I Amsterdam Cycling Capital

For Velo Mondial one of the priorities in 2008 and further years will be: Amsterdam!
Cycling Amsterdam is for many foreigners one of the major unique selling points of the city. To them cycling is, more than many other prominent features of the capital, one of its most visible qualities. Visitors and ex-pats very much appreciate this mode of transport and after a little exercise most of them spend a lot of their time cycling; they immediately reap the benefits of their speedy and healthy transport. For those who spend prolonged time in Amsterdam, cycling becomes a away of life, like it is for the Dutch, for whom cycling is like swimming is for fish: they just do it, without paying too much attention to it. When foreigners go home they may occasionally rent a bike or irregularly join a tour, but a way of life without making it a big thing, is not really an option for many. Amsterdam Cycling Capital will come to their rescue. Starting April 2008, a program will be developed that offers support to many city managers – politicians and policy people alike – who want to make mobility in their city sustainable. Cities who want to support their economy, their urban environment as well as serve the quality of life of their inhabitants will be able to benefit from this program. This blog will keep you updated, and hopefully when the program starts you will hear this from a variety of sources.

Database for sustainable development of cities

Susta-Info is a global database of case studies and publications, validated by research institutes, 'associations of cities' and expert groups. Susta-Info is an EU DG Research supported project and uses the same search software as http://velo.info/ , the database for cycling planning expertise that momentarily is under reconstruction in http://spicycles.velo.inf0/.
Susta-Info supports local authorities and experts in attaining sustainable development, by establishing a portal and web based database. Practitioners in Europe and beyond will have unconstrained access to information on sustainable development from the urban research programs supported by both UN-HABITAT and the European

Susta-Info:

• supports local authorities and experts in attaining sustainable development, by establishing a portal and web based database, making knowledge on local sustainable development accessible to a large group of targeted users


• makes knowledge on local sustainable development easily accessible through generalized formats and search methodologies and


• can be accessed in English, French, German and Spanish

Bikes for Climate Change Conference

At least 200 bicycles were available on loan to all attendees of the climate change meeting which took place last December in Bali. The participants of the UN conference got to know the advantages of bicycle as means of transportation. Initially some 700 bicycles were planned but some parties cancelled their delivery.
The bicycles together with 120 buses were a response to expected heavy traffic with increased carbon emissions during the UN climate change meeting. Roads within the Nusa Dua tourist enclave conference venue was closed to traffic to reduce traffic congestion and emissions loads.
The infrastructure in the Nusa Dua enclave suited very well for biking while the scorching heat made it hard for walking. Not all visitors of the conference used the bicycles for transportation as an estimated 15,000 people took part in the climate conference.

Author : Jan-Willem van Schaik Source : Jakarta Post

Main Network Emission Free Traffic

Many cities never use cycling and cycling planning as a means of regulating of emissions (CO2, NOx Noise). European policies now oblige cities to act. European measures now oblige cities to act. With the introduction of a Main Network for Emission Free Traffic, modes of transport that do not emit, like electric cars, bike taxis and bicycles, will get an improved and much wider space to move fast in the city. As a consequence car lanes will have to be taken out to allow for emission free lanes to be builtThis new type of thinking about infrastructure provides an attractive alternative to car drivers – who are disencouraged to enter city centers – to choose emission free modes rather than other motorized alternatives.
The Main Network for Emission Free Traffic stands in the tradition on the Main Network for cars, the Main Network for public transport and the Main Network for bicycles.
Velo Mondial promotes the implementation of these plans with many local actors in industry, business and universities.
Shimano has sponsored a nice film on cycling in Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Bogotha. Also have a look at some images of cyling in Amsterdam and tips on how to behave as a cylclist:

Electric bicycles make the difference

Riding a bike takes an effort some people cannot afford due to health or age. Others are no longer allowed to use their car in the city, nor any other mode of Emission rich transport. And others again are just lazy.
The ideal solution for alln this is the electric bicycle.With this bike you preserve the advantages of riding a city bicycle:
- No traffic jams
- Healthy
- No parking problems
The silent electromotor in the front wheel gives you that push in the back, as if you are riding with the wind in your back. You can decide yourself how much effort you want to do. The more effort you put in, the faster you go and the further you ride on one battery.

