The best public bike system in the world?

Adam Cooper writes in World Streets why he thinks Canada's BiXi is the best public bike system in the world. He says: Watch out world, the city of Montreal is on the move: this time powered by pedals. The second largest city in Canada is now home to North America’s largest bike sharing program. The BIXI system (Bicycle + Taxi) is Canada’s first attempt at large scale bike sharing; and from my initial experiences I will say it is extremely well done, maybe even the best in the world. Beginning in the summer of 2008, Stationnement de Montreal, the City’s parking authority, was mandated to design, build, operate and maintain a bike sharing system, by the Montreal City Council. Less than one year later (May 12, 2009) the BIXI program was up and running. Operated by a non-profit company (the Public Bike System Co.), BIXI provides 3000 Canadian designed and manufactured bicycles at 300 stations located across the core of Montreal. The system can be reconfigured for large public events and stations not functioning at their maximum utility can be expanded or contracted to meet the supply and demand constraints.Although BIXI is still in its infancy, there is no doubt in my mind that this technology will be exported to other cities in Canada. Read more here.

New Cycle Racks for Amsterdam

Amsterdam is preparing for more new and better bicycle parking facilities. At the moment the center of Amsterdam has 10.241 bicycle parking facilities, catering for 33.839 bicycles. The demand for bicycles has however staggered in recent years. To alleviate the situation Amsterdam is planning for a number of bicycle parking garages and many more bicycle racks. There are many options for bicycle racks and therefore the city has organized a test situation with 19 different racks. The users of the racks can vote which one they like best. It can already be seen who will win: the ones that are occupied all the time have obviously the preference. Have a look at the variety of options and if you read Dutch go here to read more of Amsterdams ambitions regarding bicycle parking in a city where more people ride a bike then people drive a car into the center of the city. In 2007 56% rode a bike when entering the city versus 24% a private car and 20% public transport. These figures have already altered in 2008 and 2009 and as soon figures become available you will read them in this blog.

Cycling in The Netherlands NEW EDITION

Information about the organisation and substance of Dutch bicycle policy is so often requested that a new actualised brochure was produced.
English: Cycling in The Netherlands 2009
Deutsch: Radfahren in den Niederlanden 2009
Français: Le vélo aux Pays Bas 2009
Español: La bicicleta en Países Bajos 2009
The brochure offers compact information about a broad range of subjects, like: Bicycle use, Traffic safety, Motives for cycling, Why is cycling so successful in the Netherlands, The Dutch approach, Ways to promote bicycle use, How to find more information?, Who cycles in the Netherlands?, Success and fail factors for bicycle use, Arguments pro cycling, The Dutch approach, Effective cycling policy, Organization and responsibilities regarding to cycling in the Netherlands, The bicycle as a vehicle for common everyday use for every purpose, Bicycle education, Concrete measures, 27 examples from all over the country , Many photos.

Amsterdam moet veilig worden voor onze fietsende kinderen!

Wij, bezorgde ouders van Amsterdam, constateren: Steeds weer worden Amsterdamse kinderen slachtoffer in het drukke Amsterdamse verkeer. Dat is absoluut onacceptabel. Er moet nú iets gebeuren. Onze kinderen móeten veilig van en naar school kunnen fietsen. Nog steeds is fietsveiligheid geen speerpunt van beleid en door gebrek aan centrale aansturing krijgt dit onderwerp niet de aandacht die het in Amsterdam verdient. Met doden en gewonden tot gevolg. Daarom hebben we, als bezorgde ouders, een tienpuntenplan opgesteld. Met deze maatregelen willen we van Amsterdam een veiligere fietsstad maken. Wij roepen u op deze maatregelen met de hoogste prioriteit uit te voeren. In het belang van de Amsterdamse kinderen, in het belang van Amsterdam. en verzoeken Maak de veiligheid van onze kinderen speerpunt van uw beleid. En ga over tot het uitvoeren van het volgende tienpuntenplan

New York, Paris new bicycle cities

Word Streets interviewed Paul White from Transportation Alternative and concluded the interview with some lessons for New York from the Paris experience with Critical Mass Bike Rides over these last years. And even though the basic cultures are so different, here are a few thoughts that come to mind:
1. Transportation professionalism.
2. Iron discipline
3. Be there or be square
4. Have your man in City Hall
5. Be your own good cop
6. Communicate like a winner
At the same time New York's Commissioner for transport Janette Sadik-Khan closed off part of Times Square, a brave act with a massive impact. Read more in the New York Times. Also the Summer Streets Program 2009 will give New Yorkers a chance to see carfree streets. Much of the Park Avenue will have no traffic at all on three Saturdays this summer, as the city shuts down 6.9 miles of Manhattan roadway in a reprise of last year’s Summer Streets program.
The Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan will be using Acorn Cycles “bakfietsen” (Dutch for “bucket bikes”) to turn the park into a “green zone”, with less unnecessary green house gas emissions. By doing this the park wants to set the example for a sustainable solution for transportation in all US parks.

