Claus Andrup, candidate Maple Ridge Council 2011

1. What modes of transportation do you normally use within your community and within Metro Vancouver?

The Andrups are a one-car family (Jetta TDI). Claus uses the West Coast Express to get to his office in Vancouver and goes by foot around Maple Ridge. Deborah Andrup drives from East maple Ridge to West Maple for work. Daughter Olivia now lives in Vancouver where she walks only. To visit her family she gets the Sky Train or the 701 bus.

2. How would you support and encourage cycling for transportation - for people of all ages and abilities - to promote healthy and livable communities?

I don't know. This is not a subject I have given much thought to, so while I understand the appeal and can see the benefits and would support and vote for urban planning and infrastructure models that encourage cycling, I do not have any specific ideas. I would welcome any ideas that the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition may come up with from time.

3. There have been many surveys asking people what it would take to get them on a bike. The number one thing people want is separated cycling facilities. How would you support separated bike lanes on key routes? If you are not in support, please explain why.

I support separate lanes personally when they do not interfere with regular traffic. I always enjoyed seeing cyclists in downtown Vancouver. The lanes I fear have created (unnecessarily) a hostile environment between cyclist and driver.  

4. Maple Ridge has no off-road (non-mountain-) biking/multi-use trails and is lagging behind other Lower Mainland communities in this respect. How do you feel off-road biking/multi-use trails can benefit Maple Ridge, and how do you suggest to start developing a network of trails.

A natural trail to me would be the existing horse trails. The horse trails in Maple Ridge are one of the District's unique attractions (unique if you are visiting from abroad). The horse trails could be opened to bike trail enthusiasts. Cars, trucks, buses, motorbikes and scooters co-exist on paved roads. It seems to me that bikes and horses make natural bedfellows. There may be resistance from the equestrian community. Or would there?

5. If elected, would you aim to increase or decrease cycling funding from current levels? Do you feel that cycling funding levels should merely reflect the present level of cycling in our communities, or should it reflect the potential of cycling - not only as a means of transportation and for recreation, but also in view of the many desirable benefits cycling has for individuals as well as for our communities/society, such as health benefits, improved livability, reduced greenhouse gasses/pollution, reduced oil-dependency, reduced need for expensive car infrastructure/parking lots, reduced congestion, etc.?

I am not aware that funds existed for cycling. If they do then it seems reasonable that they should be increased from time to time to reflect the growth of cycling - there is no denying its growth in popularity. Only recently Caps opened a new store in Maple Ridge, indicating that we love cycling in Maple Ridge.

6. What is your level of interest in a public bike-share system integrated with the transit system? How do you think a public bike-share system in Vancouver can benefit Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows residents?

I am Danish by birth. Visit Copenhagen for my answer.

7. What role do you think the municipality has in supporting and promoting cycling education for children, cyclists and motorists?

I believe you mean 'has done' as opposed to 'has' (the one latter word would be the result of the former two). To answer the former I am not aware of anything the municipality has done when it comes to educating children, cyclists and motorists. There appears to be tons of room for improvement in that direction. Then again, and stealing a social media saying, it is safe to say that cycling is enjoying a 'trending' period.

8. a. How do you feel e-bikes can play a role in our transportation system?

E-bikes seem to be growing in popularity with people who are old enough to benefit from the added boost of an auxiliary power source yet young enough to enjoy the pleasures of two wheeled transport.

b. What do you see as the benefits of e-bikes as compared to cars?

E-bikes cost a fraction of a car and take up less space. A company of which I am founder and remain a director recently leased a small fleet of the much heralded Chevy Volt. Our company this year built $300 million of wind park capacity in Arizona and California.

   c. What can e-bikes mean for less densely populated suburban communities like Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows?

The older generations can move about without too much effort over greater distances - and there is evidence that they already do.

9. Would you be interested in joining members of the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition on a bike ride through your community?

Certainly.