The Toronto Bike Plan looks toward increasing the number of cycling trips by taking a macro perspective and trying to address large scale concerns that inhibit the ability of people to use their bikes for transportation. It looks at things like the expanding the Bikeway Network, changing city transportation policies to better accomodate cyclists on our streets, improving access to transit stations and transit vehicles for cyclists, and changing City policy to encourage and even require improved bike parking facillities at cycling destinations be they public or private.

This is important to set a framework that will allow the improvements that are needed. Having this framework however does not necessarily guaranttee that improvements will happen at the micro level. Sometimes it is the little things that keep people from cycling. Things like the lack of secure bike parking at school or at work. There needs to be a way for the changes mandated by the Bike Plan to become a reality where you live, work and go to school.

This is the role envisioned for Bike User Groups or BUGs. To quote from the City of Toronto's BUG web page

A Bicycle User Group, or BUG, is group of a people in a workplace, a school, a community, or a neighbourhood, who come together to improve conditions for commuter cycling, or to enjoy cycling together.

There is also a new book on the subject: "The BUG Network: A Five Year Plan for Bicycle User Groups" is by Becky Aaron, Glenn Oldham, Sean Wheldrake. It outlines the goals, procedures and resources for setting up BUGs here in Toronto. The book is available from Detour Publications. It can be purchased through their web site.

Martin Koob
tcc-rep@tbn.ca