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Lower Mainland Cycling Guide (LMCG)

Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST) is a membership-based, non-profit charity that works with individual citizens, governments, educators, youth, volunteers, and special interest and community groups to create healthy and sustainable communities for everyone. Since its origin as a bicycle group in 1991, BEST has evolved into an integrated voice for all aspects of sustainable transportation and has become the largest community-based, non-governmental organization devoted to sustainable transportation and land-use issues in western Canada.

What are they doing?

Cycling is the cleanest and least expensive form of transportation, and an education and outreach program focused on its promotion is an excellent way to address the excessive motor vehicle use experienced in the Lower Mainland. 50% of people in the Lower Mainland commute by car every day, mostly in single occupancy vehicles, and 28% of these journeys to work are less than five kilometres in length. The encouraging news is that 30% of Vancouver residents reported using a bicycle for work, school, shopping or other personal business at least once during a six-month period. This is a positive indication that the willingness to cycle exists given the appropriate circumstances. From a social marketing perspective, residents in the region are likely to make a permanent shift to higher levels of cycling or other form of sustainable transportation if provided with the appropriate information to do so.

BEST plans to coordinate the production of a comprehensive regional cycling guide called the Lower Mainland Cycling Guide (LMCG) and distribute it to the majority of households in Vancouver's Lower Mainland. The need for such a guide is apparent in the Lower Mainland, and there is no other organization (non-profit, government or other) undertaking such an effort. While a number of "bits and pieces" of cycling materials exist, this will be the first ever comprehensive cycling information and education guide available in the region. It will also be the most inclusive, widely distributed communication piece about cycling as a form of sustainable transportation in the Lower Mainland to date as it will be distributed to the majority of households in the region.

The following are examples of what the guide will include:

• Environmental, health and community benefits of cycling;
• An extensive list of cycling resources and their links (such as cycling maps and bicycle hotlines);
• Cycling safety information, including tips on driving safely around cyclists;
• Information about regional cycling improvements;
• Integrating cycling with public transit;
• Profiles of commuter cyclists;
• Information on cycling gear;
• Cycling in wet and cold weather;
• Messages from sponsors;
• A cycling safety quiz to be returned and entered to win a prize for a new bike.

Where can you find more information?

BEST BC - Better Environmentally Sound Transportation

Date modified:

2010-02-03

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