Rome to be the next European Cycling City

Rome goes big time for bike-sharing, deploying 20.000 (!!!) bikes by 2008. They want to instantly match Paris.
Rome will start with a pilot of 250 bikes and then by mid-2008 have a public tender for service and rolling stock (20.000 bikes). All up and running before the end of the year.
Cemusa, Gruppo Formento Costrucciones y Contratas, take care of everything, at no costs for the city. Rome is the second Spicycles city after Barcelona to implement the public bicycle. Most major European cities have entered or are entering a competition that makes them the best cycling city around.

Virgin's 11 Best Bike Cities in the world

1. Amsterdam
2. Portland, Oregon
3. Copenhagen
4. Boulder, Colorado
5. Davis, California
6. Sandnes, Norway
7. Tronheim, Norway
8. San Francisco, California
9. Berlin
10. Barcelona
11. Basel, Switzerland

The World According to Virgin

Virgin has put together a list of the top 11 friendliest cities for bikes in the world, based on criteria advanced by the League of American Bicyclists.
1. Engineering (bike parking, designated lanes, etc.)
2. Encouragement (events and campaigns)
3. Evaluation and Planning (ongoing political bodies that make changes to existing laws and plan for the future)
4. Education (bike maps and awareness campaigns)
5. Enforcement (making motorists heel)

Standard for Electrically Power Assisted Cycles.

The members of the Technical Committee TC333 for bicycles have discussed at the Brussels office of the CEN, the European Committee for Standardization, an almost final draft of the new safety standard for e-Bikes. It’s the EN 15194 for EPACs; Electrically Power Assisted Cycles. Now, a second public inquiry will start at CEN committee’s in 30 countries. It is expected that early 2008 the new standard for e-Bikes will be accepted by the European Commission and come into effect. This second public inquiry on the EN15194 for EPAC’s follows a first one that got lots of comments. It resulted in the finalization of requirements and test methods and the draft that is now being discussed. This draft contains the scope of the standard EN 15194 which are: EPACs up to a voltage of 48 DC. Maximum continuous rated power of 250 W. Read More in Bike Europe.

















Picture & Design: De Fietsfabriek

Yugo Cycling Campaign organizes bike tour for ministers

Before the opening of the the Sixth Ministerial Conference "Environment for Europe"" in Belgrade October 11, "Yugo Cycling Campaign" organized a short bike tour for ministers. Lead by the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Bozidar Djelic, about 30 ministers of environment as well as education, took part in the ride. The motto of the Conference was "Environment for Europe" and 56 ministers from Europe, US and Canada attended it. Addresing the press on the occasion, the Serbian Environment Minister, Mr. Sasa Dragin said that "a bicycle has an important role in solving problems of environment and that he regularly cycles when he is free".

Bodø in Norway plans Bicycle Tube

The city of Bodø in the County of Nordland in northern Norway wants to become a bicycle city. NPRA and the municipal of Bodø have suggested building in a foot and bicycle path between the College of Higher Education and the city centre to make cycling easier and more attractive. Some years ago a glass roof was constructed over a part of the main street and the experience with the project was so positive, now the inhabitants of Bodø gladly look forward to the tube being built. The idea, which was introduced by the City Plan Director, Jørn Roar Moe, is to construct a framed structure covered with transparent plastic plates. The bicycle tube will have a number of roofed openings for access and ventilation. There will also be internal illumination. The tube will hold physical separated roads for cyclists and pedestrians.
Read this article in NORDIC

New York and the League of American Bicyclists

New York is creating a European style bike lane that will separate bicyclists from motorists. The Ninth Avenue bike lane in Manhattan is being built between a sidewalk and a lane for parked cars. Today New York was awarded the bronze for bike friendliness. The award comes from the League of American Bicyclists, the US bike advocacy group.

But the question is if New York is not seriously lagging behind most European Cities?

Paris JCDecaux Public Bicycle

The Public Bicycle as organized by JCDecaux in Paris - the Vélib - is a rousing success. Cities often ask Velo Mondial how this new system of public bicycles works. These are 33 questions & answers about all there is to know about Vélib. The Niches project gives you Policy Notes on Public Bicycles in general.

Amsterdam Cycling Capital

Last Car Free Sunday, 23 September 2007, Amsterdam Cycling Capital was launched in Art Society De Kring in Amsterdam. Present were the Vice Mayor of Amsterdam Marijke Vos, City staff for Traffic & Transport, Spatial Planning & The Environment. Also representatives fro businesses and Consumers were present. Dr. Adnan Rahman Managing Partner of Ecorys positioned sustainable mobility in the context of a city's ambition, and Velo Mondial's Pascal van den Noort and Jos Louwman of Macbike presented the Amsterdam Cycling Capital plans:
This is the text that goes with the slides; these are the pictures of the succesful launch.

