With the transport crisis a long term reality for Australian cities, there has never been a better time to improve liveability by embracing the benefits of bicycling, according to Harry Barber, CEO of Bicycle Victoria.
“Bikes bring back the human scale of public spaces, changing streets from places to avoid into places to congregate,” he said.
Harry Barber is looking forward to discussing bicycling and its role in transforming cities into liveable spaces at Bike Futures 2011 from 12 to 14 October, in Melbourne.
Now in its third year Bike Futures has expanded to two and a half days. It has become the key annual professional development for national and local leaders, planners, designers and builders to use bike transport and recreation to advance their communities.
2011 sees the inaugural forum for Local Government elected officials, which will focus on the policy options for accelerating local bike usage.
“Bike riders have emerged as a critical indicator species of liveability,” Harry Barber said.
“In towns and cities around the world business and civic leaders, questing for the secret to attracting talent and innovation, are reaching for the Bike Plan.”
Bike Futures 2011 will discuss how to take the next steps from providing bike infrastructure – essential for mobility – to changing the ways cities work.
“When Bike Plans are done well, we know we will find a healthy social and economic ecology,” he said. “There is little doubt that bikes subtly but powerfully transform the street, calming it, warming it, making it magnetic to people and their conversation and commerce.”
Keynote speakers include Gil Penelosa, an internationally renowned liveable city advisor; Gordon Price, the Director of The City Program at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver BC; and Timothy Papandreou, Deputy Director, Sustainable Streets Planning Division for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.
“The conference brings together ideas, solutions and practical strategies to meet the challenges provided by the bike riding boom,” said Harry Barber.
For further information contact Bicycle Victoria on 1800 616 600 or go to bikefutures.conferenceworks.net.au/