Finally a World Health Report on Road Safety; long overdue

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday its first global report on road safety worldwide. The news is grim. The report is based on data drawn from a survey of 178 countries. It concludes that something on the order of 1.3 million people are dying in traffic accidents each year, that this number is accelerating, and that anywhere from 20 to 50 million people are injured as a result of traffic crashes. If you check out their five minute video on this page, you will hear them reminding us that these numbers sum to one person being injured in traffic every second, and someone dying -- being killed rather is a more accurate way to state it -- every thirty seconds. Of these totals roughly half (46%) of the victims killed on streets and roads worldwide are pedestrians, cyclists, and riders of motorized two wheelers – the most vulnerable road users. Dr. Kelly Henning, director of global health programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies, the foundation that has sponsored and paid for the work behind the report, recommends that the answer lies in more laws and better enforcement of them. Read more here or go to the WHO page for details. You can also click on the picture.

New York here we come

Luud Schimmelpennink, the winner of the first Amsterdam Cycling to Sustainability Pioneer Award wrote a nice article in Worldstreets. His opening paragraph: "Back in the 1960s, when I was young, and I thought smart, the idea occurred to me and some of my friends that bicycles were surely the best way for people to get around cities. We could see that for ourselves every day on the streets of Amsterdam. However as we thought about it, it struck us that something was missing. So we came up with something we called the White Bicycles. Free bikes".He ends with writing: "But here in closing is my final, respectful and a bit less direct message which I should like to share with all of you in Washington who have been charged by President Obama with the responsibility of creating sustainable transportation projects, sustainable cities and sustainable lives for people of all economic and social classes across the United States. Do not shy away from an idea just because it may at first glance strike you as a bit crazy. Sometimes that is the way it is with a new idea that really could make a difference. So before automatically saying no, just because the idea strikes you at first as untenable, get comfortable, sit back and think it through from the beginning. You may find that within it are the germs of a great idea. A benevolent virus.

Velib Paris changes more than just Paris

The JCDecaux Vélib bike scheme in Paris was responsible for what had almost every Capital in the world contemplating about public bike hire schemes. Since July 2007 Paris was all of a sudden the world capital of rental bikes. Once again the bicycle was in the spotlight as the healthy, zero-emission alternative for the traffic congestion most big cities are struggling with. The first statistics show the success of the Vélib in Paris: every bike is being rented on average ten times a day and around 300,000 people, mainly Parisians, have already taken annual subscriptions. There is more to come as a growing number of cities are setting up self-service rental bike schemes. Chicago is interested, as well as Moscow, Washington, Geneva, Roma, Beijing and Sydney. Read more about the public bicycle in 'Cycling on the rise' by Spicycles. The public bicycle system is also having a huge effect on the sales for bicycles around the world. The offering in bikes is dominated by sports orientated bikes like MTBs and road racers. With the biggest cities in the world implementing rental bike schemes, the demand for City, Trekking and folding bikes is growing and with that also the demand for hassle-free transmission systems. Also the 'standard rental' bikes market is increasing. Read more in Bike Europe.

Shopping by Free Bike in San Sebastian

To promote cycling as a normal means of transport for shopping, the city of Donostia-San Sebastián, is giving away 170 free bicycles to people that shop in the city centre. The campaign was launched on the 20th of May when shops in the city centre started handing out “scratch & win” cards to customers. On the 6th of June, 170 happy cyclists ride off on their new black bikes equipped with a useful basket to carry their groceries. The “go shopping on your bicycle” campaign is an initiative of the city of Donostia-San Sebastián and the shopkeepers associations of Zaharrean and Centro Erdi. The shops that are members of the associations are handing out scratch & win cards to their clients. The bicycles are handed out to the lucky winners during a joint event on Saturday morning 6th of June at a time when there are lots of people shopping in the city centre.The campaign supports the package of CIVITAS measures on cycling being implemented in the city of Donostia-San Sebastián. Within CIVITAS the bicycle lane network will be extended and new bicycle parking facilities will be developed. In 2009 450 meters of new exclusive bicycle lane was added on Xabier Lizardi street. Read More.

