Fabulous frocks will be paired with safety helmets this weekend to raise awareness about climate change.

Frocks Day Out is being held in Ponsonby on Saturday 12th September, an event where women are encouraged to dress up and cycle along with “stylish supporting gents” and families to promote biking.

Frocks on Bikes co-ordinator Pippa Coom says the concept was launched last December to raise awareness about climate change and using alternative transport.

“It’s trying to encourage women to get out on bikes and feel glamorous about it. Riding a bike is going to be a big part of reducing our carbon footprint.”

Ms Coom hopes at least 350 riders will get involved in the event, which is being held in conjunction with the Ponsonby Market Day.

Those taking part are known as “frockers” and there will be free bike checks available, companies will be selling European-style bicycles and Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye will be handing out prizes for the best-dressed rider and best helmet and bike decoration.

Designer Doris de Pont is involved with Frocks on Bikes and the Vintage Road Show, which are both being held tomorrow.

She says she will be riding her bike in the parade on behalf of the Green Party.

“It’s two things after my own heart – cycling and recycling.”

Frocks Day Out will start at 10am at Western Park on Ponsonby Rd, with a parade at 1pm.

For more information go to www.frocksonbikes.org.

Dear Grey Lynn 2030,

Thank you for providing us with your feedback in relation to the speed limit change from 50km/h to 40km/h on Ponsonby Road.

Consultation was undertaken between the 13th of June to the 15th of July 2009. 932 responses were received of which 736 (79%) supported the proposal and 172 (18%) opposed the proposal. The remaining 24 responses did not indicate a firm view on the speed limit reduction.

In addition to the community consultation and considering the petition with more than 600 signatures, there is strong community support for the proposed speed limit reduction to 40km/h.

Additional feedback from the consultation process could be summarised by saying that presently the street is unpleasant as it feels like a major highway, there is no sense of community, more pedestrian friendly environments is required with more and varied crossings, paving changes and landscaping. In addition, education and enforcement measures need be undertaken to address the issues.

A project team has been set up with representation from the Western Bays Community Board, Ponsonby Road businesses and resident representatives to develop an action plan to address improved pedestrian safety raised via the petition and through the consultation process.

Auckland City Council’s Transport Committee considered the consultation feedback at the 6th of August 2009 meeting and has approved the lowering of the speed limit, as has the Western Bays Community Board.

The changes are planned to take place in September 2009, when the new speed limit signs will be installed and the new speed limit will be in place. There will be an education campaign via media of the speed limit change, and we will be engaging with local businesses on Ponsonby Road to assist with promoting the change to patrons and customers. The NZ Police will enforce the new speed limit once it has been implemented.

Thank you for taking the time to respond to the proposal and your feedback has been valuable.

Yours sincerely

Karen Hay
Road safety manager
Network Performance
Transport Assets

Mental Speed Bumps – the smarter way to tame traffic

David Engwicht, artist, write, street philosopher, story teller, was in Auckland last week at the invitation of the council’s urban design group inspiring people to re-think their presumptions about traffic calming and their relationship with vehicles.

David was given an enthusiastic reception by the 70 people who turned out on Saturday afternoon at St Columba church community hall to hear his presentation about alternative ways to calm traffic. Grey Lynn 2030 was the only community group lucky enough to host David during his time in Auckland. After hearing David’s ideas many locals (and those who had travelled long distances to the meeting inspired by David’s interview with Gordon Harcourt in the morning on National Radio) made personal commitments to take actions that will result in traffic calming.

Here is an attempt to summarise David’s presentation.

David’s has discovered that “the speed of traffic on residential streets is governed, to a large extent, by the degree to which residents have psychologically retreated from their street”. So the less activity and uncertainty that occurs on the street the more likely that motorists will be speeding and present a danger to residents. This happens, for example, where residents build high walls at the front of their home, don’t use their front gardens – to relax, eat or play – and park their cars off the street thereby creating an environment that “invites” the motorist to go faster.

Communities can reverse this retreat with low cost solutions and without the need to wait for the installation of road signs or speed bumps. David suggests that, in the first instance, neighbourhoods should look to take personal responsibility for traffic calming rather than wait for the council to take action. For example, we can all be positive citizens who can rebuild lost community connections just by getting to know our neighbours and walking to local shops.

