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Transportation Services Index and the Economy by Peg Young, Ph.D.; Ken Notis; Gary Feuerberg, Ph.D.; and Long Nguyen PDF Summary The March 2005 release of the Transportation Services Index (TSI), an economic measure of freight and passenger movements,1 marked the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' (BTS') entry into the company of federal statistical agencies that produce monthly U.S. economic indicators. The TSI consists of three component indexes: a freight index, a passenger index, and a combined (or total) index. Figure 1 shows the freight and passenger indexes as recently displayed on the BTS website. The TSI is the broadest monthly measure of U.S. domestic transportation services and, as such, provides the best current measure available of these services. As an index, the TSI reflects real monthly changes in freight and passenger services in the United States. After development of the TSI, followed by additional research, it became clear the TSI moved in conjunction with other indicators of the national economy. Cycles of various kinds, depths, and durations occur frequently in the U.S. economy. Of these, the business cycles of recession and expansion, and the growth cycle are of particular interest to economists. The TSI, as presently published on the BTS website, spans the time period from 1990 to the present and covers two recessions. But, extending the TSI back to 1979 allows coverage of four recessions2 and numerous growth cycles. By comparing the turning points in the extended TSI with other economic data series, it is possible to ascertain whether and how transportation services relate to movement in the overall economy. Quantitatively exploring the relationships between the turning points of the TSI and measures of the broader economy reveal some interesting results. One finding is that the freight component of the TSI, which encompasses five modes of transportation, shows a strong leading relationship to the economy. When the accelerations and

Cycling Data The collection of data on the number of bicycles per household, number of bicycle journeys and the nature of those journeys helps to inform transport policy and practice. Filter by : All |  Case Studies | Cycling Advocacy | Effective Marketing | International | Resources | Videos | United Kingdom | Australia | Victoria | New South Wales | Queensland | New Zealand | South Australia | Bike Commuting | Bike Share Schemes | Europe | North America | State and Territory Government | Tasmania | Sustainable Urban Transport Plans | Cost Benefit Analysis | Research paper | Austroads | Australian Capital Territory | Local Government | Northern Territory | National Government | Western Australia | United States of America | Canada | Australian Bicycle Council Active Transportation Beyond Urban Centers (USA) 06th Feb 2012 Active Transportation Beyond Urban Centers was published by Rails-to-Trails Conservacy in January 2012. It shows that in large and small "rural cores" of 2,500 to 50,000 residents, the share of total trips made on foot or by bike is only 20 percent below the rate for larger urban cores. Furthermore, when it comes to work trips, rural areas fall right in line with the national rates of biking and walking to work. Read more Local Government Bicycle Account 2011 (Australia) 02nd Feb 2012 In January 2012 the Australian Bicycle Council released the results of Local Government and Cycling Survey undertaken in July 2011. Councils responding to the survey spent more than $72 million on bicycle-related programs in 2009-10. More than two thirds of responding councils either have a bicycle strategy or are working towards one. As at June 2010, councils responding to the survey reported having constructed 11,704km of cycling infrastructure. When their cycle networks are complete the infrastructure will measure 17,842km. Read more Weather or Not to Cycle: Temporal Trends and Impact of Weather on Cycling in an Urban Environment (Canada) 01st Feb 2012 Thi