'Bikes And Chill’ By AAArchitecten & UQ Design

AAArchitecten together with UQ Design have received first prize in the Poly Products Competition for their project ‘Bikes and Chill’. Constructed from fiber reinforced composite material the covering hides a semi recessed bicycle parking facility, whilst the outside has the shape of a bench where people can rest and relax. The bike bench consists of separate components that can be connected to form a curving pattern. ‘Bikes and Chill’ was initially conceived for the square outside The Hague central station, the Netherlands but it can also be used in other environments such as schools and parks. With the winning design ‘Bike & Chill’ the designers were not only the main design requirement: the application of a fiber reinforced composite. The jury praised the winners because of the multiple functions of the product. The plastic casing houses a bicycle, while the exterior is designed as a bank. Here, people can relax, read a book or just enjoy the Sunday. The design is also of value as a form response element in the public space. Read more in archiCentral.

The Ultimate way to Vanmoof

As one of the densest and flattest countries in the world, The Netherlands has a long tradition of using bikes for transportation means. The bicycle has been our vehicle of choice since the 19th century and the Dutch are leading experts ever since. The world is catching up and discovers the advantages of going around town by bike. In NYC alone commuting by bike went up 34% from 2007 to 2008 and 170 miles of new bike lanes are created. An increase in clogged up traffic and fuel prices stimulated this trend. But the bike innovations did not keep up with the urban needs. Creating a stylish, comfortable, urban-proof bike became the challenge of VANMOOF. “We were inspired by the good old-fashion Dutch bike”, explains the 28-year old Dutch designer Sjoerd Smit. The result is the first bike that is so smooth that it fits your image and yet so functional it makes you go to work whistling. It is the bike you want to be seen on, the car of the future! The VANMOOF has a striking aluminum rust-free frame with a highly advanced solar powered LED light system built inside its tubes. To turn them on, you simply wipe the keychain over the frame.

Cycling fashion on the streets of Amsterdam

On Saturday 30 May, 2009 again a fashion show for cyclists will be held on the streets of Amsterdam. The designs are a selection from the entrants in a competition that aimed to make cycling safer and more fashionable, organised by the Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA) in the Milan shopping district in September last year. This year the show in Amsterdam is an initiative of the Italian Institute of Culture in Amsterdam, in collaboration with the NABA and cyclists’ organisations. More than 60 designers took part in a competition and in September 2008 a cycling fashion show took place in the shopping district in Milan, arousing great attention from the press and the public. A number of selected articles will now be shown in the streets of Amsterdam, as a contribution to a safer mobility and to more comfortable cycling. Saturday, May 30, 2009 – From 10.30 to 12.30. Itinerary: Muntplein, Amstel, Magere Brug, Kerkstraat, Reguliersgracht, Rembrandtplein, Kloveniersburgwal, Oude Hoogstraat, Damstraat, Dam, Damrak, Beursplein. Velo Mondial will take pictures and show them here after the event.

Safety? NOT my Problem!

Safety is often deemed the Cinderella of the transport and travel world, especially in relation to public and collective transport. Car manufacturers and airlines are ahead of the game, but public authorities seem less inclined to spend on preventing events that may never happen! Buses travel at the same speed as cars, but with standing passengers; whereas car occupants are strapped to their seats! Perceptions of safety whilst travelling have become of increasing importance to travelers. Indeed safety issues often act as a barrier to walking on street for even short trips, cycling and using public transport. The loss of revenue, missed health improvement opportunities and positioning the car as the preferred mode of transport is the result, but the real cost to the community is hidden. The CIVITAS MIMOSA consortium has decided to confront these issues head-on in an open workshop in Gdansk on 5 June 2009. If you want to hear set-piece presentations on wonderful solutions to problems then this workshop is NOT for you. Instead we want to present and discuss problems; maybe you have some of the same too? Experts will be on hand to advise, and the outcome will be real plans for tackling the issues in cities.

