Wednesday, March 30, 2011
EU to ban cars from cities by 2050
Cars will be banned from London and all other cities across Europe under a draconian EU masterplan to cut CO2 emissions by 60 per cent over the next 40 years.
The European Commission on Monday unveiled a "single European transport area" aimed at enforcing "a profound shift in transport patterns for passengers" by 2050.
The plan also envisages an end to cheap holiday flights from Britain to southern Europe with a target that over 50 per cent of all journeys above 186 miles should be by rail.
Top of the EU's list to cut climate change emissions is a target of "zero" for the number of petrol and diesel-driven cars and lorries in the EU's future cities.
Siim Kallas, the EU transport commission, insisted that Brussels directives and new taxation of fuel would be used to force people out of their cars and onto "alternative" means of transport.
"That means no more conventionally fuelled cars in our city centres," he said. "Action will follow, legislation, real action to change behaviour."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/8411336/EU-to-ban-cars-from-cities-by-2050.html
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Shredding Truck Lane Blockers
ARC's Guaranteed Bike Lane (GBL) 2009. This one was parked during rush hour in the bike lane on College for over an hour. http://www.thestar.com/news/fixer/article/962468--the-fixer-drivers-fed-up-with-lane-blocking-shredding-trucks
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
A Ghost Bike in Toronto- Part Two
A Ghost Bike in Toronto- Part One
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
2008-2010 Toronto Bike Projects Update
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
David Suzuki
By David Suzuki and Faisal Moola, February 22, 2011
We humans like our wars. We have a war on drugs, a war on terror, a war on crime, and now, it seems, a war on cars. The latter “war” has entered the political vocabulary in Vancouver, where city council has been trying to reduce reliance on private automobiles; in Toronto, where the mayor is driving the agenda in the opposite direction; and in Seattle, where bike lanes and increased parking fees have come under fire. In the U.K., they’ve been calling it a war on motorists.
It’s not really much of a war, though. If anything, it’s just a bit of catch-up to create better public spaces and to allow more sensible forms of transportation some room in our car-dominated cities. Let’s take a look at some of the battlefields—and the casualties.
In Vancouver, opponents and local media predicted “chaos” from a bike lane on the Burrard Bridge, which connects the city’s downtown with the West Side. After the chaos failed to emerge, opponents, rather than learning from experience, went on to predict the same thing for other bike lanes in the city, mostly in the downtown core. Despite a few bumps, the chaos has yet to reveal itself. At the same time, the provincial government is spending $3 billion on a new 10-lane bridge and expanded highways to move cars and trucks in and out of the city.
In Seattle, in addition to a few new bike lanes and a slight increase in downtown parking rates, politicians are considering spending $7 billion on a new bridge and a new tunnel to keep the cars and trucks moving.
Nowhere has the term been more ubiquitous than in Toronto, where it became a rallying cry leading up to and during last year’s civic election. Numerous headlines in business-friendly newspapers raised the alarm about the city’s war on cars, with one newspaper even referring to it as a “nutty war on cars”. It was all because the city council of the day was spending money on public transit and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and, according to opponents, not enough “to make it easier for cars to move throughout the city”.
Rob Ford, who won the election to become Toronto’s mayor, campaigned on ending the war and, in his first speech after taking office, announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, the war on the car stops today." He had already declared a new war “on the streetcar” and promised to rip up bike lanes. Part of Mayor Ford’s battle includes ending the city’s Transit City plan, even though the city has already spent $137 million on it and committed to another $1.3 billion in contracts. The plan, seven years in the making, had also received funding commitments from the provincial and federal governments.
If there is or has been a war on cars, the cars are winning. Cars—often with a single occupant—still rule our cities and roadways, and they’re still relatively inexpensive to operate. And despite minor reductions in parking in cities like Vancouver to make way for bike and pedestrian infrastructure, most North American cities still devote way more valuable land to parking spaces than necessary. In the U.S., there are eight parking spaces for every car. We also devote an incredible amount of real estate to our ever-expanding road systems, often at the expense of public spaces.
As for casualties, 32 percent of the 44,192 accidental deaths in Canada between 2000 and 2004 were from motor-vehicle accidents, 70 percent in the 15 to 24 age group, according to Statistics Canada. Add to that the numerous injuries caused by vehicle accidents—often caused when cars come into contact with pedestrians and cyclists—and you get a pretty good idea of which side has the upper hand in this “war”. And, much of the health-damaging pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to dangerous climate change come from private automobiles.
So, if there were a war on cars, we would have to conclude that people are on the losing end. Of course, there is no war on cars. The only battle regarding cars is a propaganda war, and, as Guardian writer George Monbiot points out, it’s “about private interests trumping the public interest, about allowing people to pursue their desires, regardless of the cost to society.” Maybe it’s time we really did wage a wars on cars. http://www.straight.com/article-376169/vancouver/david-suzuki-if-there-war-cars-which-side-winning
We humans like our wars. We have a war on drugs, a war on terror, a war on crime, and now, it seems, a war on cars. The latter “war” has entered the political vocabulary in Vancouver, where city council has been trying to reduce reliance on private automobiles; in Toronto, where the mayor is driving the agenda in the opposite direction; and in Seattle, where bike lanes and increased parking fees have come under fire. In the U.K., they’ve been calling it a war on motorists.