Why the Bike Lane is the Golf Course of the 21st Century Posted on January 26, 2012 Hello Dear Readers, The Sightline Daily, a blog affiliated with a Northwest policy think tank, published an article I wrote about my Stevens Fellowship experience. You can read the article here! A funny story about how the opportunity with Sightline came about. I was waiting at a stoplight near Mercer Street in Seattle in late November and this guy pulled up to me (on his bicycle) and commented on how bad the bicycle infrastructure was at that particular intersection. He noticed that I had no "biking clothes" on and asked me if I'd ever heard of Copenhagen Cycle Chic.  "Copenhagen Cycle Chic is my favorite blog!" I told him. Then we started talking bike politics and eventually I realized he was Alan Durning, the founder of the Sightline Institute. I've been reading the Sightline blog and using their research in my work for years. I really like that this Sightline article came about because of a conversation that started on the bike lane (or..errr…lack of bike lane).  Who needs the golf course when you cycle! Cycling is such a social form of transport. Sean and I were biking in to work a few days before Christmas and bumped into our friend Jed who I hadn't seen in almost a year.  (Jed and his wife recently had a baby!) We rode together along the cold, but sunny, shores of Westlake for about ten minutes and caught up.  It was a great way to start the day and I was happy to know that Jed was doing well. Then, the next morning, Sean and I bumped into Jed again-in almost the same place as the day before-and we shared another pleasant commute together while joking about how we were becoming a bike commuter gang. The morning before I left for Copenhagen I biked downtown alone after saying goodbye to Sean. I was feeling the weight of the goodbye and also some anxiety about professional challenges ahead.  I pedaled slowly along Dexter, my pace matchi

The Bikeable City - a course in how to plan for cycle friendly cities Call for expressions of interest The Cycling Embassy of Denmark, CED is offering a cycle planning course, The Bikeable City, in how to plan for cycle friendly cities. Many cities round the world want to develop their traffic culture with a view to more sustainable mobility. We are seeing public transport systems developing along these lines in many cities throughout the world. Along with this, there is a wish to develop a cycle culture in order to increase the mobility of the citizens and to reduce private car traffic in the cities. The aim of the course is to contribute to the development of liveable and bikeable cities throughout the world. Development of a cycle culture is an important part of sustainable mobility. The objective is to increase cycling by creating a safe environment for cyclists, which will also contribute to urban life, to a liveable urban environment and to the health of the citizens. Moreover, a bikeable city will contribute to important Millennium Development Goals in reducing poverty, developing democracy and increasing both gender equality and growth through increased mobility. Overall objective: To develop liveable and bikeable cities To support cycling-friendly policy development. To increase cycling as a mean of sustainable mobility To develop a cycle culture which contributes to urban life, and urban environment and health To strengthen the advocacy for cycling in civil society To support development goals in cities such as: poverty reduction, democracy, gender equality, growth through increased mobility, affordable transport To create a safe environment for cyclists.   The target groups are professionals from Danida collaborating countries working in Danida projects such as city administrations, local authority politicians, urban planners and designers and cycle advocacy groups in civil society. Possible participating countries could be: Bangladesh, Benin, Bhu

Children are the foundation of the cycling culture When you use a bike as a child, chances are that you will also use a bike as a grown-up. In Denmark, the cycling culture is built through more than 100 years. The foundation of the cycling culture is the fact that Danish children learn to ride a bike from their parents, brothers and sisters, or friends. Cycling is inherited from one generation to the next. But the culture is only kept alive, if it is used. If all children stopped cycling, it would not take long for the cycling culture to decline. The Cycling Embassy of Denmark places great emphasis on the creation of the best possible conditions for children who cycle. This article provides insight into three different kinds of projects with the purpose of supporting and improving the conditions for the child cycling. Cycle Games Children should feel encouraged to play and move around, and a bike is an ideal means for that purpose. When children cycle their sense of balance and mobility are stimulated. At the same time, the sense of locality and the perception of space and direction are increased, because the movement is being done at a higher velocity and on a moving vehicle. Furthermore, learning through play is a more effective way of learning than the old-fashioned cycle training with broom handle and supporting wheel. We believe that it is reasonable to begin at the age of two. When children play on their bike, the focus is shifted from the bike to the playing. When the actual cycling "automated" and the attention is on the surroundings, the basis is created for safe children cycling. The safe cyclist does not think about how the bike works, but only has the focus on the surroundings and the other cyclists. Cycle games contributes to better cyclists. Because the children have fun while they learn, chances are that they as adults will use the bike as their everyday means of transport. In Denmark the project "Cycle Games for everybody" consist of the foll