Famke Jansen rides her Oma Fiets in New York

Bakfiets en meer reports: 'Actress Famke Jansen rides her WorkCycles Omafiets through the streets of New York. Actually it concerns me less that she’s a semi-famous celebrity type (former Bond-girl etc.) than that it’s just a cool photo of a good looking Dutch woman nonchalantly riding her good looking Dutch bike through Manhattan. Yes, the bike is a WorkCycles-Azor Omafiets, purchased from WorkCycles dealer Dutch Bike Seattle.'
One comment Velo Mondial likes reads: 'Famke looks like an ordinary, albeit very pretty, New Yorker getting from one place to another by bicycle. She’s not geared up or sweating, nor is she yelling at anyone, violating traffic laws, praying for anarchy, or nearly running over hapless pedestrians. She’s an effortlessly cool, clean-showered, law abiding bike rider. And, knowing she’s a movie star adds more: she could have anything and she’s choosing a black Azor over a black Escalade and making life easier on everyone else. Thanks, Famke!'
We would like to add: If you see a scene like this in a city, you know that life is good there.

Master Class Sustainable Urban Mobility

Amsterdam: 14 -16 September 2009
How can sustainable mobility contribute to quality of life in urban areas? This is the key question in the international master class ‘Sustainable Urban Mobility’ in Amsterdam. The modern city is confronted with many challenges concurrently: air pollution, noise, spatial segregation, congestion and a lack of accessibility. In the master class urban planning, economics, psychology and sustainability are integrated into the common fields of mobility, transport and traffic management. Participants are introduced to a new approach to sustainable urban mobility: the most optimal blend of economic, environmental and social solutions to the myriad of challenges we face. Nicis Institute, Amsterdam Innovation Motor, Delft University of Technology, Transumo and Velo Mondial have joined forces in the development of this master class. The master class is supported by ‘Amsterdam Cycling to Sustainability’. In the three-day programme 14 -16 September 2009 - the expertise of the various partners is combined to offer the participants state of the art knowledge on the conceptual and practical implications of developments in the field of sustainable mobility in Europe’s cities.
Read more here in the brochure in preparation of the Master Class. Email Bart Nijhof or call him at NICIS: +31703440513. Click here for the registration form.

Catch them young

Healthy habits have to be established at an early age. This is not rocket science, but common sense. Introducing children to cycling in schools as both a way of getting to and fro and a leisure pursuit is therefore key. This is what Bike It does so well. The Bike It officers that we have worked with have inspired children and our own projects, and been a wealth of knowledge. The Bike It project works directly with schools making the case for cycling in their school travel plans, supporting school champions who want to promote cycling, and demonstrating that cycling is a popular choice for children to get to school. The project adds to local investment in cycle routes and bike sheds by involving pupils, teachers and parents and enabling them to take the small steps which are necessary to make a real difference. During 2005/06 Bike It built on the success of the previous pilot year. By June 2006 an average of 10% of pupils in Bike It schools were cycling regularly to school. The National Travel Survey shows that the national average is 1%. Counts of parked bikes during the year show a near trebling of cycle use from a base of 3.7% of pupils cycling in September 2005. Read more about this succesful SUSTRANS program here.

Bike Europe endorses Spicycles

Bike Europe, a leading European magazine on cycling, endorses the succes of the work done by the Spicycles cities Barcelona, Berlin, Bucharest, Gothenburg, Ploeisti and Rome with their partners Velo Mondial from The Netherlands, ISIS from Italy, Goudappel Coffeng from The Netherlands, DB Rent from Germany, CPI Progetti from Italy, the University of Rome and ATAC from Italy. Bike Europe writes: The huge popularity of public bike rental schemes like Velib in Paris didn’t escape the attention of the EU government. The European Commission initiated an extensive study to the implantation of public rental bike systems in Europe over the past two years. The outcome of this study was recently published by SpiCycles that carried out the study. SpiCycles discusses nine subjects in its final report. These are; finances, the implementation of bicycle measures, the future orientation, institutional cooperation, human resources, bicycle parking, users’ acceptance and preferences, communications and awareness, local partnerships.

Batteries Not Included

Shai Agassi stood in a warehouse on the outskirts of Tel Aviv one afternoon last month and watched his battery-swapping robot go to work. He was conducting a demonstration of the curious machine that is central to his two-year-old clean-energy company, which is called Better Place. Agassi’s grand plan is to kick-start the global adoption of electric cars by minimizing one of the biggest frustrations with the technology: the need for slow and frequent recharges. The robot is the key to his solution. Unlike most electric-car technologies, which generally require you to plug your car into a power source and recharge an onboard battery for hours, the Better Place robot is designed to reach under the chassis of an electric car, pluck its battery out and replace it with a new one, much the same way you’d put new batteries in a child’s toy. Electric cars have long been a fetish object for environmentalists: electricity can be produced from wind, solar or nuclear sources with little or no CO2. But now even the auto industry seems to be taking the idea of the alt-car seriously. When the Big Three filed their restructuring plans earlier this year, all aggressively emphasized their intentions to begin producing electric vehicles and hybrids. Read more in The New York Times here.

