Since 1994, the Flemish Government has been conducting research into the travel behaviour of Flemish people. This research is called the Research on Travel Behaviour, or OVG. In this study, a number of mobility characteristics of families and persons are studied, such as: characteristics of the person who moves, when, why, from where, to where, with what, for how long and how far someone moves. In the meantime, we are in the 6th edition.
Results were shared in an article entitled ‘How do we move post-corona?‘, with detailed information broken down by sector. The data indicated positive trends for LEVs both in levels of e-bike ownership and in their modal share of journeys.
Vehicle and driving licence ownership: more than 1 in 3 families own an e-bike
77% of Flemish families have at least one bicycle, a number that is in line with previous studies. The number of Flemish families who own an electric bicycle is rising sharply. 35% of Flemish families also have an electric bicycle. For comparison: pre-corona (2019) this was only 20%.
A Flemish family has an average of 2.13 bicycles (of which 1.61 regular bicycles and 0.49 electric bicycles). That figure remains stable over the years. 77.3% of families have at least one bicycle (including electric bicycles).
The number of families with an electric bicycle continues to increase sharply: in OVG 5.2 this was still 10.89%, in OVG 5.3 16.93%, in OVG 5.4 17.78% and in OVG 5.5 more than 1 in 5 families (20.13%) has at least 1 electric bicycle. In OVG6, e-bike ownership is making another big leap: 35% of families will have an electric bicycle by 2022. Booming business.
Much more often by electric bicycle (modal split)
Flemish people cycle and walk more and more: 18.1% of journeys are made by bicycle and 17.3% on foot. The electric bicycle is on the rise: 5.3% of trips are with the electric bicycle and 0.3% with the speed pedelec.
Based on OVG6, the Flemish government’s goal of making at least 40% of all journeys in a sustainable way has already been achieved.
The European trade association LEVA-EU is calling for an urgent change in EU regulations, it says are seriously hindering manufacturers at a time when cities are encouraging use of light, electric vehicles (LEV) as an alternative form of transport during the coronavirus crisis.
LEVA-EU, the only trade association in Europe that works exclusively to represent light electric vehicle businesses, has presented proposals to the European Commission to revise rules it believes are inaccurate and can put users in danger. It says the Covid-19 crisis has brought its proposals into sharp focus and is urging the EC to schedule changing the ruling as a matter of urgency.
The advocacy group, whose work concerns a wide range of one, two, three and four wheel LEVs including E-bikes, speed pedelecs (E-bikes that can achieve speeds of up to 45km/h), E-cargo bikes and E-scooters, says the central issue is that the Regulation class light electric vehicles (LEVs) in the same category as mopeds and motorbikes and as a result isvery seriously hampering the industry at ‘absolutely the wrong time’.
Annick Roetynck, LEVA-EU manager, said the EC only has to look at all the cities across Europe opening up cycle lanes as the public scrambles to find safe alternative forms of transport. She called for ‘root and branch’ change to further unleash innovation and enterprise in the LEV sector much of which is made of up dynamic small to medium size firms.
“Our concern centres on Regulation 168/2013 which establishes the technical legislation for L-category vehicles, in other words mopeds and motorcycles. At the request of the Commission, the European Council and Parliament decided in 2013 to only exclude electric bicycles with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h and 250 W from this L-category. So, all other electric bicycles are included in technical legislation, which has originally been written for internal combustion engine mopeds and motorcycles.”
“The legislation has 1,036 pages of text, to a large extent dedicated to emissions, noise and other technical aspects which are totally irrelevant for electric bicycles. Manufacturers have to figure out which of these 1,036 pages are applicable to, for instance, their speed pedelecs or their E-cargo bikes with more than 250W. And if they manage that all, they have to go through a totally inaccurate type-approval procedure, which costs at least four times more than what the Commission predicted in their impact assessment before drafting Regulation 168/2013.”
“This regulation is a significant barrier to SMEs and choking growth at a key time when the popularity and profile of LEVs as a sustainable form of transport, especially in these testing COVID-19 times, is set to soar. We must not hold back innovation and growth in this sector.”
