The role of the bicycle industry in cycling promotion and advocacy Case Study: Cycling Promotion Fund

The role of the bicycle industry in
cycling promotion and advocacy

             Case Study:
       Cycling Promotion Fund

              Rosemarie Speidel
               Program Director
            Cycling Promotion Fund

                  Initiative of the
         Bicycle Industries Australia Ltd.
                       BIA Ltd.
             Membership organization for
    manufacturers/wholesalers/distributors of bicycles,
                  parts and accessories

                            CPF
                      established in 2000
to assist the industry to work collectively to promote cycling
     and gain greater Government investment to create
                  supportive environments

Our vision
• Cycling is a safe, popular and convenient activity for people of all ages.

• People regard cycling as great recreation, leisure, family, touring, transport,
  fitness and sport activity .

• Riding a bike to school has become the norm again. Children have
  independent mobility and lead active and healthy lifestyles

• Cycling is held in high regard by all levels of Government as a way to
  improve the quality of life for all Australians.

• Investment in cycling is regarded as a cost effective way
  to increase mobility, make recreation accessible, increase physical activity
  levels, boost regional tourism and enable Australians to win medals at the
  elite sporting level.

                        Cycling Promotion Fund
                                Income:

                                 Membership
                           0.25% of turnover

                        Supporter Membership
                               Retailer
          Other organizations supporting our aims
                  Grants and Consulting

Members
                Members:

•

          CPF Investment into
    cycling advocacy and promotion

         More than $2 million
    since its establishment in 2000

          2008/09 Turnover
             $426,000

CPF objectives
    • Lifting the profile of cycling as a great activity for
      everyone
    • Be a leading advocate for and source of information
      and advice on cycling.
    • Gain increased Government investment for cycling.
    • Make it easier for people to choose to cycle.
    • Promote and encourage initiatives which achieve
      measurable increases in cycling.
    • Recognise, reward and encourage innovation and
      achievements and promote best practice
    • Increase membership

      Lifting the profile of cycling as a great activity
                        for everyone

• Reposition cycling as an activity for everyone
• Posters with messages targeted at different motivation factors
• Innovative adverts and marketing material
  those resources are made available to retailers, cycling organisations,
  health bodies. schools and government departments
•

Media
• Media coverage of cycling (extensive data base of journalists)
  CPF has become a credible sources of information on cycling and we
  get weekly media inquiries

• Media kit “how to get cycling into the media”
  for cycling organisations and bicycle retailers

• Developed resources for different interest stories

• Data base of journalists and experts who are available for
  stories and interviews

Getting the wheels in motion:
                   The AGE Newspaper

            Make it easier for people to cycle

• www.rideabike.com.au website with practical tips
  targeted at novice riders

A range of publications including tips on buying a bike, bicycle
     maintenance, accessories, cycling tips, tips for parents

• Searchable date base of bicycle user groups, clubs, and
  recreational cycling organisations around Australia
  to assist people looking for people to ride with
  (there are more than 1,000 cycling organisations in Australia)

Working with the Bicycle Industry

Retailers:
Building their capacity and understanding
to deal with novice riders and women

      Road safety video clips developed with funding from TAC
                   available on DVD and you tube

      These clips can be viewed below (scroll down) and include these tips:
                      Dealing with Intersections
                      Heavy Vehicles and Cyclists
                        Dealing with Car doors
                           Cyclist Visibility

         Safety concern is one of the biggest barriers to
                      cycling for transport

Promote and encourage initiatives which achieve
            measureable increases in cycling

• CPF was contracted to do the research for the web based cycling
  resource centre managed now by the Australian Bicycle Council

• CPF staff maintain contact with relevant government
  departments, local councils, organisations,
  universities and businesses and attend conferences and
  workshops to keep up to date on best practice
  and innovative programs and evaluations

•   We strongly believe in sharing, networking and building capacity
    of organisations