    Contact/Feedback   ACR Office   ACR Board of Directors   ACR Advisory Board   Webmaster   Web Editor   Newsletter Editor Back E. Laird Landon, Jr., William B. Locander (1979), "FAMILY LIFE CYCLE AND LEISURE BEHAVIOR RESEARCH", in Advances in Consumer Research Volume 06, eds. William L. Wilkie, Ann Abor : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 133-138. Advances in Consumer Research Volume 6, 1979      Pages 133-138 FAMILY LIFE CYCLE AND LEISURE BEHAVIOR RESEARCH E. Laird Landon, Jr., University of Houston William B. Locander, University of Houston ABSTRACT - The present research investigates the usefulness of Family Life Cycle (FLC) in the study of leisure/recreation behavior. The survey results presented show that FLC groupings capture much of the variance in recreation behavior. Implications are drawn for both public and private sector decision-makers interested in leisure behavior. INTRODUCTION In recent years there has been a growing interest in recreation and leisure research by academics, executives, and public officials (Wells & Gubar, 1966; Omura and Talarzyk, 1975; Voss & Blackwell, 1975). Most of the research to date has focused on describing recreation behavior through large scale surveys. Many of the studies have been atheoretical in that they employ little behavioral theory in the research design. The present article examines the Family Life Cycle (FLC) concept as a useful tool in understanding leisure and recreation behavior. FLC appears to have much potential for explaining leisure behavior because it matches needs with groups of peoples. That is, FLC offers a construct that is both multidimensional and dynamic. Its multidimensional nature is attributed to the fact that FLC is a composite of several important demographic variables. FLC is dynamic because it accounts for the changing family needs and structure over time. If FLC does capture difference

Cargo Cycle Crazy: 30+ Companies Form Freight Bike Federation  For Immediate Release. Cycle delivery companies from across Europe have gathered in Cambridge (UK) to form a European "Cycle Logistics" Lobby July 16, 2012 - Cambridge, United Kingdom - Over 30 companies from across Europe have joined forces to form the "European Cycle Logistics Federation". During a weekend event, the newly formed federation discussed ways to improve urban delivery and will act as a lobby group to promote cycle based delivery solutions.   "As a group we will be able to influence and convince stakeholders that freight bikes are a feasible option for delivering cargo in congested inner city areas. More cargo bikes delivering goods means less trucks in city centres and safer, liveable streets for people," says Rob King, founder of the Cambridge based cycle delivery company Outspoken Delivery which hosted the event. The event received praise from British politicians with Member of Parliament for Cambridge Julian Huppert stating: "Our city, which has the highest number of cyclists riding to and from work and school in the UK and a highly successful bike courier company, is a fitting place for such an event. Any changes that we can put in place to allow freight to be carried by bike have to be worthwhile. This idea has the potential to take vehicles off our roads, easing congestion and cutting carbon emissions. As a keen cyclist, it was very exciting to hear more about such great work."   It also won the interest of academics: "It's fascinating to be here in the early days of a new logistics paradigm. I see a knowledge community taking shape, defining and addressing shared challenges," said Proffesor Rachel Aldred, who directs the University of East London's Sustainable Mobilities Research Group and attended the event.    Participants at the event shared knowledge and experience on how cargo bicycles can reshape urban logistics. Speakers were adamant that cargo

