Cycling Action Network

Cycling Action Network (CAN) is a national cycling advocacy group founded in November 1996^[1] in Wellington, New Zealand. They lobby government, local authorities, businesses and the community on behalf of cyclists, for a better cycling environment. It aims to achieve a better cycling environment for cycling as transport. Major initiatives are the annual Cycle Friendly Awards and support for a biennial Cycling Conference. The organisation was originally named Cycling Advocates' Network until it was formally changed at the annual general meeting on 20 March 2016.^[2]

CAN
Cycling Action Network

NZ is CAN's area of influence.
Formation	1 November 1996; 28 years ago (1996-11-01)
Type	NGO
Legal status	Incorporated Society and Registered Charity
Purpose	Advocacy
Headquarters	Wellington, NZ
Location	8a Horner St, Newtown, Wellington
Region served	New Zealand
Membership	Private Persons & Organisations
Official language	En
Chair	Alex Dyer
Main organ	Board
Staff	3
Volunteers	dozens
Website	can.org.nz

Goals

CAN's goals are:^[3]

• Promote integrated cycle planning
• Promote the benefits of cycling
• Improve safety
• Encourage the creation of a good cycling environment
• Develop cycle advocacy and cycle action

Chairpersons

The group is led an executive committee. Chairpersons of these committees are shown in the table below.

Chairpersons

Start	End	Name
?	17 July 2000	Sally Stevens[a][4]
17 July 2000	11 October 2003	Jane Dawson[b][6]
11 October 2003	October 2004	David Laing[7]
October 2004	4 October 2008	Robert Ibell[8]
4 October 2008	14 November 2009	Axel Wilke & Glen Koorey[c][9]
14 November 2009	March or April 2010	Bevan Woodward[10]
April 2010	29 March 2015	Graeme Lindup[d][14]
29 March 2015	20 March 2016	Graeme Lindup & Will Andrews[e][2]
20 March 2016	July 2018	Will Andrews

Activities

NZ Cycling Conference

Main article: NZ Cycling Conference

CAN has made a major contribution to the establishment and ongoing success of the NZ Cycling Conference^[17] series (15 October 1997, Hamilton; 14–15 July 2000, Palmerston North; 21–22 September 2001, Christchurch; 10–11 October 2003, North Shore; 14–15 October 2005 Hutt City; 1–2 November 2007, Napier; 12–13 November 2009, New Plymouth). Since 2012, the conference series has been combined with the previous NZ Walking Conference series and rebranded "2WALKandCYCLE" (February 2012, Hastings; October 2014, Nelson; July 2016, Auckland; Jul/Aug 2018, Palmerston North; March 2021, Dunedin).^[18][19]

Cycle Friendly Awards

Main article: Cycle Friendly Awards

Since 2003, CAN has been organising the annual Cycle Friendly Awards, celebrating initiatives to promote cycling and create a cycle-friendly environment at both a national and local level in New Zealand.^[20] The event has since received public recognition, with government representatives attending the award ceremonies.^[21]

Chainlinks

Chainlinks is the magazine of the NZ Cycling Action Network (CAN), which as of 2017^[update] is published three times a year as an electronic newsletter. About a 1000 copies are distributed to members of CAN and a number of supporting organisations such as local government authorities and cycling industry organisations.^[22] Published since 1997, until 2015 it was a full-colour paper magazine,^[22] whose back issues are available online.^[23]

Association with other groups

CAN is the parent organisation for some 20 local cycling advocacy groups around the country,^[24] including Bike Auckland and Spokes Canterbury.

CAN was a member of BikeNZ and provided one board member from BikeNZ's inception in July 2003. CAN resigned from BikeNZ in October 2007,^[25] but continues to work with BikeNZ on advocacy issues.^[26]

CAN works closely with Living Streets Aotearoa, the national walking advocacy group.

See also

• Bike Auckland
• Spokes Canterbury
• Cycling in Auckland
• Cycling in New Zealand
• Bicycle helmets in New Zealand
• New Zealand Cycle Trail

Footnotes

1. Stevens is listed as chairperson in the impressum
2. The AGM was held on 17 July 2000.^[5]
3. Axel Wilke & Glen Koorey were co-chairs in 2008 and 2009.^[9]
4. At the 8 March 2010 committee meeting, Bevan appears to have still been the chair.^[11] The 12 April 2010 minutes say: "Liz suggested Glen take on the chair role (since Bevan's resignation) until the May workshop. Glen ... agreed to do this".^[12] However, Graeme Lindup appears to have taken over as chair instead and he signed, on 25 May 2010, a document for changing the group's rules as "Chair" of CAN.^[13]
5. Graeme Lindup stood down, nobody put their name forward, and David Hawke pointed out that the deputy chair would take over in such a situation. It does not say in the minutes who the deputy is.^[15] The 2016 chair's report explains the situation: "When Will came free from being the stand-in for Patrick, he agreed to take more of a lead role on the committee. So Graeme and Will shared the Chair role through to the next AGM."^[16]