Sitting up straight, Glamorously! 2

Are New Yorkers ready for the Dutch bicycle? Some see the World War II-era bike as so retro that it’s become fashion-forward. 200 Dutch-style bicycles are coming to New York as part of the 400th anniversary of the Henry Hudson’s landing in New York City. Not just any Dutch bicycles, orange Dutch bicycles. “Very orange,” as the deputy mayor, Robert C. Lieber, put it at a ceremony introducing the bicycles. They were presented by the Dutch government to the city on Thursday morning on Queen’s Day, essentially the Dutch equivalent of the Fourth of July. The Dutch take their bicycles very seriously — so seriously that they are the only country in the world where there are more bicycles than people in their country, said Frans Timmermans, a Dutch cabinet minister at the ceremony. There are 1.1 bicycles for every person. About 27 percent of the trips are made by bicycle, and it is a standard way to get around their country. And since there are essentially no school buses, children bike to school. Read more in The New York Times.

Making streets safer for seniors

Transportation Alternatives' Safe Routes for Seniors campaign started in 2003 to encourage senior citizens to walk more by improving their pedestrian environment. Funded by the New York State Department of Health's Healthy Heart program, this was the first program of its kind to address the needs of elderly pedestrians. In 2008, the City of New York launched its own Safe Streets for Seniors initiative based on TA's Safe Routes to schools. Focusing on 25 areas with high senior pedestrian fatalities, this program is paving new ground. Yet, some including seniors not in these zones are asking, is it enough? Stats released by Transportation Alternatives show that: People aged 65 years and older make up 12% of the population, yet they comprised 39% of New York City's pedestrian fatalities between 2002 and 2006. The fatality rate of senior pedestrians is 40 times greater than that of child pedestrians in Manhattan. This video is an overview of what Transportation Alternatives, New York State Department of Health, NYC DOT, community groups, and elected officials are doing to promote safe streets for seniors.

Sitting up straight, glamorously!

Cycling sitting up straight while wearing normal clothes, on a city bike with chain guard, fenders, a rack and a dynamo. This way of cycling has been promoted by Velo Mondial many years now. According to the New York Times, it is now becoming a trend. The newspaper quotes the owner of a vintage bicycle shop who says that not car culture, but bike culture is the problem, meaning that “the discourse about city biking is dominated by cycling zealots who don’t have the desire, or the skill, to attract people who don’t see themselves as cyclists, just as people who ride a bike to work”. Marketing bicycles as fashion items may be the way to save cycling from the cycling zealots, the New York Times suggests. Fashion store Club Monaco is selling somewhat dull Gazelle replicas of an 1892 ‘grandma’ bicycle. Incidentally, a similar approach was taken by bicycle mender Joep Salden from Utrecht, who designed a bicycle (pdf) that is only sold in fashion stores and interior design shops. In some bicycle stores, city bikes are now the biggest growth area. Meanwhile, bicycle commuting in New York rose by 35% from 2007 to 2008. Read more in News from Amsterdam.

Amsterdam Going Green, Smart & Fast

Among Amsterdam's 17th century town houses and meandering canals, big changes are afoot. On Utrechtsestraat, a major shopping avenue in the center of the Dutch capital, street trash soon will be collected by nonpolluting electric trucks, while the electronic displays in local bus stops will be powered by small solar panels. Elsewhere, 500 households will pilot an energy-saving system from IBM (IBM) and Cisco (CSCO) aimed at cutting electricity costs. An additional 728 homes will have access to financing from Dutch banks ING (ING) and Rabobank to buy everything from energy-saving light bulbs to ultra-efficient roof insulation. The projects, all getting under way over the next few months, represent Amsterdam's initial steps toward making its infrastructure more eco-friendly. The move comes as governments worldwide set aside billions of dollars to create so-called "smart cities," or towns that mix renewable projects, next-generation energy efficiency, and government support to cut overall carbon dioxide footprints. Yet, unlike cities that could take decades to upgrade their infrastructure, Amsterdam aims to complete its first-round investments by 2012. That makes it one of the first and most ambitious adopters of the smart city concept, attracting attention from policymakers worldwide hoping to glean lessons from the green experiment.

