When it comes to advocacy, everyone can get involved!
Here are some ideas of simple actions you can take to help promote cycling in the community.
Ride your bike
The simplest and easiest advocacy statement you can make is to ride your bike!
Whether you ride for fun, recreation, social contact, fitness, commuting or transport, every time you are out on your bike, you are an ambassador for cycling.
Why not encourage friends or family to ride? Join Bike North or another cycling group and be seen!
Write a letter
It’s not ‘old-fashioned’, and it works!
If you notice an issue that may affect cyclists, then you can let the relevant organisation know, whether it is the local council, a state MP or Transport for NSW, by writing a letter.
Sending a letter (whether by post or electronically) can be impactful.
Here are some tips to consider when crafting your letter:
• ensure you are sending your letter to the appropriate authority
• be topical: write your letter when the issue is current
• date your letter and include your address and contact details
• keep to a single subject per letter
• use simple and direct language
• limit your letter to one page
• send a copy to the relevant advocacy organisation (e.g. Bike North)
Keep a copy of your letter for your records. You may be invited to comment further or you may decide to provide it to the media.
Respond to Community Consultation
The wider community is often invited to contribute to discussions and plans on issues such as roads and transport, local town planning, active transport, health planning etc.
These discussions may impact or be relevant to cycling, an angle that decision-makers may not have considered.
Contributing to the discussion through the consultation process ensures that cycling makes it to the agenda.
Contact the media
A good way to stay informed on local issues is by monitoring local and broader media, whether your local newspaper, radio stations, TV or metro newspapers.
Public discussions are often uninformed from the point of view of cycling. If you know the facts, contribute by calling in to a radio station and participating in talk-back discussions. Avoid being trapped in emotive arguments by the professionals at the other end. Or, if you feel more comfortable, craft a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
Whichever action you decide to take to support cycling, feel free to contact Bike North’s Advocacy Convenors, who have plenty of experience and can help you to get your message across!
Bike North Advocacy Coordinator, David Thomson meets with Member for Wahroonga, Alister Henskens, accompanied by Peter McLean, CEO BNSW (left) and Phill Hart, President Bike North