In line with New Zealand trying to build the nation’s strategy around it’s position as a leader in sustainability, sustainable transport company Challenge for Change has just secured its first deal with UK councils to run a cycling program that was developed and run here in New Zealand over the last 5 years.
Social entrepreneur Tom Stokell says “We’ve got a model that works, and in the end the aim is simple - we just want to get as many people in the world cycling as possible.”
The first two active communities are the Swindon Cycle Community and the Colchester Cycle Community, and in just 9 weeks over 1400 people and 80 organisations have jumped on a bike for some 7,000 trips and cycled almost 100,000 kilometres. Thats over twice around the world and equates to 10,000 litres of petrol saved. Proof of small things making a big difference!
The Current Approach is all buzz and little action
While most governing bodies have some sort of policy and funding to get more people cycling, most are still treating it solely as a marketing effort and while marketing is an important component in raising awareness, its only the first step to delivering results - people cycling regularly and for transport. Challenge for Change combines more conventional marketing efforts like getting PR in local newspapers and radio shows. The whole effort is focused around a live online community where everyone involved can log their trips, tracking their progress and that of their peers and organisation.
New Zealand now has improved its transportation. Going to other places are now much convenient.
Taxi Christchurch at 12:24 pm, Aug 28th 2009