Velib Challenges vandalism

Despite the vandalism problems not only a new and more vandalism-proof Vélib bike is now being developed but also that the scheme is expanded with another 300 hire stations and 3,300 bikes. Vélib is currently being rolled outside the city for the first time. Recently the first of 29 suburbs was plugged into the network. Before the end of the year the cycle hire scheme is to be extended to the suburbs surrounding the French capital. Paris mayor Bertrand Delanoe, who championed the original scheme and who lobbied for it to be extended to the suburbs, recently inaugurated the Boulogne network. The expansion of the network is costing Paris city € 8 million. JC Decaux, the advertising group that covers the cost of Velib, picks up the bill for labour and local authorities for roadworks. The fact that Paris city is paying for the Vélib stations and bikes in the suburbs is part of a new deal called “Avenant no. 1” that was negotiated with JCDecaux. According to Vélib’s project manager Mathieu Fierling, it is agreed in the new deal with the outdoor advertising company that the Paris city will pay more for by vandalism damaged bikes. Read more in Bike Europe

BCYCLES

Velib with 20,000 shared bikes in the streets of the most spirited city in the world literally changed the face of Paris - overnight. B-cycle is the American answer. B-cycle is the zero-hassle, zero-emissions way to get around town. It's a bike sharing program that meets the transportation, health, and environmental needs of our communities. One that adapts to any size city, corporation or campus. It's wind in your hair, air in your lungs and bugs in your teeth. It's free and spontaneous but also organized and practical. B-cycle is the only "next"-generation bike-share program. Integrated data tracking will automatically capture information such as your distance traveled, equivalent calories burned and carbon offset after each ride. It will then upload this data to your personal user profile on Bcycle.com. B-cycle is the future of bike sharing, and it's available to your city now. B-cycle is a collaboration between three major players in three industries. • Humana • Trek Bicycle Corporation • Crispin Porter + Bogusky. All three share one common goal: cultural change. B-cycle will change the way you get around. And that will change our communities. So grab a B-cycle from the nearest B-station and we're on our way. Have a look here

Cycling on te Rise

When the Spicycles project was launched in 2006, cycling was not the “hot” mode of transport that it has become today. Spicycles wanted to gather experience related to specific areas of cycling policy and was keen to explore how key elements such as communication and awareness raising, and the building of local partnerships,might increase the modal share of cycling. The big expectations at the beginning of the project regarding cycling planning could not have predicted the explosion in the popularity of public bicycle systems that has taken place during Spicycles. In the course of the project, cycling became increasingly relevant to city policy makers and transport planners, as well as to citizens. As the project comes to an end Spicycles can conclude that huge strides have been made. Spicycles’ results can be read in the report 'Cycling on the Rise' and on the website http://spicycles.velo.info, which also features an innovative inter-active map for cycling planning, a benchmarking tool and a pool of consultants.

New York's Sustainable Street Index 2008

Enhancing transportation choices and encouraging the use of sustainable forms of transportation are core goals of both PlaNYC, New York City’s long-term sustainability plan, and Sustainable Streets, the New York City Department of Transportation’s strategic plan. Achieving these goals means facilitating walking, cycling and mass transit through a set of varied and mutually supportive measures. These include making streets and squares into more people-friendly places; providing fast, reliable and comfortable bus and train service; better managing curbside parking and delivery regulations; and ensuring the safety of all users of city streets and sidewalks. Delivering on these goals requires a comprehensive understanding of how New Yorkers currently use the city’s streets and transportation systems, and current and historic trends in mobility and travel choices. By bringing together data on motor vehicle, transit, bicycle and ferry use, this report shows how travelers are changing the ways they travel in the face of the population and employment growth of recent years and of changes in transportation systems and operations. Have a look at the full report.

Utrecht obtains second clean beer boat

The beerboat navigates through the canals of downtown Utrecht to supply hotels, bars and restaurants with goods. The first boat is such a success, that a second one is required. This second boat will be a special one: completely electric, without any damaging emissions. On Saturday January 31st the building contract was signed at the VOC-museumship in Amsterdam, in the presence of Utrecht Alderman Robert Giesberts. Already in 1966 the City of Utrecht introduced the first beerboat to save the monumental bridges and roads near the canals from heavy freight traffic. Because of the increased demand for waterborne transport, it was decided in 2008 to introduce a second beerboat. This second boat will be the first electrically driven ship of the Netherlands where even the (off-)loading will be done electrically. An electric crane will rack heavy goods, such as barrels of beer, from the ship to the shore and vice versa. The boat will yearly emit 16,5 tons of CO2 less than regular freight traffic would. This is the equivalent of eleven football fields of forest. The electric beerboat is charged with ‘green’ electricity and can navigate for eight to nine hours at a time. Read more about Utrecht's sustainable mobility approach in CIVITAS MIMOSA.

