The NZ Cycling Conference is a series of cycle planning conferences started in 1997 in Hamilton. Since 2001, the conference series has a biennial schedule. The conferences are one of the key ways of exchanging expertise about planning and design for cycling in New Zealand.
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Initially, conference attendees and speakers were mainly cycle advocates, but the conferences have developed a broader appeal across all sectors that are involved in policy, promotion and provision for cyclists – such as from representatives from NZTA or local authorities.
The conferences are organised by an organising committee made up of representatives of various organisations. In 2009, these are Cycling Advocates' Network, NZ Transport Agency, Ministry of Health and New Plymouth District Council.
Conferences have been held in the following locations:
The 1st conference was held on 15 October 1997. The conference theme was "Planning for and Promoting Cycling in Urban Areas".
The 2nd conference was held on 14–15 July 2000. The conference theme was "Making Cycling Viable".
The 3rd conference was held on 21–22 September 2001.[1] The conference theme was "Transport for Living". The guest speaker was Karel de Roy, a traffic engineer and transport planner from the Netherlands.
The 4th conference was held on 10–11 October 2003.[2] The conference theme was "Cycling Strategies – And How to Implement Them".
The 5th conference was held on 14–15 October 2005. The conference theme was "Changing Lanes – Cycling into the Mainstream". The conference was opened by Lower Hutt mayor David Ogden. The Danish engineer and senior transport planner Troels Andersen was the keynote speaker, relating the experiences from Odense to New Zealand.[3]
The 6th conference was held on 1–2 November 2007.[4] The conference theme was "Getting There by Bike". The conference was attended by Minister of Transport Annette King, who presented the 2007 Cycle Friendly Awards.[5] Bob Chauncey from the National Center for Bicycling & Walking (NCBW) in the US was the keynote speaker.[6]
The 7th conference was held on 12–13 November 2009. The conference theme was "Communities, connections and the economy". The keynote speakers were Phillip Darnton from Cycling England and Assoc. Prof. Chris Rissel from the University of Sydney. Darnton was interviewed by Radio New Zealand's Kim Hill prior to the conference about opportunities for cycling in New Zealand.[7]