BIKING Virtuous cycle: 10 lessons from the world's great biking cities 9 BY CHRISTINE GRANT 30 JAN 2012 7:04 AM Cross-posted from Sightline Daily. In the Seattle suburb where I grew up, the main transportation choice most residents face is what kind of car to buy. I moved to the city after college and, inspired by the "car-lite" lifestyles of several friends, decided to give cycling a try. I fell in love with it. Urban cycling freed me from slow buses, parking meters, and mind-numbing elliptical machines. I arrived at work with more energy. I lost weight. I discovered charming neighborhood restaurants. I could smell fresh laundry and dinners in the oven while I pedaled home through residential streets. Getting from A to B on my bike became the best part of my day. Recently, I won a fellowship and got to spend six months living life on two wheels in the world's most bike-friendly cities. I brought home 10 lessons for us here in the States: A bike lane in Denmark. (Photo by Christine Grant.) 1. It's the infrastructure, stupid! Amazing infrastructure makes cycling normal and safe in bike meccas. For example, parked cars to the left of the bike lane not only provide a barrier between motorized traffic and cyclists, they also minimize a cyclist's chance of getting "doored." Most cars only have one occupant, the driver, and drivers get out on the left. Bikes move at different speeds than cars or pedestrians, so intersections are safer for cyclists if they have their own traffic signal rhythm. Cyclists in Copenhagen generally get a slight head start over cars so that they'll be more visible as they cross the intersection. 2. Bike share! Bike-share programs are sweeping the world, and they are very successful at boosting bike numbers. About 130,000 trips are made each day in Paris on public bikes thanks to the pioneering Vélib bike-share program. Barcelona's bike-share program has been wildly succesful at boosting ridership. (Photo by C

Promoting the public health benefits of cycling N.C. Unwin MRCP MFPHM , a, Barclay Lecturer in Epidemiology Purchase a Medical School, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH UK Available online 28 April 2005. Abstract The potential health gain from increased levels of cycling in Britain is large. This paperreviews current levels of bicycle ownership and use, and the factors which influence whether or not people choose to cycle in Britain. Cycle ownership is strongly associated with affluence and children. Males cycle more than females. Boys aged 11-15 years cycle the greatest number of miles per person per week, followed by men aged 16-59 years. Cycling to work is weakly associated with affluence. Modelling cycling to work patterns suggests that hilliness, traffic danger, rainfall and longer trip lengths are important deferrents to cycling. Cyclists identify cheapness, health, convenience and enjoyment as reasons for cycling. Non-cyclists identify danger, 'unpleasantness' (e.g. traffic fumes, weather), bike security and cycling not appealing as reasons for not cycling. Part of the lack of appeal of cycling reflects negative social attitudes towards cycling. Cycling has tended to be seen as a childhood activity and incompatible with an attractive and sophisticated image. Departments of Public Health Medicine and Health Promotion, in collaboration withother sectors, have an important role to play in promoting increased levels of cycling. Keywords: cycling; health promotion; social attitudes Correspondence to: Dr N. C. Unwin, Barclay Lecturer in Epidemiology, Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology and Public Health, Medical School, 4th Floor William Leech Building, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH UK.

Walking and cycling as transport modes No speed, no mass, and no protection Pedestrians and cyclists: unprotected road users Walking and cycling as transport modes Of all journeys, 20-40% are travelled by cycle or on foot, with the highest percentage in the Netherlands and the lowest in Finland. Trips on foot take place most frequently in Great Britain, whereas bicycle trips are most frequent in the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden [34]. Some groups of traffic participants walk or cycle more than others. These differences are also reflected in their crash involvement (see Crash characteristics). Age groups for which walking is particularly important, are children below the age of 12 and adults aged 75 and above. The bicycle is used most frequently by those younger than 18 years of age [34]. Walking as a transport mode Cycling as a transport mode Age groups most involved in walking and cycling Walking as a transport mode Walking as a means of transport is commonly used for rather short trips. This means that it is actually difficult to assess pedestrian mobility at country level, as the national travel surveys often do not register the shorter trips. Also, the walking parts of trips made primarily by public transport are usually not taken into account. At present, the importance of walking is therefore underestimated [60]. Survey data from a selection of seven European countries show that 12-30% of all trips is made by walking (as main transport mode), the highest figure being for Great Britain [34]. For short trips under 5 km, the share of walking is higher, with a maximum of 45% in Great Britain. The average length of walking trips varies from just under 1 km (Great Britain) to 2.8 km (Finland). It should be noted, however, that the extent of coverage of short trips may vary from country to country in the national travel surveys. This will affect the comparability of average trip length and the share of walking. In Great Britain, all trip lengths are included, where

