[sustran] Pro-bicycle campaigns

[Lake Sagaris]

Dear Sustran-members

Here in Santiago, Chile, Ciudad Viva (Living City), our community 
organization, is currently working with government, municipal and 
international officials on a bicycle project with support from the Global 
Environmental Fund (main purpose, reduce greenhouse emissions by 
campaigning and building infrastructure to get more people moving by bike).

We are looking for information on how successful pro-bike campaigns have 
been organized: who has headed these campaigns? What kind of role have 
non-governmental organizations in general and community groups (parents, 
sports clubs, unions, neighbourhood associations, organizations of bike 
users/riders) played in leading or contributing to these campaigns? What 
are the key ingredients and how should they be organized to get the most 
out of them (publicity, bike days, safe rides to school campaigns, media, 
etc.)? What kind of funding packages/systems have proved the most successful?

We are very interested in the Sustran effort in the UK, with its safe rides 
to schools, transnet, a new Internet resource for kids, and its national 
bike network. Is there one central funding process for these or other 
similar programs, or are funds part of municipal school budgets, or other 
programs?

What are the key elements for getting people informed and motivated to use 
bikes? We are thinking of a good, informative website with maps, tips, 
safety recommendations and the like, an information centre (or 
decentralized information via news kiosks, or both?), basic maps, flyers, 
etc., a pilot program in schools and combined with the Santiago 
metro/subway. What else should we be thinking of?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We're really looking for the 
nuts and bolts, the kinds of information behind this list, successful 
campaigns, web pages and the like. As usual, our time to do this is 
limited, but our willingness enormous, so all pointers will be greatly 
appreciated.

Thanks muchly and greetings to all.

Lake

Lake Sagaris
Communications, Ciudad Viva