Solid Gold from The Netherlands

Despite the increasing distances covered by the Dutch, the bicycle has retained its popularity. The bicycle is used for more than a quarter of all journeys. In fact for distances up to 7.5 km, the bicycle is the most popular means of transport. In 2007, 34% of all trips up to 7.5 km were made by bicycle. Bicycle use very much depends on the distance covered. As 70% of all journeys in the Netherlands are still shorter than 7.5 km, the strong position of the bicycle over short distances (35%) also extends into the total modality split (27% bicycle). At the same time, it is interesting to note that the bicycle is regularly chosen above 7.5 km: 15% of journeys in the category 7.5-15 km. In the Netherlands, the use of bicycles is not restricted solely to school-going children. The high overall cycling proportion (26%) is far more due to the fact that the bicycle achieves a more or less comparable share in all travel motives – and particularly in the most important motives in terms of scope, such as commuter travel and shopping. Many people do not make absolute choices between using the car or the bicycle over shorter distances. The latest version of Cycling in The Netherands gives you a peek in the Dutch Bicycle Kitchen.

Boost for E-Bikes

The Italian Government is currently examining a proposal by the industry organization ANCMA for a major tax incentive on e-Bikes. Like in all EU countries, the Italians are looking for new means to cut emission rates in their urban areas. In order to stimulate the use of sustainable forms of mobility as alternatives of motor vehicles the Italian Government wants to grant 30% restitution on all e-Bikes. It is generally expected that this incentive will boost the sale of e-Bikes tremendously. When successful it might even be a good example for other national Governments within the European Union as a means to reduce emission rates. The e-Bike meant in the proposal is limited to a “pedal assisted bicycle equipped with an auxiliary electric motor with a maximum power output of 250 Watt whose power is gradually reduced and stopped at 25 km/h or when the cyclist stops cycling.” The 30% restitution is limited up to € 700 of the retail price including VAT. All applicable e-Bikes will be specified by the Ministry of Environment in advance and updated annually. Have a look at some of these YouTube films

Shared space gaining momentum

Both in the Netherlands and abroad increasing numbers of roads are being designed in accordance with the Shared Space philosophy. Recent publications demonstrate that some dozen towns in the Netherlands are using or considering Shared Space. In the rest of Europe the design philosophy is gaining adherents as well. In the Shared Space approach public spaces form the heart of society. They are areas where you stay, where you meet others, where you observe, where you undertake something with or without others, where you relax, where you become familiar and part of the living environment. Public spaces also enable you to look at what people are saying about themselves - in the way in which they present themselves or in the way in which they design and modify their own spaces, their house or their garden. Staying in a public space enables us to remain up to date with the world and the environment in which we live or stay. The layout of the public space tells us what society looks like, who forms part of it, how people deal with each other and what they consider important. It is a window on and a mirror of society. Shared Space views public spaces first and foremost as spaces for people. Read more. & Click here for more pictures in Drachten, The Netherlands. The slide show opens and closes with a few examples of spectacular bike bridges and of bike parking facilities at a random Dutch railway station.

Hot mode of transport

When the Spicycles project was launched in 2006, cycling was not the ‘hot’ mode of transport that it has become today. As project partners, we wanted to gather experience related to specific areas of cycling policy. We were keen to explore how key elements such as communication and awareness raising, and the building of local partnerships, might increase the modal share of cycling. We had big expectations at the beginning of the project regarding cycling planning, but could not have predicted the explosion in the popularity of public bicycle systems that has taken place during Spicycles. In the course of the project, cycling became increasingly relevant to city policy makers and transport planners, as well as to citizens. This interest was heightened by the looming economic crisis: petrol prices rose dramatically, and economic recession became a reality. Public discussion of issues such as those raised in Al Gore’s documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” began to change people’s way of thinking, and from being regarded as ‘old-fashioned’, cycling was increasingly perceived as a relevant and contemporary mode of transport. Read more of this article in V1 Magazine.