Cycling and walking related initiatives From 2005 to 2008 the Cycling Demonstration Towns programme saw six towns across England receive European funding to deliver a range of measures designed to increase cycling levels. Sustrans Research and Monitoring Unit was responsible for the monitoring of the programme where a 27% average increase in cycling across all six towns was observed. Additional funding awarded in January 2008 allowed Cycling England to recruit England's first Cycling City and eleven new towns in addition to those already established, creating the Cycling City and Towns programme. Sustrans' Research and Monitoring Unit conduct monitoring in all eighteen locations. Finding New Solutions is a Cycling England initiative aiming to introduce cycling to different audiences through leisure, workplaces and train stations. Sustrans Research and Monitoring Unit is responsible for the overall evaluation of the programme, but is more directly involved with the Leisure and Workplaces strands. Through the Future Jobs Fund, Sustrans hired 182 long-term unemployed, young people on six-month contracts to upgrade and maintain parts of the National Cycle Network. The Research and Monitoring Unit was involved in evaluation of the project. The Research and Monitoring Unit holds a 'strategic partner' relationship with the EPSRC. As part of this activity a small number of projects and studentships are underway. The iConnect study aims to measure and evaluate the changes in travel, physical activity and carbon emissions related to Sustrans' Connect2 programme. The five-year iConnect study started in May 2008 and involves a broad evaluation of the whole programme coupled with detailed investigations at five specific sites. The Visions 2030 research project assesses the potential in the UK for achieving substantial increases in walking and cycling by 2030. Through innovative approaches to analysis, longer term targets can be reached and the step changes necessary to

I am please to be able to invite you to the 2012 Australian Cycling Conference held in Adelaide on the 16th and 17th January 2012, with the theme of Cities for Cycling. The Australian Cycling Conference is Australia's longest running annual cycling conference and is the only forum to have the core aims of advancing and promoting rigorous research into cycling.  It is also Australia's most affordable and inclusive cycling conference with the two day conference costing only $290 (students discounts and one day passes available - please see our website for details). The conference attracts professionals from academia, government, private industry and community groups, from the varied fields of transport planning, engineering, health policy, geography, urban planning, sociology and environmental and spatial sciences. The Australian Cycling Conference is also proud to confirm Fiona Campbell (City of Sydney) as its Keynote Speaker for the 2012 conference. Fiona is the Manager Cycling Strategy at City of Sydney and will be presenting on her experiences and the challenges (and successes) in developing Cities for Cycling. The Conference will also be opened by Tim Horton, the Commissioner for Integrated Design in the Department of Premier and Cabinet. We are also able to confirm the inclusion of a delegation of representatives from the Road Traffic Management agency in Nigeria, including the President of the West African Road Safety Organization who will be given opportunity throughout the conference to provide insight into cities for cycling from a different perspective. The Conference is fortunate to have such high calibre presenters and delegates, and we hope that you will join us at the conference and contribute to developing an energetic and positive network of professionals dealing with local, national and international cycling issues. Registration and other conference details can be found at the Australian Cycling Conference Website at www.australiancyclingconferen

Non-Motorised Transport Many urban residents in developing countries and emerging economies rely on cycling or walking but with economic growth, the Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) share in transport systems is being threatened. Yet, NMT or Active Transport (AT) bears a relevant potential in low carbon transport scenarios  and in urban mitigation action. This makes NMT a key element in the transition of transport policies to sustainable mobility. Cycling - Half of all trips in cities are short and within cycling distance. The protection (and revitalisation) of cycling in Asia and the promotion of cycling elsewhere have to become an ingredient in comprehensive mobility plans to mitigate GHG emission in developing country parties of the IPCC. Cycling bears substantial significance for avoiding emissions, poverty alleviation and development. The first results of calculating the carbon value of cycling can be found here. The earlier cycling expertise is brought into transport and urban planning processes, the larger the long term benefits from a cycling inclusive transport system will be. The post 2012 framework should lever government investments in planning for such systems. We can build upon the transition in transport strategy by, among others, the multilateral development banks. Local, national or international strategies and plans should be translated into Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs). The NAMA framework can become a stimulus for most of the developing country parties to take up planning for cycling but only if cycling's GHG reduction potential and other benefits to society are better understood and made measurable, reportable and verifiable. The Global Cycling Coalition aims at contributing to SLoCaT's work program on this.

