Promoting Cycling to Reduce Car Dependency
Car dependency is a source of many contemporary problems. Cycling is a promising strategy to reduce car dependency, but its prevalence is low in Australia. The seminar presents recent evidence and efforts in relation to cycling promotion.
About this seminar
Car dependency contributes to many contemporary public health and environmental problems, such as physically inactive lifestyles (and associated health risk), air pollution, traffic congestion and global warming.
This is particularly serious in Australia, where car use is often a default mode of transport due to the development of peri-urban, car-oriented neighbourhoods. Reducing car dependency is an urgent priority in Australia to transition to a healthy and sustainable society.
Cycling is a promising mode of transport that can help to reduce car dependency. However, the prevalence of cycling is quite low in Australian cities. We need a concerted effort among researchers, advocates and policymakers in relevant fields to make a transition from car-oriented to bicycle-friendly cities.
In recognition of the World Bicycle Day on 3 June, we gather researchers who share new findings that can help to promote cycling and advocates who showcase their efforts in accelerating this transition in Australian cities.
The panel discussion after presentations will explore how researchers and advocates can work together to disrupt the status quo of car dependency and help to accelerate the transition.
Our seminar program
| Topic | Speaker | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Professor Takemi Sugiyama | Swinburne University of Technology |
| Health impact of shifting car travel to cycling | Dr Belen Zapata-Diomedi | RMIT University |
| Proportion of short car trips that can be cycled | Mr Firas Mohamed | Swinburne University of Technology |
| Barriers and enablers of cycling uptake for transport | Dr Lauren Pearson | Monash University |
| What gets advocated for, gets done | Dr Tepi McLaughlin | Western Australian Government |
| Research evidence versus advocacy | Mr Stephen Hodge | WeRide Australia |
| Panel discussion: What can disrupt the status quo and how research can help | Dr Manoj Chandrabose | Swinburne University of Technology |
Our seminar location
If you are attending in person, this seminar will be held at the Centre for Urban Transitions, Level 1, EW Building on our Hawthorn campus.