Amsterdam Best Green Transport Capital of Europe

The Best Green Capital Award for Europe in the category Transport would have been won - hands down - by Amsterdam if there was one. The Jury Report of the Best Green Capital in Europe mentions: 'Amsterdam has a transport situation which is very favourable for bicycles and public transport and restrictive to individual motorized transport in the city, without aiming to restrict overall mobility. In the city of Amsterdam bicycles are the most commonly used means of transport. In addition, the city has a public transport fleet which is 100% low emissions. Successful measures to enhance cycling further and reduce car traffic to city, starting from already high level have been introduced in recent years. A very wide range of transport measures are planned or currently being implemented, including further expansions of bicycle and public transport networks, road charging experiments anticipating the national scheme, more park and ride facilities, further parking restrictions, priorities for parking to car sharing organisations, environmental zones, incentives to scrap polluting cars, stimuli to use electric cars, electric support for pleasure craft use, and more. Also freight transport and waste transport are considered. Overall Amsterdam has an impressive transport policy legacy and promising outlooks.' Read the full jury report here.

Berlins expansion on bike network & bike parking

The city of Berlin explored the framework conditions for the planning of a Second Level Bicycle Route Network for the borough of Pankow. It also assessed parking needs for bicycle. The outcome are guidelines for a network and parking facilities ready for the implementation and widely accepted by retailers, housing societies, private companies and of course inhabitants in the respective area. The implementation (i.e. the actual building and creation) will take place when the necessary finances will have been acquired. The “Bike Network Planning Guide” serves two purposes: first, it proposes a local network of cycle routes for the city district Pankow and secondly, as a pilot, represents a systematic planning aid for other Districts and European cities. For an increase in cycling attractive and secure parking facilities at the start and destination of a journey are fundamental. The “Bike Parking Guide” therefore describes not only the legal requirements on bicycle parking facilities but names the conditions of a good bicycle parking rack and lists contacts to enterprises producing them. Download these guidelines (in English) here: Guide Bike Network Planning Berlin & Guide Bike Parking Berlin

Need for bicycle planning in Gulf increases

Al Ain Police have warned bicyclists to stay away from the main streets and follow the safety regulations in the city. The warning was issued yesterday due to the rising number of accidents involving bicyclists. The traffic police have recently noticed an increase in accidents involving bicycles from different nook and corners of the Oasis city. "We have been taking measures to control it," said a senior police officer at Al Ain Traffic Police Department. Bicycle is an efficient and cheap mode of transport which is popular among expatriates who use it to cover short distances. They are, however, not allowed to come on the high speed roads as it posses threats to their lives and those of others. Majority of the bicyclists, said the officer, is disobeying the safety regulations and peddle along the high speed traffic on main roads. "This is dangerous and not acceptable and we'll take strict action against such bicyclists," he warned. Read more here.

Amsterdam: more cycle than car trips

The bicycle is the most used transportation means in inner Amsterdam. In the period 2005-2007, citizens of Amsterdam took on average 0.87 trips per day with the bicycle and 0.84 trips by car. The bicycle is now, for the first time, being used more than the car. In 2006, all citizens of Amsterdam made jointly about 2 million trips per day. This is 8% less than in 1990. The reduction is lower because the number of trips per person per day is gone down from 3.6 to 3.1. Especially within the so-called inner (old) city the number of trips takes off. The number of car trips is has dropped by -14% in all city areas, whereas the cycling trips only has risen within the inner city (+36%). In the center, the bicycle becomes used mostly (41% against on average 28%) and the car the least (18% against on average 28%). The restrictive parking policy that has been led since the years '90 clearly has its effects.

New York City Wins the Sustainable Transport Award 2009

New York beat the likes of Beijing, Istanbul, Mexico City, Milan to win the 2009 Sustainable Transport Award. The Award was awarded on January 13, 2009 by a jury composed of ITDP, Embarq, CAI-Asia, GTZ, UNCRD, UITP, ICLEI and Environmental Defense.Throughout 2008, the city continued to implement PlaNYC 2030, its comprehensive long-term sustainability vision. The city took 49 acres of road space, traffic lanes and parking spots away from cars and gave that space back to the public for bike lanes, pedestrian areas, and public plazas. Protected on street bike lanes were part of the 140 miles (255 kilometers) of bike lanes implemented. Bike ridership has increased by 35 percent over the past year. Over 98,000 trees were planted, a select bus service was implemented, car free Sundays introduced. As part of its standard operations, the city’s Department of Transport also recycles 40 percent of its asphalt. Although not successful, the city pushed for congestion charging, a first for US city and now other cities are considering it. Read more about this all.