2023-10-24 17:36:11
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The Dutch cycling planner Sjors van Duren is in Vorarlberg as part of the final event of the “Radius” cycling competition. He showed what works for us in cycling and how much we can still learn from the Netherlands.
24.10.2023 19.35
Online since today, 7:35 p.m
The Dutch cycling planning expert Sjors van Duren came to Vorarlberg from his homeland by public transport and bicycle. When he arrived in Rankweil he found, in his opinion, ideal conditions. “When you get off the train, you immediately feel like a guest as a pedestrian. You can immediately see where the buses are and where the bikes are. This station area is not as car-dominated as many others in Austria,” says van Duren.
The state cycle road was expanded a few hundred meters from Rankweiler train station. In addition to planning, this requires a lot of persuasion, especially in town centers. “In Austria there is more talk about the climate and the environment than here. The Dutch are more pragmatic. They see a traffic jam and say we need to get more people on bikes. In Austria, on the other hand, people talk a little longer, but they also plan more thoroughly,” says van Duren.
Expert gives tips for cycling
In the Netherlands, at least 50 percent of everyday traffic is done by bike; in Austria it is less than 20 percent. Dutch cycling planning expert Sjors van Duren advises many cities around the world to improve cycling.
Cycling doesn’t always have to be sporty
In the Netherlands, at least 50 percent of everyday traffic is done by bike, in Austria it is less than 20 percent. “In Austria, when people think of cycling, they think of mountain bikers or racing cyclists. A first step is to tell people that the plans are for everyday cycling and not for sporty cycling,” explains the cycling planner.
The Netherlands even has its own underground parking spaces for bicycles. It is clear that if the appropriate cycling infrastructure is available, then it will be used. “We see that here in the Netherlands too. If the existing cycling network is expanded, more people will switch to cycling. In this way, we are making a significant contribution to the sustainability of mobility,” says van Duren.
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