/english/downloads/index.htm
10. Active living incentives or spot prizes such as Council dollars (vouchers) which employees can trade in for active apparel, event entry or magazine subscriptions. Employees may combine vouchers to collectively fund a piece of equipment or shared active living resource.
11. Rooftop garden or community garden which people can use in return for a minimum of weekly garden maintenance.
12. Community fund raising where staff are able to trade in work time in order to help to raise funds to develop a community resource like a new park, facility, or playground that will benefit a neighborhood.
Source, A New Zealand Policy organisation
Transportation
Company travel reimbursement policies that reimburse bicycle or public transport mileage for business trips when these modes are comparable in speed to driving, rather than only reimbursing car or taxi mileage.
Commuter subsidy allocated on frequency of use of alternative travel modes with greatest subsidy assistance to meet costs of more active transport modes. Ernst & Young 2001.
Provision, maintenance and promotion of fleet bikes available for commuting or recreational rides.
Rideshare with Guaranteed Ride Home Programme travel reimbursement for rideshare, public transport or active transport participants who must return home in an emergency or where extreme weather prevents normal travel alternatives.
Around the Office
Food provision like a fruit bowl located at various sites within the office with an honesty box. Fruit costs 50c per piece. Alternatives could include all staff being entitled to one lunch per week of salads and other nutritious food groups. Chapman Tripp Sheffield Young 2002.
Equipment provision could include exercycles or a small corporate gym with nominal membership fee for staff and other building tenants. IRD 2002.
Service Provision like a corporate physical activity trainer available for phone support and lunch time activity sessions for groups could include lunch-time yoga/pilates classes. Quotable Value, 2005 and IRD 2002.
8. Staff discounts for gyms, fitness centres, health studios and local retailers. Ford Motor Company 2002.
9. Stairs for Health point of decision posters, incentives and or rewards for frequent stair climbers. Can include stairwell spot prizes for staff and visitors. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/sth-evs/english/downloads/index.htm
10. Active living incentives or spot prizes such as Council dollars (vouchers) which employees can trade in for active apparel, event entry or magazine subscriptions. Employees may combine vouchers to collectively fund a piece of equipment or shared active living resource.
11. Rooftop garden or community garden which people can use in return for a minimum of weekly garden maintenance.
12. Community fund raising where staff are able to trade in work time in order to help to raise funds to develop a community resource like a new park, facility, or playground that will benefit a neighborhood.
Source, A New Zealand Policy organisation
Tuesday, 27 September 2005
University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point Wellness Programme
Here is a very good Employee Wellness web site from an American University
Read such incentive programmes as "Dip into Fitness" swimming program and "One Foot In Front of the Other" walking, running, and biking program.
Read such incentive programmes as "Dip into Fitness" swimming program and "One Foot In Front of the Other" walking, running, and biking program.
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