The Groningen story

This is a great video by Clarence Eckerson Jr of Streetfilms, telling the story of how the northern Dutch city of Groningen developed its excellent cycling infrastructure. In my opinion, Groningen is a comparable place to NE Lincs in terms of population and geography, and serves as a great example of what can be achieved with a long-term vision of using cycling to make where we live a better place.

It’s no secret that just about anywhere you go in the Netherlands is an incredible place to bicycle. And in Groningen, a northern city with a population of 190,000 and a bike mode share of 50 percent, the cycling is as comfortable as in any city on Earth. The sheer number of people riding at any one time will astound you, as will the absence of automobiles in the city center, where cars seem extinct. It is remarkable just how quiet the city is. People go about their business running errands by bike, going to work by bike, and even holding hands by bike.

Read the rest of the video’s accompanying article here.

Groningen: The world’s cycling city

Groningen is a city in northern Netherlands, very similar to North East Lincolnshire in many ways. A good example for us to aim for. (Article appeared in Carbusters.org)

In Groningen, the Netherlands’ sixth largest city, the main form of transport is the bicycle. The city is famous for having the highest percentage of bicycle usage in the world. How has Groningen done it? Cycling in Groningen, and indeed much of the Netherlands, is just the norm. The success in Groningen comes from a series of sound policies viewing cycling as an integral part of urban renewal, planning and transport strategy. By providing proper infrastructure and amenities cycling has blossomed over time and today the main 46 routes of the cycling network is used daily by 216,000 citizens. Prioritising cycle traffic over cars and promoting cycling as the main mode of transportation, city planners, local authorities and cycling advocates have played an important part in the city’s reputation as a great place to live.

Read the rest of the article here.