he 4th Annual Australian Cycling Conference - Cities for Cycling December 15th 2011 The Australian Cycling Conference aims to develop the quality of cycling research, planning and infrastructure provision in Australasia. Each year the Conference brings together policy makers, practitioners, community organisations and researchers to further knowledge of cycling and to advance expertise in creating cycle-friendly cities and societies. The Conference, held in Adelaide on 16 and 17 January 2012, is also Australia's most affordable and inclusive cycling conference with the two day conference costing only $290. Program information and registration details are available online at Australian Cycling Conference.

Pros and cons regarding bicycle helmet legislation Promote cycling and bicycle helmets or not? Promoting cycling: changes to expect Pros and cons regarding bicycle helmet legislation Although bicycle speed is rather limited, it is acknowledged that a properly designed helmet provides very good protection for the most vulnerable part of the body, the head, from being severely injured in a crash. Whereas the helmet is more or less compulsory in all countries for participants in sporting events, in most countries it is still optional for cycle touring or bicycle rides in general (see Bicycle helmet legislation for exceptions). Some cyclists are against the helmet as it imposes a requirement conflicting with the feeling of freedom given by the bicycle or because it is unsightly, uncomfortable, or unnecessary over short distances. Others are firmly in favour of it as it provides good head protection [16]. In 2000, helmets were worn on a voluntary basis by 15% of cyclists in Finland, 16% in the United Kingdom, 17% in Sweden, 7% in Switzerland and 6% in Norway. In Denmark, 68% of children, who are passengers on bicycles (children between 0 and 5 years old), were using helmets. 34% of the children between 6 and 9 years old use helmets on their bicycles. Only 5% of cyclists aged between 10 and 25 year old used a helmet, and among cyclists aged 25 years and older only 3% used a helmet. The proportion is insignificant in most other countries [16]. Several reviews have been conducted on the effectiveness of bicycle helmets in reducing head and facial injuries [54][53][41][30] . Studies over the last 15 years in the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand indicate that bicycle helmets are very effective in decreasing the risk of head and brain injuries. Critics of legislation, though, have pointed out that reductions in absolute numbers of cycling fatalities and severe head injuries can be at least partially explained by a decrease in cycling per se. Given that good evi

Bicycle Related Sites This page lists bicycle related web sites. Our focus is to provide information on bicycling as a mode of transportation. The sites listed below do not represent the views of the Department. They are for informational purposes only and the Department cannot be held liable for misinformation from any of these sites. Every effort has been made to review each site for content, however should a site grossly misstate facts or sources please send an e-mail to Ann Mahaney and the link will be removed. National Organizations: National Bicycle Safety Network - Contains safety and other information concerning bikes. Bicycle and Pedestrian Information Organization - Contains technical information on bicycles and walking. The League of American Bicyclists - ...for a bicycle friendly America, the national organization of bicyclists. Bicycle Federation of America - an electronic information center for bicycle and pedestrian advocates, practitioners, public officials and interested citizens. State Organizations: California Bicycle Coalition (CBC) - A non-profit organization that advocates increased bicycle use, access, safety and education, by promoting the bicycle as an everyday means of transportation and recreation. Smart Traveler - the single place on the internet to get information on all of your transportation options in California. California Association of Bicycling Organization (CABO) - California's bicycle clubs organized into a state federation in 1972 to protect bicyclists' interests state-wide and to encourage, maintain, and improve bicycling conditions. Local Organizations: LADOT Bicycle Services - The purpose of the LADOT Bicycle Homepage is to provide bicycle information to the constituents of the City of Los Angeles. Monterey Off Road Cycling Association (MORCA) - MORCA is an organized voice for responsible mountain biking in Monterey County. SLO County Bicycle Coalition - Transforming San Luis Obispo County into a safer and more livable

