____________________________________ WORLD CARFREE NEWS >>> ____________________________________ Edition 70 ? August 2009 ? English version ____________________________________ Contents: QUOTATION OF THE MONTH WORLD CARFREE NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS - Network Capacity Building Seminar & AGM 2009, Prague, Czech Republic (November 4-8) - York, United Kingdom to host Towards Carfree Cities IX in June 2010 - Steering Committee Vacancies: Special call for Europeans - World Carfree Day: Spokespeople, Social Networking and Special Offers! - Logo Redesign Contest - New Carfree Blogosphere - Out Now: Carbusters 39! IN THE NEWS - Less Roads, More Relief - Air Pollution Suffocates Calcutta - India?s New Road Taxes - Buses in Developing Countries - China?s Speedy Trains - EU Lacking Vision for Transport Policy - Scotland's Greener Travel - Holland?s High Parking Fees - The Business of Bike-Sharing Systems - Obama signs $2 billion bill to refill 'clunkers' - Making Business on Carfree Broadway REPORTS - Bicycle Ambulance Project in Zambia - Future Scenarios for Perth, Australia - Car Free Development and New Street Design - Efficiency - Equity - Clarity - Travelling by bike in Denmark MEDIA & NETWORKING - Test your Awareness - Intersection Turned Into a Park - "Transportation Freedom" - Summer Streets in New York, USA - Anatomy of a Car Crash CURIOS - Distracted Driving - Pedal Power for Mobile Phones - Bike Bell Ringtone SUPPORT WORLD CARFREE NETWORK ___________________________________ QUOTATION OF THE MONTH >> ____________________________________ ?Around the world, in much of development work, transport is the ultimate enabler. By serving other sectors of a nation's economy, it puts development goals within reach.? Gary Forster, Head of Program Development for Transaid ___________________________________ WORLD CARFREE NETWORK ANNOUNCEMENTS >>

 ____________________________________ - Network Capacity Building Seminar & AGM 2009, Prague, Czech Republic (November 4-8) World Carfree Network is happy to announce a four day event consisting of capacity building and network development workshops, together with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2009, November 4-8, in Prague, Czech Republic. It?s been a while since the Network has had a gathering in Europe. Therefore we wish to create as inspirational and empowering event as possible in order to reconnect and revitalise ourselves. We are currently compiling the programme and would like your assistance: Please send your interests, hopes and wishes regarding the AGM and seminar to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - York, United Kingdom to host Towards Carfree Cities IX in June 2010 The Steering Committee of the World Carfree Network has decided that Towards Carfree Cities IX will take place in York, United Kingdom, June 21-24, 2010. Congratulations to Carfree UK, the host organization! The TCC web section at http://www.worldcarfree.net/conference/ will be updated shortly. In the mean time you can contact the host organization and the Conference Coordinator Randall Ghent at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . - Steering Committee Vacancies: Special call for Europeans The World Carfree Network is still looking for new Steering Committee (SC) representatives. The SC provides overall vision and strategic planning, in cooperation with the International Coordination Centre, member organisations and individual members. There can be 7-13 volunteer SC members, serving for a two-year period. Nominations are being accepted until the end of the summer period. Further information and how to apply: http://www.worldcarfree.net/about_us/europe/jobs.php - World Carfree Day: Spokespeople, Social Networking and Special Offers! WCN works to promote and support World Carfree Day at the international level and therefore we are on the lookout for World Carfree Day spokespeople from all continents to help with our promotion and information-sharing task. The task at hand consists of working with the media and communications on the lead up to and on the day. For more information please contact: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . And now is the time to begin sharing your ideas, planning and promoting your World Carfree Day events by adding your events to the global WCD Wiki at http://editthis.info/wcd/Main_Page and joining in on the world wide celebrations on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/worldcarfreeday WCD SPECIAL OFFER FOR MEMBERS! For WCN members only, we are providing some of our most popular Resource Centre items (including T-shirts, stickers, books) for you to sell or to give away at your events, at a reduced price. Please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information and to place an order. - Logo Redesign Contest You are probably familiar with the little green man, our logo, if not see http://www.worldcarfree.net. Although we love him, we feel it's now time gave the WCN logo a makeover. And we'd like your help doing this! If you would like to take part in the logo redesign contest, please send your new design proposals, graphics and artwork to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Closing date for entries is August 31 and the winning design will be chosen at the November AGM in Prague, Czech Republic. For more information and