Where communities have put David’s ideas into practice they have found that the dynamics of the street change. A motorist is far more likely to drive slowly where they know the neighbourhood children and expect to see them playing and their parents socialising on the street.

He also asks residents to consider their own behaviour when they get in the car and become “motorists”. We are probably all guilty of driving like the stereotypical Aucklander whose time is suddenly more important behind the wheel and is not tolerant of cyclists and pedestrians. He suggests a friendly wave at the speeding or inconsiderate motorist rather than an angry fist.

David calls for an “outbreak of civility” as the first step to transforming Auckland!

After his presentation, David asked what actions we were now going to actually follow through with. The responses included organise a street party, talk to the local children, and plant veges in the berm.

His ideas really resonated for many involved in Grey Lynn 2030 because of a common vision seeking to create vibrant, positive and connected communities. So we definitely don’t want to lose momentum now that David has filled us up with fantastic ideas and possibilities.

This is also a great opportunity to officially launch the GL2030 traffic calming group which will operate as a “support group” to foster and encourage any initiative that contributes to calming the traffic. We would like people involved who are keen to be part of the solution and want to take practical steps. It really can be as simple as talking to a neighbour for the first time.

We will keep a register of actions on the website and post photos of traffic calming measures (like street parties and re-designed front gardens). If you would like to be on the email contact list for the traffic calming group please send an email to greylynn2030@gmail.com.

If you would like to read more about David check out his website http://www.lesstraffic.com/

We are really pleased with the amazingly positive response we received to the idea for creating Great Rides in Auckland (which we like to call Great Urban Rides).

Everyone we have shared the concept with have been able to appreciate the huge potential in making Auckland part of the NZ Cycleway Project and a cycle friendly city for tourists and locals.

For your information here is a link to the proposal that went to the Ministry of Tourism.

We already know it is not going to be picked up as part of the first announcement of initial rides to receive funding (expected any day) but we have taken significant steps towards developing routes and gaining support.

We will next be seeking the official support of Auckland City Council as a potential co-funder and key stakeholder so we are ready to make an application once the Ministry announces the proposed funding criteria.

Thank you for support, interest and feedback

We will keep in touch as we make progress.
Regards
Pippa & Julian
Pippa Coom
Membership secretary
Cycle Action Auckland
ph    021 926 618
www.caa.org.nz
Julian Hulls
Director
Nextbike New Zealand Ltd
021 154 8371
www.nextbike.co.nz

Walk Auckland will have a presentation from council officers on the shared space concepts.  Sue Evans and the project manager Nazla Carmine for Elliot and Darby streets will answer questions.

Walk Auckland is meeting:

Tuesday, July 14th

5:30pm

Leys Institute upstairs Hall Supper room

St Marys Rd at Three Lamps, Ponsonby.

As some of you may or may not be aware – Enviroschools are going to be loosing their funding this year as the government has decided to cut and focus on core education such as reading, writing and maths.

Many parents are very saddened by this news as we know what a great programme Enviroschools is.

A quarter of New Zealand schools are Enviroschools, reaching 212,870 New Zealand children. The programme is positive, practical, and wildly successful – another 210 schools are on the waiting list to become Enviroschools, including early childhood centres.

Enviroschools relies on the wonderful Education for Sustainability Advisers whose jobs have been cut, and Matauranga Taiao the tikanga Maori Enviroschools programme for kohanga reo and kura kaupapa has also been cut.

Our children learn to respect and value the natural environment, save energy and water, recycle and compost, grow their own food, and understand the connections between their actions and the future of the planet. These are essential skills for young people in today’s world, and to cut what should be core learning in the name of financial belt-tightening is spectacularly narrow and short-term thinking.

http://www.enviroschools.org.nz/

Ruth MacClure who is involved with Pt Chev Transition Town and Pt Chev Primary is looking for people who would be available should a journalist be interested in covering the story. Please leave a comment on this page on what you can offer.

Here is a short video clip made by a school in Dunedin.

