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The approved in 2009 LTCCP (2009-2019 ) for the New Plymouth District Council set out $150000 for the 2010/2011 financial year to fund a specific project to start implementing the NPDC's Cycle Strategy.  A further $150K was set aside for the 2011/2012 year and ongoing at that amount every year to 2019 to provide a total of $1.35 million over 2009-2019.  See in the Roads section of The Funded Projects that is part of the 2009-2019 LTCCP:

 http://www.newplymouthnz.com/CouncilDocuments/PlansAndStrategies/CommunityPlan2009-2019/...

Motor vehicles generate a lot of pollution, with far-reaching health effects. In New Zealand, vehicle emissions have been blamed for ~400 premature deaths every year (see Fisher et al 2002 for more details). Many would-be cyclists are put off by the prospect of being exposed to all those traffic fumes, while still others don face-masks when riding. So is it really that bad to cycle in such environments?

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While we were down in Washington, DC for the National Bike Summit, Streetfilms got the chance to check out some of the innovative bike infrastructure. Tops on our list: the city's first protected, contraflow lane for bicyclists. The district DOT has redesigned 15th Street NW between U Street and Massachusetts Avenue to accommodate two-way bike traffic on a one-way street. Northbound cyclists get a shared lane moving in the same direction as car traffic, and southbound cyclists ride in a parking-protected lane. The treatment has also slimmed down the street, removing a...

Elizabeth from StreetFilms went to the 10th National Bike Summit in Washington DC with her camera, and the video below is the result. It's great to hear from so many people and organisations working hard to fix the transportation sector, a crucial piece of the puzzle if we are to move to a more sustainable society. It can't be done without some policy changes, so we need effective lobbying if cyclists are to get their fair share of infrastructure and legislative protection. A great event that is helping those who are working in the trenches to make cities greener and move livable...

Despite recent defections of two other oil majors, Royal Dutch Shell PLC has opted to stay in an influential lobbying group that has focused on shaping climate-change legislation, Chief Executive Officer Peter Voser said.

Mr. Voser, speaking Thursday at the Wall Street Journal’s ECO:nomics conference in Santa Barbara, Calif., was asked why Shell remained in the three-year-old U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) after two of its peers, BP PLC and ConocoPhillips, pulled out last month. The partnership is a broad business-environmental coalition that had been instrumental...

The end of daylight saving means it is time for cyclists to dust off their lights and add a bit of fluorescence to their riding wardrobe. Cycling Advocates' Network (CAN) chair Bevan Woodward said as the days get shorter, cyclists need to get brighter.

"Lights and high-visibility riding gear make you easier to see," said Mr Woodward.

Cycling fatalities have declined over recent years despite bike sales on the increase. Mr Woodward said it could have something to do with cyclists embracing the culture of being seen.

"I have seen drivers sitting at an intersection...

Since 1997 L'Eroica in Italy has attracted cycling enthusiasts from around the world keen to brush the dust off their pre-1987 bikes and take part in a 150km ride over the "strade bianche" (white gravelled roads) in celebration of the great tradition of cycling from over the past 100 years. With authenticity at its heart, the bikes used and the ride feature only those elements deemed "classic" - shifters mounted on the downtube, as opposed to the handlebars, woolen jerseys and cycling shorts, traditional Italian cuisine and wine. See the video below:

Although approximately twice as many men as women cycle in London regularly, according to Transport for London, 10 out of 13 cycling fatalities last year were women.

It's a strange and disturbing statistic, especially given that the same set of figures also show that male cyclists have more collisions and crashes than women, and are also more likely to be seriously injured.

Is there anything that women cyclists can do to reduce their risk, other than waiting for Boris's new measures, which include the possibility of cyclists being allowed to turn left while the lights...

The IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists, UK) has urged cyclists to make themselves seen and to “claim their lane”, moving out into the middle of the lane when approaching a junction or parked cars.

Duncan Pickering, IAM Cycling Development Manager, said: “There has been some debate as to whether cyclists should stick to the kerb or push out into the road when riding in built-up areas. Our advice to cyclists, based on a comprehensive study, is to stay near to the kerb on long even stretches, but to assert yourself when approaching a junction, pushing out into the road and...