guidelines, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - Carfree Blogosphere The WCN is proud to announce the ?Carfree Blogosphere?, a space to share information and discuss issues relevant to eliminating car dependency, exploring alternatives and to celebrate carfree living. We invite you to blog with us - please send your letters, articles, news, pictures and videos to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Visit the Carfree Blogosphere at http://worldcarfree.wordpress.com - Out Now: Carbusters 39! The next edition of Carbusters magazine is out. Here's a quick glimpse of what's on offer: a special on China and its progress for a carfree future; a deeper look into one of the sustainable alternatives - carfree walks; an interview with Chris Carlsson who helped launch the Critical Mass bike demonstrations; and something pleasing to the eye?a celebration of carfree cartoons! Subscribe to Carbusters magazine: https://store.kagi.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?storeID=8WP&& Follow Carbusters online: http://www.facebook.com/carbusters ____________________________________ IN THE NEWS >> ____________________________________ - Less Roads, More Relief Most transportation planners continue to operate from the orthodoxy that the best way to untangle traffic is to build more roads, yet in some cases, doing so proves counterproductive. The ?Braess Paradox? is a mathematical theorem explaining why: http://tinyurl.com/mlvqpy There are plenty other advantages, such as improving quality of life and the environment. More at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/world/asia/17daylight.html?_r=3 - Air Pollution Suffocates Calcutta In the city of Calcutta, 70% of people suffer from respiratory disorders caused by air pollution, a recent study by a prominent cancer institute in India concluded. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6614561.stm - India?s New Road Taxes An urban transport policy study made for five cities of the Punjab in India suggests that new taxes should be considered to balance the road usage among various modes of transportation and provide a corresponding benefit to all road users. http://tinyurl.com/ncyazt - Buses in Developing Countries Many cities in developing countries are planning to or have introduced Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in order to improve traffic flow and reduce city smog from car traffic. The role and development of BRT is important in many poor cities, as it be introduced at a fraction of the cost of building new subways. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/10/world/americas/10degrees.html?_r=1 - China?s Speedy Trains China?s high-speed connection between Beijing and Shanghai, which is the most important link in the country?s ambitious rail plans, will be faster than previously announced when it fully opens in 2013, taking less than four hours. http://tinyurl.com/n8cvmt - EU Lacking Vision for Transport Policy Environmental NGOs have reacted with shock and disappointment at the European Commission?s for the future of EU transport policy. Even an EU official from the environment directorate was keen to distance his department from it. http://tinyurl.com/m8khvr - Scotland's Greener Travel Scottish government?s Smarter Choices, Smarter Places scheme is series of innovative projects aimed at encouraging people to cut their car use over three years. The scheme, costing GBP15 million, began in May and includes seven areas across Scotland, in wide-ranging initiatives to promote greener travel and improving physical activity. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/transport/sustainable-transport - Holland?s High Parking Fees Amsterdam, Holland has the most expensive daily parking rate for cars in the world, according to a recent survey. A benefit of the high charges helps to keep the city clean. http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2009/07/amsterdam_parking_fees_highest.php Amsterdam is well-known as a city where more people use bikes than cars. http://www.bike-eu.com/news/3469/amsterdam-more-trips-by-bike-than-by-car.html - The Business of Bike-Sharing Systems It was christened the ?free bike scheme?, but JCDecaux, the French advertiser chosen to run a ?bikes-for-billboards? project in Dublin, Ireland, actually stands to earn 9million Euros more than the city council from the project. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article6727865.ece - Obama signs $2 billion bill to refill 'clunkers' President Barack Obama has signed a bill extending the popular program into Labor Day and preventing the 2-week-old incentives from running out, the White House said on Friday. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32313464/ns/business-autos/#storyContinuedfrom/ET - Making Business on Carfree Broadway When the Mayor of New York, US announced plans in February to close a stretch of Broadway to traffic and to create pedestrian plazas, it was billed as a way to ease congestion and create oases for walkers and cyclists. But clearly this wasn?t just for the good of the public. The plazas can also make money for the city. Private companies are able to rent all or any of them. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/nyregion/09sidewalks.html?