Enviroschools

Not surprisingly the Greens are picking up on this issue ( it was a successful Green bid that secured funding for the programme initially) and are asking you to make the following actions:

Take action to save Enviroschools:

• Visit your local National MP, and express your disappointment that this successful programme is no longer supported. Keep it positive and personal – if you have a child at an Enviroschool, talk about what environmental education has meant for your child and your family. Ask that the funding be reinstated.
• Write a letter or email to your local National MP and cc John Key – we need to keep it on the Prime Minister’s radar.
• Write letters to the editor outlining the importance of environmental education in NZ schools and calling for Enviroschools funding to be continued.

Points you might like to include in letters / emails

• A quarter of our schools are Enviroschools, reaching 212,870 New Zealand children. This is a positive, successful and popular programme that it is achieving great things at a low cost to government.
• These days, knowledge and skills in sustainability is not a luxury ‘add on’; it needs to be an integral part of our children’s learning.
• Enviroschools are delivering on the government’s priorities:
• Economic growth and jobs: Sustainability is a major growth area and young people need to be eco-literate to survive in the global economy today.
• Science and innovation: Enviroschool programmes foster children’s interest in environmental science, technology and primary production
• Literacy and numeracy: Enviroschool programmes regularly utilise other learning skills, such as reporting, surveys, and analysis.
• Enviroschools enable children to become in the educator in the home, sharing their new found knowledge and skills with their family.
• Teachers need the curriculum support, professional development and resources to effectively teach environmental education. They cannot adequately deliver this programme without external support from the government.

The Transport Minister, Steven Joyce will be visiting Hendon Park/Alan Wood Reserve

Friday, 3 July at 10.00am.

Please come along and voice your concerns/
opposition to the latest motorway option that destroys our
communities, our homes and our parks.

We will be meeting at the carpark in Alan Wood Reserve at 9.45am.
Entry is off Hendon Avenue, opposite Stewart Road (Mt Albert).
Bring your placards – and your questions, if you wish but come
and make sure your voice is heard.

Regards
Tunnel or Nothing
Www.tunnelornothing.org.nz

And, if you haven’t already done so – have your say on the proposed motorway extension through Owairaka / Mt Albert / Waterview.

NZTA (NZ Transport Agency) feedback is due by 31st July. Feedback forms are available on-line – http://www.transit.govt.nz/projects/waterviewconnection/

Wendy John
Friends of Oakley Creek – Te Auaunga
09-815-3101
www.oakleycreek.org.nz

David Engwicht presentation to Grey Lynn 2030

We are really fortunate to have David booked to give a presentation on Saturday 11 July 1.30 – 3pm at St Columba’s Church Hall, Surrey Cres, Grey Lynn.
Some of you will already have heard about the phenomenal David Engwicht, considered one of the world’s most innovative thinkers about cities, traffic, urban design, community development and place making. David is widely thought of as one of the founding advocates of alternative ways to calm traffic and widely known as the inventor of the Walking School Bus, which has been adopted worldwide.

Most recently, David has been focussing on the psychology of placemaking – fusing urban psychology with urban design. Back home in Australia he is working as Placemaker in a small rural city putting his ground-breaking approach into practice, transforming a run-down, neglected main street into a lively and exciting heart of the city.
David will be taking a special look at Grey Lynn and ideas for our community.

If you are interested in attending it is essential to RSVP by Thursday 10 July as spaces are limited. Please send an email to Pippa Coom greylynn2030@gmail.com with Attendance at David E in the subject.

Entry is by koha to cover the cost of room hire

GetAcross supporters,

We have had a great meeting of the supporters and it was decided to have the  walk/ride on Sunday May 24 at 9am.

Meeting in the Curran Street park next to the bridge.

This date is 50 years after the original opening to the public to walk across and allows us time to coordinate the Demonstration March with the Police and the NZ Transport Agency.

Keep a watch on the getacross.org.nz website for the details of the May 24 event.  Tell your friends as this could be the biggest party for 50 years!

If you want to get more involved and help us organise the event, our organising meeting is on ThursdayMay 7, 7:30pm in the Freemans Bay Community Hall (52 Hepburn St).

Cheers!…  Bevan   09 425 1928

Andy Smith and  Bevan Woodward

If you would like to be on our mailing list please join the  getacross.org.nz list.