Cycling 100 project exceeds expectations

15/8/99
An exciting trial aimed at determining the motivators which will successfully change people's behaviour and encourage them to choose alternative transport methods is showing outstanding results.
Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes today released statistics which show the Cycling 100 project has exceeded all expectations.
To date, Cycling 100 participants have exceeded their target kilometres by an average of 25 per cent.
"This means that each of the 57 cyclists taking part in the project have cycled an average of 181km per month for a cumulative total of 10,331km," Mrs Edwardes said.
"Their target was 145km each per month and a cumulative target of 8,246km.
"This project shows that there are simple ways Perth people can change their commuter habits and make a positive impact on our air quality."
In the first four months of the project, the participants covered a total of 41,000km - an average sized Australian car travelling 41,000km would produce 9.2 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
Mrs Edwardes said the results were especially encouraging as so many car drivers enthusiastically volunteered to participate.
She said each weekday 90 per cent of the 65,000 vehicles which travel in and out of Perth have only one passenger - the driver.
Cycling 100 started with a simple premise that while some people would have great difficulty changing the fact that they drive alone to work - most people could make changes to improve their own health and the health of Perth's air.
The project attracted volunteers who, in return for a brand-new bike, made a commitment to leave their cars at home and ride to work for at least four trips per week for the next year.
"The Cycling 100 project is targeting ways in which to make these solo commuters think about the way they travel and reduce the number of car trips made to the city each day," Mrs Edwardes said.
"The benefits to Western Australia would be considerable if only five per cent of these commuters chose to cycle to work.
"There would be a reduction in the number of cars on the road, a significant reduction in traffic congestion, improved fitness and well-being of cyclists and an overall positive impact on Perth's air quality."
Mrs Edwardes said as a result of the efforts of the Cycling 100 participants, the Government would be in a better position to develop and implement programs which would be well received by the community.
Cycling 100 is a joint project between the Department of Environmental Protection and Transport WA.
Media contact: Kaye Hopkins 9421 7777