• To promote Amsterdam as a fine city to live, work and recreate, because of its massive cycling
• Make its knowledge on planning for sustainable mobility available to cities around the world
• To develope Amsterdam even further as sustainable mobile city.

Also see: In Amsterdam cyclists get the Green Wave.

23rd World Road Conference

Velo Mondial contributed to the debate with a speech and with a research document in English 'Vulnerable, yet Sustainable, Cycling as a challenge for many cities' et en Francais: ‘La mobilité des usagers vulnérables de la route dans le monde’.
This research was done by Benoit Beroud and Pascal van den Noort to prepare the presentation on the 'Vulnerable Road users' at the:

Schiphol Airport and Cycling

Green corridor surrounding Amsterdam
This article by Pascal van den Noort- unfortunately only published in Dutch in Vervoerskunde -promotes sustainable mobility in and around Schiphol Airport by promoting decentralized airplane check-in at Railway Stations. In October 2007 this proposal for a check-in facility has been accepted by Schiphol as a feasible option for the future, and they will study it in depth.

The article also promotes solutions for congestion on the Ring Road around Amsterdam, by developing Ringroad Transferia and 'Clean Transport Highways' to Amsterdam's Center City: Highways for bikes, bike taxis, electric vehicles etc.
The article links relevance of the economy, with the environment and quality of life of Amsterdammers.

















Public Transport Bike Station at Schiphol Airport

Kyoto Chip

This proposal document is aimed at making every individual European citizen even more aware of their personal CO2 emissions than instruments already in place will achieve. Now that CO2 emission trading has started there will be a greater awareness in the industrial and business sectors of this issue. We believe that this awareness should be replicated at the individual level, as once citizens are made aware of this, that they will be able to make better choices about their travel and help save on CO2 emissions as well. We seek funding to start a feasibility study on this in a big European city such as Brussels, or an Island.
Read further: http://www.velomondial.net/page_display.asp?pid=29

Land Use and Transport Planning

The LUTR cluster links several different projects in the area of sustainable urban mobility, including land use, transportation, and the environment.
The common objective is to develop strategic approaches and methodologies in urban planning that all contribute to the promotion of sustainable urban development. This includes issues of transportation demands and related land use planning, the design and provision of efficient and innovative transportation services including alternative means of transportation, and the minimization of negative environmental and socio-economic impacts.
Velo Mondial represents the Velo.Info project in this cluster.
The key conclusions from PLUME can be read in: http://www.velomondial.net/UserFiles/File/PLUME%20Final_Report.pdf

Qatar Cooled Cycle Path

A cycling project which Qatars sovereign Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani has proposed to promote the health of his people. After all, a large proportion of the population suffers from problems brought on by prosperity: they do not get enough exercise, cardiovascular diseases are prevalent and children are obese. This Cooled Cycle Path is a prestigious project with Qatar as an example to the countries in similar conditions!
Interview with Adnan Rahman, project leader
Ciclovia Climatizada

Velo.Info

Velo.Info: The European Network for Cycling Expertise
http://velo.info/
Its first User Meeting took place in Amsterdam City Hall in January 2003. Have a look at the pictures, especially of you were present.

SPICYCLES

SPICYCLES is a European project that intends to demonstrate that the modal share of cycling can be increased in European cities with different geographic, climate and cultural conditions. The experience with different types of actions and measures will be disseminated to a wide audience in European cities. Within SPICYCLES four technical work packages, covering four different subjects concerning cycling policy were defined. Have a look: http://spicycles.velo.info/ & the Newsletter on Bike Sharing This document gives an overview where the team is halfway the project and shows pictures of the successful meetings in Munich where the team discussed its progress. This is a clip about Spicycles and its colleague projects ASTUTE and BYPAD.

A good beginning

Bike Path End

This should never be necessary

BICING Barcelona

Amsterdam jealous of BICING in Barcelona

Visiting Dubai

In August we - Arjen Jaarsma from Balancia and Pascal van den Noort, Velo Mondial - visited Dubai where we are involved in the setting up of a Cycling Master Plan.
We will keep you posted in this blog.

Cycling Forbidden

In many countries with little cycling policy and / or infrastructure one can find many traffic signs like this one, here in the Gold Souk in Dubai.