Funchal Madeira Leading the Way

Cheap and efective; test site example for VM partner cities

Knitting Graffiti in Tallinn

Part of Tallinn public transport will undergo a dramatic make-over which will bring a smile to many faces. Already a big hit internationally, Knitting Graffiti has its eyes firmly set on revitalising the public transport travel experience in Tallinn. Pillars of the underground bus terminal and one regular bus will be soon wrapped in coloured woollen knitted scarves along with a central park in Tallinn. The bus will literally be wrapped both inside and out. Scarves will cover seats and a sticker imprinted with knitted scarves will cover the outside of the bus. The wonderful colours and textures of the handmade crafts will make the bus terminal and vehicle warm, friendly and inviting. To make sure the event remains a big surprise; all that can be said is that the launch day will take place some time in June. Stay tuned for further updates! To learn more about the Image of Public Transport, CIVITAS MIMOSA Tallinn will be hosting a workshop on this topic on June 17th  featuring a number of experts in this field. Admission is free and open to: CIVITAS members, transport professionals, business interests, local government, students and environmental organisations.  Find out more or register here.

Dublin sends message to Melbourne

China adopts European Standard

Is it because of big ambitions on rising exports of e-bikes to Europe? Fact is that the Chinese government wants all e-bikes made in the country to meet EU standards as from June 1, 2011. The end of May announced government plans are about phasing out e-bikes that exceed speed and weight limits published 12 years ago. These standards state that e-bikes can weigh no more than 40 kg and cannot go faster than 20 km (12.4 miles) per hour. However, the bulk of the estimated 120 million e-bikes in China have designed capacity of 30-40 kph and typically carry four batteries, which by themselves weigh at least 16-28 kg. Factories whose products do not meet the standards would be asked to close, while owners of e-bikes would generally be asked to stop using e-bikes that do not meet the standards. The government plans stirred widespread fears that more than 2,000 e-bike factories would close, affecting millions of users. 60% of the e-bikes in EU market today come from China. And not all of them are low-end e-bikes equipped with speed sensor for supermarkets and sports chain stores. Read more in Bike Europe.