Inj Prev doi:10.1136/injuryprev-2011-040071 Study protocol The Bicyclists' Injuries and the Cycling Environment study: a protocol to tackle methodological issues facing studies of bicycling safety M Anne Harris1,2, Conor C O Reynolds3, Meghan Winters2, Mary Chipman4, Peter A Cripton5, Michael D Cusimano6,7, Kay Teschke2 + Author Affiliations 1Occupational Cancer Research Centre, Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada 2School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada 3Liu Institute for Global Issues, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada 4Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada 5Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada 6Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada 7Division of Neurosurgery, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada Correspondence to M Anne Harris, Occupational Cancer Research Centre, Cancer Care Ontario, 505 University Avenue, 14th Floor, Toronto, ON M5G 1X3, Canada; harris.m.anne@gmail.com Accepted 4 May 2011 Published Online First 8 June 2011 Abstract Background and Aims Bicycling may be less appealing in parts of the world where cycling is less safe. Differences between jurisdictions suggest route design is key to improving safety and increasing ridership. Previous studies faced difficulties in effectively assessing denominators for risk calculations and controlling confounding. This paper describes the advantages of the case-crossover design of the Bicyclists' Injuries and the Cycling Environment study to address these challenges to observational studies of cycling safety. Methods Injured cyclists were recruited from the emergency departments of five hospitals in Vancouver and Toronto, Canada. In 18 months, 690 participants were successfully recruited and interviewed. Each participant was interviewed to map the route of their injury trip, identify the injury site and select two control site

PRESTO - "Promoting Cycling for Everyone as a Daily Transport Mode" is a project of the EU's Intelligent Energy - Europe Programme granted by the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI). PRESTO is about competence building in cycling policies. The project aims to offer a set of tools for technicians to create cycle friendly urban environments, to implement sound cycling plans and to start up targeted promotion campaigns. Besides the local activities in the five PRESTO cities are meant for the people, to encourage the use of bicycles also among elderly or those who live in very hilly areas. Today, pedelecs (bicycles assisted by an electric motor) are making cycling even more accessible and PRESTO will involve dealers to set up "try-out days" of pedelecs where people can test and see for themselves the advantages. Finally PRESTO will test an E-learning tool focusing on cycling policies aiming to become a long lasting training course. The PRESTO website offers an overview of the project and its results. Find training material, Policy guides and Fact sheets in the top menu and download the files in six languages. We hope you will find this website and its content useful to improve the cycling level in your city! Your PRESTO consortium. PRESTO was endorsed by the European Commission's Sustainable Energy Europe Campaign as an Official Partner in the period 2010-2011.

WHO/Europe Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT). This tool is designed to help you conduct an economic assessment of the health benefits of walking or cycling by estimating the value of reduced mortality that results from specified amounts of walking or cycling. The tool can be used in a number of different situations, for example: when planning a new piece of cycling or walking infrastructure. HEAT attaches a value to the estimated level of cycling or walking when the new infrastructure is in place. This can be compared to the costs of implementing different interventions to produce a benefit-cost ratio (and help to make the case for investment) to value the reduced mortality from past and/or current levels of cycling or walking, such as to a specific workplace, across a city or in a country. It can also be used to illustrate economic consequences from a potential future change in levels of cycling or walking. to provide input into more comprehensive economic appraisal exercises, or prospective health impact assessments. For example, to estimate the mortality benefits from achieving targets to increase cycling or walking, or from the results of an intervention project. More information is available at http://www.euro.who.int/HEAT Start using HEAT for walking Start using HEAT for cycling