Annick Roetynck says that classing LEVs in the same category as mopeds also presents considerable safety issues for riders. Most light electric vehicles in the L-category are able to achieve a maximum cruising speed of 30-35kmh, yet classing them as mopeds forces them off cycle lanes and onto roads among traffic achieving speeds of at least 50kmh. That difference in speed results in very dangerous and unpleasant riding conditions.
In its proposals to the EC, LEVA-EU cites the Belgian project 365SNEL, carried out in the past 18 months where 106 people tested a speed pedelec for commuting for three weeks. After the test, 20 per cent of participants effectively swapped their car for a speed pedelec LEV.
The research showed that price was putting off some consumers from investing in a speed pedelec, but LEVA-EU says inflated prices are the result of the complicated regulations facing manufacturers.
Annick Roetynck said the organisation is campaigning to protect the industry as more people move to LEVs in the future. LEVA-EU acts on behalf of around 50 members across Europe and estimates about three million E-bikes alone were sold in the European Union during 2019. About 98 per cent of these were E-bikes with pedal assistance up to 25 km/h and 250W, which shows the extent the technical legislation for L-category obstructs the development of new types of E-bikes.
She said: “It has become very clear to LEVA-EU that the European technical rules for LEVs are hampering their market development. Research has shown that the biggest obstacle to getting more people to consider LEVs is still high prices, yet this price is a direct result of extremely complicated, inaccurate European technical rules. As a result of these rules, riders are often forced to ride in dangerous conditions because the speed difference between them and other means of transport is often life-threatening.
In an open letter to the Presidents of the European Commission, Parliament and Council, LEVA-EU also calls for an amendment to the EU Green Deal. Even though the European Environment Agency has argued that shifting to walking, cycling and public transport is crucial for Europe to meet long-term sustainability goals and policy objective under the EU Green Deal, the Commission’s Communication has no reference to such a shift. LEVA-EU therefore calls upon the Commission to include the shift to walking, cycling, public transport and using light, electric vehicles (LEVs) as a key element in the Green Deal and consequently put that shift at the centre of the forthcoming strategy for sustainable and smart mobility.
In the letter, LEVA-U has rephrased the EEA Statement: “Shifting to walking, cycling, light, electric vehicles and public transport is a duty for Europe to meet long-term sustainability goals and policy objectives under the EU Green Deal, in honour of all COVID-19 and air pollution victims.”
“The LEV market represents an exciting future for cities and towns across Europe, but this potential will be lost if we do not make urgent alterations to current legislation. We will continue to act as a voice for our members to ensure we remove any barriers to trade and get more people to do their bit for the environment by choosing an LEV.”
LEVA-EU Member Rad Power Bikes testifies:
LEVA – EU member Arno Saladin, European business manager of Rad Power Bikes in the Netherlands, says the combination of technical legislation and traffic codes is stifling an industry that has great potential. The business has focused on manufacturing e-bikes with a speed of up to 25kmh and maximum power above 250W (L1e-A), but he says that while a business has the time to navigate legislation in different countries, it is often confusing for the consumer.
He said: “We haven’t expanded our line-up because our customers are facing so much uncertainty when they purchase a product in some countries, so we decided it would be much easier and clearer to produce 250W e-bikes.”
“Light electric vehicles are a very new sector of the market but we find that the legislation is not created at a basic level for the consumer to use the products with confidence. That’s why we see a lot of manufacturers not introducing new models even though there is a clear demand for these types of vehicles. It’s a chicken and egg situation where, if the regulations and traffic codes were clearer then more businesses would be interested and the sector would grow. However, the decision makers say that it’s too small a sector to give it attention, but I believe that as soon as the legislators understand what they need to do, this market will rocket.”
Source Cycling Industry News – The UK government has changed the timetable for the forthcoming e-scooter trials – now to take place next month instead of next year.
The move could lead to rental e-scooters on UK roads as early as June, according to the government, which announced the move with its big £2 billion for cycling and walking declaration, made as the nation grapples with getting back on the move as the Covid-19 lockdown gradually eases.
Originally set to take place in four ‘Future Transport Zones’ (Portsmouth and Southampton; West of England Combined Authority; and Derby and Nottingham), the trial of rental e-scooters will now be offered out to all local areas across the country, with the aim of allowing the government to assess their benefits as well as their impact on public space.