                           Examples:
• In NSW the Department of Environment and Climate Change
  is offering free Cycling Training Vouchers to workplaces and
  community organisations
• The South Australian State Government in partnership with
  Adelaide City council are running a program “Tour the Work”
  which encourages workplaces and individuals to cycle to work
  and compete against each other and win prices.
  85 organisations and 886 people have registered already.
• In WA the Government provided free bicycles for their train
  drivers to encourage healthy and active living and foster a cycling
  culture within the organisation
• In Brisbane, the council in partnership with the State
  Government have set up the largest cycling parking centre with
 420 bike racks and 35 showers to make it easier and more
 convenient to cycle to work

Recognise, reward and encourage innovation and
    achievements to promote best practice

    National Bicycling Achievement Awards
              Established in 2002

Regular responses and submissions
                   to government inquiries:
• National Preventative Health Taskforce submission
   Making a strong case for the cost effectiveness of interventions
   to increase incidental physical activity through cycling

• Infrastructure Australia
   Seeking significant investment into cycling infrastructure in major cities
   in Australia to address congestion and greenhouse emissions

• Henry Tax Review submission
   Seeking changes to the tax system which reduces incentives for cars and
   provides incentives for sustainable transport including bicycles.

• Crawford Sport Panel submission
   seeking support for non organised physical and recreation activities such as cycling

        Research and development of fact and
                    issues sheets
• Range of fact/issues sheets to make it easier for stakeholders to
  source factual information on the benefits of cycling

• Research into the size and scope of cycling organisations

• Bicycle Sales fact sheet

• One of the most quoted facts in Australia in relation to cycling
  is “ more bicycles than cars are sold”

• Economic benefits of cycling in Australia publication

Cycling is on the increase

 1.92 million adults Australians cycled for
  recreation and fitness in 2008
  (increase of 337,000 (21%) from 2007
   4th most popular physical activity for adults

 28% increase in cycling to work between
  Census 2001 and 2006

 Cycling counts on popular routes have seen
  huge increases

 Cycling events have seen record numbers

     The areas of
 Australia that have
    invested most
  heavily in bicycle
 infrastructure have
  seen the sharpest
       increase

Increasing investment into cycling infrastructure and policies and
      regulation which encourage more Australians to take up cycling
                         is in the national interest

  Strategies by the CPF to gain greater
   Commonwealth funding for cycling
• Submissions including Infrastructure Australia asking for
  $200 million a year for 4 years for significant cycling
  infrastructure projects
• Building and maintaining relationships with bureaucrats,
  MP’s, Ministers and ministerial advisors in health,
  infrastructure and finance and the capital cities unit.
• Working to get support and funding for a rigorous BCR study
  for cycling infrastructure investment
• Building alliances with bodies such as the National Heart
  Foundation, Diabetes Australia, Public Transport stakeholders,
  Planning Institute
• Providing policy advice and input into effective strategies to
  increase cycling

Federal Government funding
      which can be used for cycling infrastructure
• Roads to Recovery funding
• Regional and Local Community Infrastructure
  funding
• Strategic Regional and Local Community
  Infrastructure funding

    CPF played an instrumental role in
    encouraging local councils to use some of
    these funding sources to speed up the
    implementation of their cycling networks
•

                     Stimulus funding
                 For cycling infrastructure

                       Jobs Funding:
           National Bike Paths Project $40 million
                Negotiated by the Australian Greens

            Our work and networks around Australia enabled
          us to provide a list of ready to roll out cycling projects
                 to demonstrate demand and feasibility

      Councils or state government had to provide matching funding
                       which ensured that more than

                            $100 million
          from stimulus funding will be invested in cycling
             infrastructure or shared paths in 2009/10

Opportunities and challenges
                   to gain greater support and investment
                                  for cycling
Opportunities:                        Challenges:
Increased mobility                    Competing interest from other road users
Boost physical activity levels        and physical activities

Assist in addressing climate change   Lack of support by traders
                                      Lack of financial resources required to
Supporting local businesses           make a real difference at the local level
Manage congestion around schools      Conflicting policies and priorities by state
in peak hour traffic                  and federal government
Improve community safety              Lack of professional expertise for effective
Restore a sense of community          planning and implementation of cycling
                                      infrastructure and policies
Improve quality of life

                                 Thank you!

                                 Questions