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 This
newsletter includes updates on the findings of research undertaken by the
Cycling Promotion Fund on cycling organisations in Australia including
workplace bicycle user groups, information on resources available for
workplaces and an invitation for workplaces to attend a seminar as part of the Ausbike Trade Show in Melbourne.
Survey of
Cycling Organisations
The Australian cycling sector has a
comprehensive network of local, state and national cycling organisations.
According to a research project conducted by the CPF in May there are an
estimated 1,115 cycling organisations around Australia covering urban, regional
and rural areas in all states and territories.
Previously little information has been available
about the range and scope of their activities, a critical step for us to be
able to argue for funded programs to be made available to the cycling sector.
To fill this information gap, we contacted 800 cycling organisations to
encourage them to complete an online survey.
Thank you for those who have
responded.
We received 185 responses from a diverse range of organisations around
Australia. The survey has provided us with some excellent information to
demonstrate to Government that the cycling sector plays an instrumental role in
encouraging, maintaining and increasing physical activity levels in the
community and has the capacity to expand those activities.
Survey of Workplace Bicycle User
Groups (WBUGs)
 According to our research Australia has
276 WBUGs and this number is growing.
We
received 47 responses to our survey providing us with a snapshot of information
on the size and scope of WBUGs, the range of activities undertaken and the
level and extend of business/organisational support and incentives to encourage
cycling to work and support which would assist WBUGs to maintain and expand
their activities.
WBUGs play an important role in encouraging, motivation and supporting staff to
cycle to work and in putting pressure on workplaces to provide end of trips
facilities for bicycle riders. 94% of workplaces surveyed provide shower and
change rooms and 82% safe bicycle lockers.
Workplaces which have WBUGs have
also a much higher number of people regularly cycling to work than the average
modal share of ride to work trips. Providing salary sacrifice for bicycles is
seen as one of the most effective strategies to encourage more people to cycle
to work.
Effective
interventions to increase cycling
The CPF has been researching and documenting
effective interventions to increase cycling in a range of categories:
- Education and Skill Development
- Events
- Regular rides
- Social Marketing
- Targeted Interventions
- Community-Wide Interventions
- Policy and Environmental Approaches
We have made a strong case to the Commonwealth that
a broad range of interventions are needed to address the individual, cultural
and environmental factors that influence people’s participation in physical
activity. There is no single strategy that works.
Later this month, the Preventative Health Taskforce will release a National
Preventative Health Strategy to make Australia the healthiest country by
2020. The discussion paper highlighted the important role of workplaces in
encouraging healthy and active lifestyles. Hopefully the recommendations will
include a focus on incidental physical activity such as cycling and walking to
improve the health and well-being of our nation and result in a boost to
funding for effective interventions.
Feel free to contact us if you like a summary of effective interventions to
increase cycling.
Some of you may be interested in a great program set up in Sydney to make it
easier for novice riders to cycle to work called “Bike Bus” which provides
opportunities for people to cycle together on a set route and timetable.
Resources available for Workplace BUGs
 Cycling Safety Video Clips
A reminder that the cycling safety video clips
developed by the Cycling Promotion Fund and the Amy Gillett Foundation with
funding support from TAC, are available both online and as DVD.
DVDs can be ordered from the CPF office ($5 dollar charge per DVD includes postage). They are a
terrific resource to be used by WBUGs to provide work colleagues with practical
tips to avoid some common risk when cycling in traffic.
If you have a newsletter or website you may like to consider including a link
from your website to the cycling safety clips. To make it easier to
include a link, we have developed
web banners which can be downloaded from our site.
Promotion and Advocacy Resources
The CPF has developed a range of resources targeted
at people interested in taking up cycling as well as resources targeted at
organisation interested in promoting cycling and in advocating for cycling
improvements and greater investment.
For not for profit cycling
organisations, a certain quantity of our publications are free.
Free Seminar for Workplaces: Encouraging Cycling Makes Good Business Sense
The CPF is organising and sponsoring a seminar
targeted at workplaces to provide them with practical advice and information on
innovative policies and practices used by companies to encourage staff to
cycle.
This seminar is held as part of the AusBike Trade show which is held in
Melbourne on the 16/17. August 2009. The trade show is only open for the trade
but workplace representatives attending the seminar have the opportunity to get
a tour of the trade show to see the newest product and services and meet
wholesalers directly.
We
encourage you to pass on the information to the relevant senior person at your
workplace to
enable them to be inspired to
implement innovative policies and guidelines to support and
encourage staff to cycle to work.
Keep up the great work as WBUG coordinator. You are
making a real difference in inspiring and supporting more people to cycle to
work.
 Kind regards,
The Cycling Promotion Fund Team
Email:
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PO Box 3052 Auburn Victoria 3123
Ph (03) 9818 5400 Fax (03) 9818 4535
www.rideabike.com.au
www.vote4cycling.com.au
www.cyclingawards.com.au
An initiative of the Bicycling Industry in Australia
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