It’s not really much of a war, though. If anything, it’s just a bit of catch-up to create better public spaces and to allow more sensible forms of transportation some room in our car-dominated cities. Let’s take a look at some of the battlefields—and the casualties.
In Vancouver, opponents and local media predicted “chaos” from a bike lane on the Burrard Bridge, which connects the city’s downtown with the West Side. After the chaos failed to emerge, opponents, rather than learning from experience, went on to predict the same thing for other bike lanes in the city, mostly in the downtown core. Despite a few bumps, the chaos has yet to reveal itself. At the same time, the provincial government is spending $3 billion on a new 10-lane bridge and expanded highways to move cars and trucks in and out of the city.
In Seattle, in addition to a few new bike lanes and a slight increase in downtown parking rates, politicians are considering spending $7 billion on a new bridge and a new tunnel to keep the cars and trucks moving.
Nowhere has the term been more ubiquitous than in Toronto, where it became a rallying cry leading up to and during last year’s civic election. Numerous headlines in business-friendly newspapers raised the alarm about the city’s war on cars, with one newspaper even referring to it as a “nutty war on cars”. It was all because the city council of the day was spending money on public transit and bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and, according to opponents, not enough “to make it easier for cars to move throughout the city”.
Rob Ford, who won the election to become Toronto’s mayor, campaigned on ending the war and, in his first speech after taking office, announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, the war on the car stops today." He had already declared a new war “on the streetcar” and promised to rip up bike lanes. Part of Mayor Ford’s battle includes ending the city’s Transit City plan, even though the city has already spent $137 million on it and committed to another $1.3 billion in contracts. The plan, seven years in the making, had also received funding commitments from the provincial and federal governments.
If there is or has been a war on cars, the cars are winning. Cars—often with a single occupant—still rule our cities and roadways, and they’re still relatively inexpensive to operate. And despite minor reductions in parking in cities like Vancouver to make way for bike and pedestrian infrastructure, most North American cities still devote way more valuable land to parking spaces than necessary. In the U.S., there are eight parking spaces for every car. We also devote an incredible amount of real estate to our ever-expanding road systems, often at the expense of public spaces.
As for casualties, 32 percent of the 44,192 accidental deaths in Canada between 2000 and 2004 were from motor-vehicle accidents, 70 percent in the 15 to 24 age group, according to Statistics Canada. Add to that the numerous injuries caused by vehicle accidents—often caused when cars come into contact with pedestrians and cyclists—and you get a pretty good idea of which side has the upper hand in this “war”. And, much of the health-damaging pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to dangerous climate change come from private automobiles.
So, if there were a war on cars, we would have to conclude that people are on the losing end. Of course, there is no war on cars. The only battle regarding cars is a propaganda war, and, as Guardian writer George Monbiot points out, it’s “about private interests trumping the public interest, about allowing people to pursue their desires, regardless of the cost to society.” Maybe it’s time we really did wage a wars on cars. http://www.straight.com/article-376169/vancouver/david-suzuki-if-there-war-cars-which-side-winning
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Bike Month Update From The City
Hello there,
Bike Month 2011 is fast approaching, and this is a reminder for you to register your event(s) with the City of Toronto, to be included in the Bike Month 2011 printer-friendly on-line calendar.
The Bike Month 2011 on-line calendar is a great way to promote your cycling events, programs, or activities taking place during Bike Month. There are no costs for applying to be featured in the calendar, and registration is simple. Complete the on-line form at http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/
Production and circulation of the Bike Month 2011 calendar is a free service provided by the City of Toronto. The city of Toronto reserves the right to manage and edit applications made to the Bike Month 2011 as necessary.
Yours,
Cycling Staff
Cycling Events and Outreach
City of Toronto
850 Coxwell Ave 1st Fl
Toronto ON
M4C 5R1
416-338-5071
for more information about Bike Month Events visit
www.toronto.ca/cycling/
Bike Month 2011 is fast approaching, and this is a reminder for you to register your event(s) with the City of Toronto, to be included in the Bike Month 2011 printer-friendly on-line calendar.
The Bike Month 2011 on-line calendar is a great way to promote your cycling events, programs, or activities taking place during Bike Month. There are no costs for applying to be featured in the calendar, and registration is simple. Complete the on-line form at http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/
Production and circulation of the Bike Month 2011 calendar is a free service provided by the City of Toronto. The city of Toronto reserves the right to manage and edit applications made to the Bike Month 2011 as necessary.
Yours,
Cycling Staff
Cycling Events and Outreach
City of Toronto
850 Coxwell Ave 1st Fl
Toronto ON
M4C 5R1
416-338-5071
for more information about Bike Month Events visit
www.toronto.ca/cycling/
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
Monday, March 07, 2011
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Friday, March 04, 2011
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
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