Cycle Promotion Fund BUG information

Click here to view online:
http://www.cyclingpromotion.com.au/content/view/431/164/

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
* Survey of Workplace Bicycle User Group's (WBUG's)
* Effective interventions to increase cycling
* Resources available for Workplace BUG's
* Free seminar for workplaces “Encouraging makes good business sense”


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.

* Read the full report on the survey findings
(PDF file, 194kb)


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.

* Read the full report on Workplace Bicycle User Groups
(PDF file, 152 kb)


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.

* To find out more about the program and how it works visit the website: www.bikebus.org.au


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.

* View the Cycling Safety Video Clips

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.

* View the Cycling Safety Video Clips web banners

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.

* Promotional Resources
* Advocacy and Research
* Publications
* Resources and Submissions
* Download a Publications Order Form

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.

* Click here to download the seminar flyer (PDF file. 260kb)

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.