Manchester-based LEVA-EU member Insync Bikes has welcomed Boris Johnson’s prediction that cycling will experience a golden age once lockdown ends.
The Prime Minister made the comments during Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday when he said a crucial part of the success in helping life return to normal would be getting transport to run safely.
He told Parliament: “There will be a huge amount of planning going into helping people to get to work other than by mass transit. This should be a new golden age for cycling.”
The comments have been welcomed by Insync Bikes, owned by India’s Hero Cycles, which, says it is seeing strong sales of family range of bikes as cycling fell under the government’s list of permitted daily activities.
Eddie Eccleston, Insync Bikes’ head of European Operations, said: “We are heartened to hear the Prime Minister’s prediction that the boom period the sport is experiencing will continue as the UK starts to rebuild itself. Insync has long championed cycling as a force for good and so we are delighted to have watched people of all ages embracing cycling during the last six weeks.”
“Cycling is proven to boost the immune system and improve sensitivity to vaccines, as well as strengthening physical health. There are also huge benefits to mental wellbeing, which is a priority during such difficult times. We look forward to seeing the growth of cycling as a means of transport when more people begin to return to the workplace.”
With an increase in cycling expected, Insync called on local authorities to do more to support safer cycling in towns and cities across the UK. In Greater Manchester, where Insync’s Hero Global Design Centre is based, plans for a £1.5 billion Bee Network include 1,800 miles of protected space across the city region, which are expected to lead to a 350 per cent increase in cycling.
Eddie said: “It is encouraging to hear of the value local authorities are placing on cycling and we would urge others to go the extra mile to make it easier and safer for people of all ages to get into riding.”
Insync said e-bikes will also have a role to play in getting more people commuting, giving the physical benefits of a regular bike but with an extra push to allow riders to arrive at work sweat free and with more energy for the day ahead.
The business is also backing a package of measures presented to the government by the Bicycle Association, which include:
Funding, guidance and leadership for local authorities so that they can make changes to their local roads to enable people to cycle safely from home to work and to other destinations such as high street shops. This includes extensive networks of ‘pop-up’ bike lanes, closing roads to through car traffic, and reallocation of road lanes to create space for cycling.
A zero VAT ‘holiday’ for all bikes, e-bikes, and cycle repairs.
A short-term £250 per bike purchase grant to promote e-bikes.
A £50 per customer voucher scheme for repairs.
Extending the Cycle to Work scheme.
Adult refresher cycle training across the country.
Funding and planning easements to help employers provide secure cycle parking for their workers.
The current world health crisis will result in a decline of 9.2% in EU exports and 8.8% in EU imports from third countries in 2020, according to the EU Chief Economist note, based on the estimated decline in GDP worldwide.
The increasing spread of the virus has prompted many governments to temporarily shut down businesses, and restrict travel and the movement of people. These measures will lead to sharp contractions in the level of economic output, household spending, investment and international trade.
While there is a wealth of forecasts on GDP growth in 2020, there is a limited range of work done on trade projections for 2020, in particular for EU trade.
The analysis outlined in this note is one of the few attempts at predicting the impact of the COVID19 outbreak on trade flows. In order to test the robustness of this analysis, results are also compared to the latest WTO trade forecasts published on 8 April.
TAITRA has made the final decision to cancel the Taipei Cycles Show for this year.
Due to the latest developments of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), there have been significant travel and logistical restrictions globally. Each government has taken necessary measures to contain the virus and Taiwan Center for Disease Control has also urged the local government to hold or cancel public events with over 1,000 participants.
To comply with the government’s policy and to put people’s health as top priority, TAITRA, the show’s organizer, has made the difficult decision to cancel the May edition. To meet the industries’ needs, Taipei Cycle will still offer online trade meetings & an online exhibition in May. Further details will be announced shortly.
Walter Yeh, the President and CEO of TAITRA said: “We respectfully apologize for the inconvenience incurred surrounding the cancellation of the 2020 TAIPEI CYCLE show. We have decided to put people’s concerns, health and well being ahead of the prosperity of the show and will return once we can guarantee the safe and inclusive environment we have always provided to the global cycling industry”.
For more information, please check the official websites: