The new traffic plan in the city’s centre has triggered a 19% drop in traffic while increasing cycling by an average of 18%.
Good Move is the Regional Mobility Plan for the Brussels-Capital Region. Approved in 2020 by the Brussels Government, it defines the main policy guidelines in the field of mobility. This plan aims to improve the living environment of the people of Brussels, while supporting the demographic and economic development of the Brussels-Capital Region. In the city centre ‘pentagon’, the plan aims to change traffic flow through road closure and new one-way designation, thus leading to a less attractive driving experience.
After six months, the first results of the scheme have been unveiled, though local authorities state that it is too early to draw broad and sweeping conclusions. Initial findings indicate that the central part of Brussels has a reduced traffic flow, with more walking space, pedestrians, cyclists, reduced noise and cleaner air when compared to measurement prior to the scheme. Total traffic has fallen by approximately 19%, while morning and evening rush-hour cycling has risen by an approximately 23% and 13% respectively.
Alderman Dhondt was quoted in a press statement saying: “Many people have simply made a different mobility choice and switched to cycling or public transport, for example. The circulation plan thus contributes to the ultimate goal: a more pleasant city for everyone.”
The European Cyclists’ Federation has reported that Portugal has inscribed an amendment to the 2023 state budget, reducing VAT on bicycle sales.
The stated goal of increasing cycling modal share to 10% by 2030 is the driving force for the move, resulting in customers being able to save hundreds of Euros when purchasing bicycles.
Portuguese consumers will now be able to buy bicycles at the lowest VAT rate of 6% starting from 1 January 2023. The savings potential is important: for the purchase of an e-bike costing €2,000 under the current standard VAT rate, consumers would save almost €300 (under the assumption that manufacturers and outlets fully pass on the reduction).
The amendment to the 2023 state budget was justified specifically with the goal that is inscribed in the Portuguese national cycling strategy of reaching a cycling modal share of 4% by 2025 and 10% by 2030. The explanatory text states: “Such an ambition, essential for the protection of the environment, the reduction of fossil fuel consumption, people’s health and economy and the quality of life in and around cities, naturally requires measures that stimulate the paradigm shift from car to bicycle.”
On December 7th 2021 the Council of the EU revealed a “modernised” VAT directive that considered the rates applicable across a range of goods. As a result, consumers across the EU benefited from a reduction on the price of their bicycles and electric bikes thanks to a significant piece of policy reform trimming the VAT to be paid.
As the usage of both e-bikes and conventional bikes increases, so does the number of bicycle-related injuries. New research explores whether e-bikes hold a larger share of facial injuries after an incident.
Researchers at the Groningen University Medical Centre explored the nature of cycling-related facial injuries (maxillofacial fractures) and whether there are differences between those experienced by e-bike users or regular cyclists. The recently released paper will assist in emergency room injury treatment.
311 patients were examined across 4 hospitals for the presence and severity of injury between May 2018 and October 2012. Of these patients, 73 were riders of e-bikes, and a range of other factors such as age and alcohol consumption were taken into consideration. In the sample, it appeared that e-bike riders more often suffered fractures to the centre of the face, while jaw fractures and serious dental injuries were more common for conventional cyclists.
However, when results were corrected in line with additional factors, the conclusion was that patient-specific characteristics, such as age, alcohol use, and comorbidities (the simultaneous presence of two or more medical conditions), may have a greater influence on a rider sustaining maxillofacial fractures than the type of bicycle ridden.
Based on the results, the researchers see reason to promote the use of bicycle helmets among the elderly and vulnerable cyclists, because it has been proven that their use reduces head injuries and has a protective effect against facial injuries and fractures.
RopeLight is a continuous LED light strip that lines the forest’s cycle path, installed as part of the BITS project to improve safety and offer a new cycling experience.
In the Aarhus location, the installation of regular street lights would have been difficult, leading to a poorly-lit route. The newly installed RopeLight infrastructure guides the cyclist on the path through the forest in the dark hours.
The LEDs’ color schemes can be altered according to the season or to highlight events and other initiatives. Creators of RopeLight hope that this will add a level of excitement when traveling the route. Additionally, the LEDs can be dimmed to ensure a light level that allows cyclists to benefit from the solution while not being overwhelmed by the light.
BITS is a four-year project within the European Interreg, in which several countries work together to increase bicycle use and safety through ITS applications.
The new 16km highway (F29) will connect the two cities, providing a safer route for commuters to pursue more sustainable transportation options
Recently announced by authorities in Belgium, a newly planned bicycle highway will connect the city of Leuven in Flanders to the country’s capital of Brussels. Many in the region already make the journey between the two cities as a part of their daily commute, thus, the project is likely to be positively received.
The Flemish government aims to make the journey between the cities safer and faster, with construction starting next year and managed by The Werkvennootschap, a public works company. Additionally, the highway will link to the planned Brussels cycling ring, further connecting the wider city.
