Dear Subscriber,

Welcome to the PCAL monthly bulletin. This bulletin reports up to date news and research of interest to people who want to promote active living choices in NSW. Previous bulletins are archived on the PCAL Website.

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Premier Kristina Keneally recently announced surf champion Layne Beachley as the new Chair of the Premier's Council for Active Living. Premier Keneally also launched the updated Why Active Living Statement detailing the health, environment, economic and social benefits of active living.

The Cycling Connecting Communities (CCC) project, a community-based cycling program in Western Sydney recently examined the effectiveness of encouraging the use of newly completed off-road cycle paths. Results demonstrated that relatively simple social marketing and behaviour change programs can lead to significantly increased utilisation of newly developed active travel infrastructure.

The Woonona rail station commuter car park was recently opened and includes an undercover bicycle rack, CCTV surveillance and lighting. Parramatta City has also introduced several bike parking and secure change rooms with showers and lockers at two retrofitted city centre locations.

Concerns for traders economic fortunes are often used to oppose reduction of car parking in mixed use areas. A recent inner Melbourne study has found that the small area of public space required for bike parking means that each square metre allocated to bike parking generated $31 per hour compared to $6 per hour for car parking.

A study on the modes of travel to school led by Sydney South West Area Health Service has found children who walked to school every day were one-fifth as likely to be obese than children who were driven.   

 

The latest issue of the NSW Public Health Bulletin focuses on the impact of climate change upon health and includes various articles addressing the co-benefits of prioritising active travel.

PCAL is hosting a series of FREE Development and Active Living Seminars for land-use planners and consultants. These half day events will build on previous PCAL Healthy Planning Workshops. Seminar dates and locations include: Wollongong 15.09.10; Parramatta 12.10.10; Sydney City 20.10.10 and Newcastle 03.11.10. For registration details click on the link for each location.