The second part of this post focuses on the benefits to those who ride a bike, as part of DEMP – Downstream Effects Management Plan. A plan developed for CCC to facilitate the smooth passage into the city of …
Category: Bicycle politics
Anything about politics, politicians, submissions etc.
Flashback Friday: The spirituality of cycling
Some people often claim that biking seems like a religion to them (or to their other half, if they’re a a long-suffering partner of a biking fan…). So perhaps it wasn’t surprising that our own Steve Muir put that to …
Who are we providing cycleways for?
Recently there was a Facebook post to Chch City Council’s site by someone grumbling about cyclists using traffic lanes in the central city when a cycleway exists on the same road. Not surprisingly, there was quite a bit of animated …
Flashback Friday: Don’t be a D***k – Stop at Red
Nothing gets the cycle-moaners vocal quicker it seems than any hint of law-breaking by people biking. And while that is often a case of “the pot calling the kettle black”, I do still often see some fairly dodgy behaviour at …
Submit on CCC Annual Plan – Take 2
It’s a bit last minute but, if you have a moment, make a quick submission on the revised Chch City Council 2020/21 Annual Plan – submissions close 5pm Monday 29th June. And there are potentially some worrying implications for …
Cycling and Trams
I’ve just finished working my way through Graham Stewart’s wonderful 1993 public tramway book “The End of the Penny Section” (yes, I’m an old public transport tragic from way back…). It tells the really interesting story of how trams …
Flashback Friday: More Cycling in the News
The image of cycling in Christchurch (and New Zealand in general) has slowly changed over the years, from the perception of some strange “hobby” that a few enthusiasts do, to a more everyday activity undertaken by a wide range of …
Flashback Friday: The Cycleway Tax that isn’t
When we think of the hundreds of millions that Christchurch (and NZ in general) is now spending on cycleways, it takes a bit to remember that not that long ago the prospect of finding even $70 million for local cycleways …
Flashback Friday – Mythbusting: Cyclists don’t Pay
One thing I have tried to do over time at CiC is to build up a few “go to” blog articles for those situations when you need some ammunition in a debate over cycling. The classic complaint that “cyclists get …
ECan Forgets about Bicycles
ECan’s Annual Plan is up for consultation until 25 March.
Spokes Canterbury has their draft sub up for those with an interest. http://www.spokes.org.nz/2020/03/ecan-annual-plan-2020/
With the new elected ECan Board there is the chance to get cycling back into their consciousness. …
Christchurch Annual Plan and More Community Boards
Nb: Papanui Innes residents and riders your Community Board only gave 11 days for submissions. It is due on Monday March 2nd. The rest vary from 6 to 9 March. The Annual Plan gives you to 2 April.
The consultations …
Flashback Friday: The AA does Cycling
Historically, the NZAA was never really a champion for all things cycling, which in itself probably wasn’t that surprising. But over the past decade they have been reviewing that relationship, probably partly due to the fact that many of …
Flashback Friday: Is cycling really cared about in this city?
The tragic events of last week on the outskirts of town and the subsequent suggestions of poor cycle-friendly safety practices can make it feel like the world is very much against you when on your bike. It’s a theme that …
New City Council gets underway
Following the recent local body elections, it hasn’t taken long for the new Christchurch City Council to get stuck into their business. A first Council meeting is happening this Thursday 31st Oct, and already there are some interesting developments …
What the recent elections told us about support for cycling in Chch
So the local body elections are over for another 3 years. In Christchurch, that has seen six new City Councillors, plus the return of the remaining ten incumbent Councillors and Mayor Dalziel.
So what does that mean in terms …
Elections: Why are Cycleways always the Easy Beat?
It’s local election time! Chances are you have your voting papers by now and are pondering which boxes to tick. Simon Barnard has provided a useful summary of some of the punters who have put their hand up. I also …
Council Rates and MCR’s 101
With the local elections the issue of rates has been raised. What raises or lowers rates? What impact have the Major Cycle Routes(MCR’s) had on rates. Councillors Mike Davidson and Vicki Buck have offered some information.
Mike Davidson FB post …
Flashback Friday: Should we have cycle helmet legislation? NOT the same question as “should we wear helmets”!
Like Voldemort, cycle helmets in New Zealand are almost a topic you dare not speak by name, unless you want to see some fireworks in social media and a lot of energy expended for relatively little gain it seems. We’ve …
Flashback Friday: Cycling in the News
Here at Cycling in Christchurch we like to keep you up to date on the latest topical happenings cycle-wise around our city (please let us know if you have some interesting gossip we have missed!). Sometimes we do that by …
Local Government – Muddling through Democracy
Long experience observing and making submissions in Christchurch finds that all is not well.
All levels of government play their part in mediating class warfare. At the local level issues can get personal; people can feel rightfully aggrieved and often …