_r=1 ____________________________________ REPORTS >> ____________________________________ - Bicycle Ambulance Project in Zambia In 2008 Transaid began a bicycle drawn ambulance project in Eastern Zambia. The project had three aims: improving access to healthcare in rural areas, construction and maintenance of bicycle ambulances, and to best practise solutions for endorsement by international organisations. This paper presents useful literature and reviews the outcomes of the project. http://www.ifrtd.org/new/res/transaid_bicycleambulance_may09.pdf - Future Scenarios for Perth, Australia Research report commissioned by the Western Australian Department of Planning/Department of Transport. This report compares four different scenarios of urban growth and public transport infrastructure and service priorities within a 25-year time frame in the city of Perth, where population is expected to grow by more than 40%. www.abp.unimelb.edu.au/gamut/pdf/perth-snamuts-future-scenarios-19june09.pdf - Car Free Development and New Street Design This is a handy resource on carfree developments and new street design from Sustainable Urban Transport Project. The document provides an overview of the latest available literature and includes links to a wide range of related organisations and projects. http://www.sutp.org/index.php?option=com_docman&Itemid=54&lang=uk - Efficiency - Equity - Clarity This report "Are Vehicle Travel Reduction Targets Justified? Evaluating Mobility Management Objectives Such As Targets To Reduce VMT And Increase Use Of Alternative Modes" from the Victoria Transport Policy Institute investigates whether transportation policies should include mobility management objectives, such as targets to reduce vehicle travel and encourage use of alternative modes. http://www.vtpi.org/vmt_red.pdf - Travelling by bike in Denmark Useful information if you are thinking of travelling in Denmark, and an excellent example of how to promote vacation cycling, if you are interested in doing that. http://www.e-pages.dk/visitdenmark/223/ ____________________________________ MEDIA CORNER  >> ____________________________________ - Test your Awareness A funny and well made video from an advertising group in London, UK developed for the local government. The goal of the campaign is to promote and increase road safety for cyclists and drivers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahg6qcgoay4 - Intersection Turned Into a Park A short film about a park created for 72 hours on a dangerous intersection in San Francisco, US. It gives us an insight into the history, and what has been done and why. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/07/san-francisco-park-intersection.php - ?Transportation Freedom? Interview with new Gabe Klein, Director of Washington's Department of Transportation, US. According to him, "Cars are a part of our daily life here in D.C., but what we want to do is try to equalise the playing field. Encourage people to walk, to bike, to bike share, or instead of owning a car - car share". http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/dcs-dot-director-talks-transportation-freedom/ - Summer Streets in New York, USA Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced this week the return and expansion of the Summer Streets program along with more than 1,500 free events taking place throughout New York City this summer. http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/summer-streets-are-back/ - Anatomy of a Car Crash The award-winning documentary about a fatal car crash in Cornwall, UK. In their own words, the survivors explain the life-changing consequences as a result of the sort of car crash that happens every day on UK roads. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00f4ryn ____________________________________ CURIOS >> ____________________________________ - Distracted Driving In 2003, US researchers proposed a long-term study of 10,000 drivers to assess the safety risk posed by mobile telephones used behind the wheel. They sought the study based on evidence that such multitasking is serious and a growing threat in the US. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/technology/21distracted.html?_r=2 - Pedal Power for Mobile Phones Two Kenyan students are hoping to market a device that allows bicycle riders to charge their mobile phones. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8166196.stm - Bike Bell Ringtone For the bike geek or just for fun, you can download the free bicycle bell ringtone at: http://tinyurl.com/n6tcro ____________________________________ SUPPORT WORLD CARFREE NETWORK >> ____________________________________ Our joint carfree vision is only as strong as the people who support us. By donating to WCN you'll strengthen the voice of the movement that's committed to defending our right to a sound, sustainable future. For donating and joining as a member, please visit: http://www.worldcarfree.net/join/ Your support will make a huge difference. __________________________________ Bulletin #70 by Jane Harding and Marko Thull World Carfree News - Monthly Newsletter WORLD CARFREE NETWORK http://www.worldcarfree.net/bulletin This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it World Carfree News is published once a month by World Carfree Network. To unsubscribe email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it World Carfree News is published once a month by World Carfree Network.
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