Cycling has several benefits over other modes of transportation for short trips under 5 km: 1) It is often faster than driving or public transportation due to not having to find parking and no time spent sitting in traffic. 2) It provides health benefits such as reducing risk of disease, improving mood and concentration, and helping meet daily activity goals. 3) It saves money on transportation costs, freeing up funds that would otherwise pay for gas, parking, and vehicle expenses. Encouraging cycling also reduces infrastructure costs.

1. Did you know?? Cycling is......

2. Save Time Gosford & Woy Woy Station Cycling Catchment Area (15min/5km) Bicycles can be faster than any other mode of travel When travel time is measured from door to door for short-distance trips up to 5 km long on a congested urban road network, bicycles can generally be faster than any other mode of travel. When travel time is measured from door to door for short-distance trips up to 5 km long on a congested urban road network, bicycles can generally be faster than any other mode of travel.

3. Get Healthy The importance of physical activity and cycling to health Cycling can help you get your recommended 30 minutes (2x15min bike trips) of activity per day, and help you: control your weight reduce your risk of chronic disease. reduce stress and depression. improve concentration and sleep. tone and strengthen muscles. improve energy levels. Figure 2:Schematic illustration depicting the relationships between physical activity and health benefit. Adapted from Bouchard, 2001 The direct cost of physical inactivity to the Australian health budget in 2006/07 Was $1.49 billion

4. Save Money It makes good economic sense to encourage more cycling. The cost savings to society of substituting Bicycle trips for short car trips can be of the order of 60 c/km, including: Reductions in the cost of providing parking (It costs about $45,000 and 30m2to provide a car park . Based on Woy Woy commuter car park) Transport makes up 16% of the average Australian family’s budget, a similar proportion to housing and food costs. Running an average car in NSW costs between $7,500 and $16,800 a year. (a bike costs around 1% of that amount. 42.4 % of Gosford the households owns 2 or more vehicles, often used to park a commuter car parks) By cycling, save at least $56.10 and 4.8 hours per week – even more if parking costs and current fuel prices are considered.

5. Save the Environment Cycling is a sustainable mode of Transport and friendly to the environment. About half of the greenhouse gas emissions produced by an average Australian family are from transport. In urban areas motor vehicles are the main source of air pollution Using bicycles to replace short car trips… means: Less energy, less pollution, and less space for cars and roads…. A city…that is designed for higher levels of cycling can be cleaner… less polluting… and a more pleasant place to live.

6. Cycling becomes safer when more people cycle, bike paths and lanes are provided and the overall speed of traffic is lower. Motor vehicles are the most significant Source of harm in the transport system, and pedestrians and cyclists bear a disproportionate burden of traffic risk. Road safety is increased by shifting people out of cars and promoting cycling, walking and public transport. Be Safe Cycling has lower injury rates than most other forms of sport, exercise and active recreation– see Figure 1.