Streetfilms | T.A. Rides with the Mayors of Sydney & Copenhagen

T.A. Rides with the Mayors of Sydney & Copenhagen

by on May 17, 2007 | 3,810 Plays

On the closing day of New York City's historic C40 Climate Summit, Lord Mayor Clover Moore of Sydney, Australia and Copenhagen's Mayor of the Technical & Environmental Administration Klaus Bondam took a lunch break to ride bikes with Transportation Alternatives in a symbolic loop around Central Park. As usual StreetFilms brings you the best coverage.

Show Transcript

[intro music] Paul Steely White: [00:08] Today we have the Mayors of Copenhagen and Sydney with us to do a bike ride in Central Park. They’re here with many other world Mayors for the Climate Summit, where at least 40 world Mayors are meeting to talk about what their cities are doing to combat climate change and create more liveable cities. And Copenhagen is arguably the world’s most liveable big city. Mayor Klaus Bondam: [00:32] I think it’s essential that the big cities collaborate in doing something about the climate change. I come from a small city. Copenhagen is a very small city, we’re half a million habitants, but what we can do is that we can show an example. We have a quite good environmental performance already. But for example concerning of bikes, 40% of our citizens use their bike 365 days a year going back and forwards to work and education. And it saves a lot of [unintelligible 01:04]. It’s an example we can show and it’s also an example by participating in this event here. Lord Mayor Clover Moore: [01:11] Cycling’s very important initiative in Sydney where we’ve just finished our cycle plan, we’re just about to build a dedicated cycle route. We’re encouraging Sydneysiders to get out of their cars and to start cycling and so I’m very excited in joining the Mayor of Copenhagen and other world Mayors in promoting that. [music] Mayor Klaus Bondam: [01:59] It was seven years ago since I was here last time, it was under construction the last time I was here. I think it looks beautiful. It’s a very good example of how people enjoy relaxed city life. People like spaces in the city where there are no cars. Lord Mayor Clover Moore: [02:18] Oh I think your Park’s wonderful. I think it’s absolutely precious. It’s… the hotel’s just opposite the park, I sneaked across and walked through as often as I can. Paul Steely White: [02:30] We understand that both Mayors have been explaining to our Mayors and their staff the great progress that they’ve made in transforming their streets to be a lot more bike friendly. So there’s been a lot of exchange of ideas here at the Summit and this ride is I think really an opportunity to make a more forceful statement that bicycling is the green transportation for cities in the 21st century. http://transcriptdivas.ca/transcription-canada/

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au Josh MacKenzie

To view the City of Sydney's cycle strategy and details of the plan to build 55km of seperated cycle lanes in Sydney, visit: http://www.sydneymedia.com.au/html/3231-new-bicycle-lanes-to-improve-safety.asp

Josh MacKenzie
City of Sydney
anon

Would it kill the good people at T.A. to wear suits for a change? That looked like critical mass surrounding foreign dignitaries. I know T.A. is way more savvy than that...
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Gilbert

Wow, there is my mayor riding in Central Park!

Cheers, nice coverage.

Gilbert,

P.S. To anon - why do they have to wear suits?
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roberto

Go Clover, a little wobbly but you seem to be enjoying it. We need to see our leaders setting the example if cycling is to become seen as a normal form of transport, particularly in car mad Sydney.
mike

#2 - What? Did you actually watch the video and see what people were wearing? People seemed to be dressed pretty "fine" to me.
Dexter

Clover Moore is the joke of Sydney. Under her rule all we get are more buses and we are drowning in congestion. This seems like a holiday at the taxpayers expense. She goes everywhere in a limousine and her driver double parks. The only real person on Sydney Council is Councilor Shayne Mallard - he cycles everywhere. I bet she traveled Business Class also. She's in trouble in the elections next year - people are over the way she spends all the money.
Ellie

Funny how Sydney is the city which has the lowest number of bike riders per capita in Australia. They have a long way to go to make it a bike friendly city.
Ellie

P.S. I hope the Copenhagen mayor had some valuable words of advice for the Sydney one. Bring on the bikes!
Maria

At least Clover's "limousine" is a hybrid car!
Geoff

Do business class passengers burn more jet fuel than those in tourist class ?
http://gianniwise.com Gianni

Hey Dexter... I think you missed the point here. This ride was a celebration of another way to get around a city.. bikes. Its not ALL about Clover. She is only part of the equation.
Buses are not the responsibility of Sydney Council. Thats State Govt.
I do agree with you on one point though... there is a lot of congestion. Thats the reason we have to start on bike lanes now. And give the CBD back to people ... cars have had run of the streets for too long.