News Corp Australia editorial director Melvin Mansell wins national award for cycling safety campaign

THE man behind a News Corp Australia campaign which has put cycling safety high on the state’s agenda has been honoured with a national award.

Editorial Director Mel Mansell at the new ANPL Superdesk.

THE man behind a campaign run by The Advertiser and Sunday Mail which has put cycling safety high on the state’s agenda has been honoured with a national award as part of the Velo-city Global Conference in Adelaide.

News Corp Australia’s editorial director for SA, WA, NT and Tasmania, Melvin Mansell, is a keen cyclist and also a motorist who understands both sides of the increasing tension among road users in the city.

Last year he was moved to do something about it and launched a state-wide campaign with Bike SA, titled “Cycle Safe”, to raise awareness of cycling safety and investigate ways of promoting integrated road use to improve traffic flow.

“Because I am a cyclist and I cycle and also travel a lot, I witnessed everywhere I went no matter how big the city like London or how small, like Robe, there was always conflict between cyclists and motorists which manifested itself in various ways,” Mr Mansell said.

“I think there’s a whole lot of reasons why. Often the roads aren’t very good, the driving isn’t very good and the riding isn’t very good but if a car hits you, the cyclist is going to be severely hurt or killed.

“We all want the same things - safe and efficient access whether we’re going to work in the city or going anywhere from Point A to Point B.

“But unfortunately the flavour of any discussion involving cyclists and motorists is all about conflict - somebody builds a bike lane and the world is in uproar and I think it’s reached a point in Adelaide where it’s so over-heated and emotional we just need a bit of integration.”

The award for national leadership was one of two won by South Australia in the Australian Cycling Luminary Awards.

The other went to the three-day “Cycling for Culture” event which combines a unique blend of cycling, Aboriginal culture and fundraising.

The awards celebrate the ideas and people who drive the future of cycling culture from a local to international level.

Inspired by a London Times magazine on the issue, Mr Mansell launched The Advertiser and Sunday Mail’s campaign mid-way through 2013.

In partnership with Bike SA, Cycle Safe has delivered regular news and features stories, together with a liftout titled “Love Your Ride” which has taken the issue to the broader community.

“We’ve got a lot of cyclists on staff and journalists who ride their bikes and recognise there are problems and I think that’s made a difference in how well we’ve been able to drive the coverage,” Mr Mansell said.

“There’s no question our campaign has raised awareness of the problem, I’d like to say it’s solved it but it hasn’t, but it’s certainly put us on the path, it’s grabbed the attention of politicians and Bicycle SA had their first request for a meeting by a Premier (Jay Weatherill) ever.”

Mr Mansell also said the Cycle Safe campaign had helped highlight the importance of cycling to South Australia’s tourism industry, particularly during January’s Santos Tour Down Under, which in turn boosted the number of recreational cyclists visiting or living in the state.

Originally published as News Corp Australia editorial director Melvin Mansell wins national award for cycling safety campaign