New Posters: You Can Cycle Jozi!

The City of Johannesburg is currently investing in the printing of beautiful posters, created by JUCA in collaboration with very talented artist Meghan Judge. Within the next few weeks, the posters will be printed and displayed at key points all over the City.

Here is a sneak preview of the three beautiful designs. We love them. What do you think? Feedback is very welcome.

 

Blue small Green small Orange small

Freedom Ride – 11 October

The fourth edition of the Jozi Freedom Ride will be taking place in October 2015. The ride forms part of the EcoMobility World Festival taking place in Sandton. As such, the ride will start in Sandton, heading south through the wonderful suburbs of Parktown, Parkwood, and Saxonwold and into historic Yeoville, riders will then ride through Observatory, head north into Wynberg onto the cities new cycle lanes in Alexandra, and back into the EcoMobility World Festival in Sandton.

freedom-ride2

This ride is proudly sponsored by the City of Joburg and Hollard. The donations received from riders are used to setup Bicycle Empowerment Centers in low income areas – this forms part of a strong partnership between the Freedom Ride, City of Johannesburg, and Qhubeka.

DATE: 11 October 2015

TIME: 7h00

START POINT: Sandton Gautrain Station

TOTAL DISTANCE: 27 kms

For more information, click here and here.

Streets Alive – 4 October

This Sunday, 4 October between 09h00 and 13h00, the streets between Sandton and Alexandra, two communities living side by side but very different interms of wealth and opportunity, will be stitched together by an exciting event that will close the streets between Sandton CBD and San Kopano in Alex to all motorised traffic.

Streets Alive

Instead, you will be able to walk, run, ride your bicycle or skateboard (or any other form of non-motorised movement) and contribute to bringing two communities together.

Entertainment will be on hand, including the SAPS marching band, traditional dancers, giant puppers, BMX tricksters and stilt walkers. Food stalls will be available along the entire route. Bring your families, friends, neighbours and dogs on leashes.

Attendance is free and all are welcome. This event is part of the Ecomobility World Festival happening in Sandton/Alexandra all month.

More details here: Street Alive Flyer A5 23.09

Its Ecomobility Month!

The Ecomobility World Festival is taking place in Sandton from 1-31 October. A huge number of events organised around non-motorised trasport in cities – including cycling of course – are planned. A full calendar of events is available here. Get involved! A key series of events are the Dialogues, in which transport experts will come together to discuss a range of possible interventions for non-motorising cities like Johannesburg. JUCA’s very own David Du Preez will be participating in a session on ‘Reshaping Cities for EcoMobility: Strategies and Tactics‘ on October 6.

EcoMobility_Festival_Joburg

 

EcoMobility is an environmentally friendly way of moving, that aims to decongest major cities. The goal is to reduce the number of private cars on the roads to allow free movement of people around our cities. Ecomobility is designed to give the cities back to the people, giving them the freedom to cycle, walk, jog and stroll freely. It is also intended to reduce the amount of air pollution and make our world a cleaner place to live in. The EcoMobility World Festival is where the idea of EcoMobility is celebrated. The Sandton CBD in Johannesburg will be the second global city to celebrate the idea of EcoMobility after the city of Suwon in South Korea. Over 100 000 people travel to and from Sandton every day, with more than 75 000 vehicles driving into Sandton in the mornings, making it one of the most congested growing city centres. If these numbers are not reduced the Sandton CBD could lose its attractiveness as a business destination. The City of Johannesburg is investing significant infrastructural changes including introducing Bus Rapid Transit and cycling lanes in the Sandton CBD. But this needs to be accompanied by behavioural change, thus the decision to host the international festival and show residents, workers and visitors that a different future is possible.

Tired of traffic congestion? Time to consider ecomobility!
Tired of traffic congestion? Time to consider ecomobility!

The EcoMobility World Festival is an international gathering of top minds and decision-makers in the fields of transport and environment. It is also an opportunity for the people of Johannesburg to experience a multitude of activities, entertainment and fun on public roads, usually occupied by motorised transport. Sections of the Sandton CBD will be turned into public spaces for the duration of the festival and limitations will be placed on the movement of private vehicles. In return the EcoMobility World Festival promises residents, the business community, workers and visitors a variety of activities to suit all tastes and a lasting legacy in the form of infrastructure that will support the global event. Residents will be encouraged to come out of gated communities and isolated suburbs and enjoy the freedom of movement offered by a vibrant urban environment. What happens on the streets of Sandton in October 2015 might be the harbinger of a more socially cohesive and environmentally conscious Johannesburg of the future.

Are you excited? JUCA is!

Support the corridor of commuter cyclists

Every day hundreds of commuter cyclists travel to various destinations along William Nicol Drive. This as far as we know is the only road in the greater Johannesburg area that carries such high volumes of people traveling on bicycles. It is amazing to watch.

If there is any road anywhere in Johannesburg that should be prioritized for protected separate bicycle lanes development, it is this one.

JUCA will be offering any support that this community of cyclists require. Following a consultative meeting with the cyclists on this corridor, we will be inviting partners to work with us in supporting and celebrating these commuter cyclists.

We also call on the City of Johannesburg and Gauteng Provincial Government to take immediate steps towards developing protected bicycle lanes on this vital corridor.

HOW TO SUPPORT: they always need extra bike equipment, so if you have spare parts or accessories, please donate! Also, cheer them up when seeing them! They are true cycling heroes of Johannesburg.

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