Cycling Highways – a growing trend
Bicycle highways have caught the attention of many governing bodies as of late, with projects announced across multiple regions. The infrastructure aims to handle the growing number of cycling commuters in a safe, efficient way. And, although most cities still do not have enough bike traffic to warrant the massive development, as Munich’s Deputy Mayor Katrin Habenschaden explained in a statement in May 2022: “If you sow cycling highways, you get cyclists.”
Comments Off on (E)cycling is ten times more important than electric cars for reaching net-zero cities
Article on The Conversation by Christian Brand on 29 March 2021 – Globally, only one in 50 new cars were fully electric in 2020, and one in 14 in the UK. Sounds impressive, but even if all new cars were electric now, it would still take 15-20 years to replace the world’s fossil fuel car fleet.
The emission savings from replacing all those internal combustion engines with zero-carbon alternatives will not feed in fast enough to make the necessary difference in the time we can spare: the next five years. Tackling the climate and air pollution crises requires curbing all motorised transport, particularly private cars, as quickly as possible. Focusing solely on electric vehicles is slowing down the race to zero emissions.
This is partly because electric cars aren’t truly zero-carbon – mining the raw materials for their batteries, manufacturing them and generating the electricity they run on produces emissions.
Transport is one of the most challenging sectors to decarbonise due to its heavy fossil fuel use and reliance on carbon-intensive infrastructure – such as roads, airports and the vehicles themselves – and the way it embeds car-dependent lifestyles. One way to reduce transport emissions relatively quickly, and potentially globally, is to swap cars for cycling, e-biking and walking – active travel, as it’s called.
Active travel is cheaper, healthier, better for the environment, and no slower on congested urban streets. So how much carbon can it save on a daily basis? And what is its role in reducing emissions from transport overall?
In new research, Mr Brand and his colleagues reveal that people who walk or (e)cycle have lower carbon footprints from daily travel, including in cities where lots of people are already doing this. Despite the fact that some walking and (e)cycling happens on top of motorised journeys instead of replacing them, more people switching to active travel would equate to lower carbon emissions from transport on a daily and trip-by-trip basis.
The researchers observed around 4,000 people living in London, Antwerp, Barcelona, Vienna, Orebro, Rome and Zurich. Over a two-year period, the participants completed 10,000 travel diary entries which served as records of all the trips they made each day, whether going to work by train, taking the kids to school by car or riding the bus into town. For each trip, they calculated the carbon footprint.
Strikingly, people who (e)cycled on a daily basis had 84% lower carbon emissions from all their daily travel than those who didn’t.
The researchers also found that the average person who shifted from car to (e)cycle for just one day a week cut their carbon footprint by 3.2kg of CO₂ – equivalent to the emissions from driving a car for 10km, eating a serving of lamb or chocolate, or sending 800 emails.
When the researchers compared the life cycle of each travel mode, taking into account the carbon generated by making the vehicle, fuelling it and disposing of it, they found that emissions from cycling can be more than 30 times lower for each trip than driving a fossil fuel car, and about ten times lower than driving an electric one.
They also estimate that urban residents who switched from driving to (e)cycling for just one trip per day reduced their carbon footprint by about half a tonne of CO₂ over the course of a year, and save the equivalent emissions of a one-way flight from London to New York. If just one in five urban residents permanently changed their travel behaviour in this way over the next few years, we estimate it would cut emissions from all car travel in Europe by about 8%.
Nearly half of the fall in daily carbon emissions during global lockdowns in 2020 came from reductions in transport emissions. The pandemic forced countries around the world to adapt to reduce the spread of the virus. In the UK, walking and (e)cycling have been the big winners, with a 20% rise in people walking regularly, and (e)cycling levels increasing by 9% on weekdays and 58% on weekends compared to pre-pandemic levels. This is despite (e)cycle commuters being very likely to work from home.
Active travel has offered an alternative to cars that keeps social distancing intact. It has helped people to stay safe during the pandemic and it could help reduce emissions as confinement is eased, particularly as the high prices of some electric vehicles are likely to put many potential buyers off for now.
So the race is on. Active travel can contribute to tackling the climate emergency earlier than electric vehicles while also providing affordable, reliable, clean, healthy and congestion-busting transportation.
Find the study by Mr Brand and his fellow researchers here or in our LEV-research section ”Urban & Shared Mobility”
Comments Off on VanMoof Sales Triple in Year of Unprecedented Growth
LEVA-EU member VanMoof released new figures that highlight a watershed year of growth, with sales tripling and a new mobility paradigm emerging from the global pandemic.
Dazzling growth
The worldwide e-bike boom resulted in explosive growth figures, with global revenue and bikes sales at VanMoof increasing over 200% in 2020. This growth spiked early in the year as lockdown took hold and huge numbers of people re-discovered the bicycle as a safe alternative to public transport. This resulted in VanMoof selling more bikes in the first four months of 2020 than in the previous two years combined.
VanMoof bike sales triple during worldwide lockdown
VanMoof on course for over 100% annual revenue growth
Year-on-year sales increased in US by 120% and in the UK by 230%
VanMoof global operations expand to support increased demand with 300 new employees, 31 pop-up shops, and new Seattle brand store
VanMoof completed series B funding, totalling $50 million to date
VanMoof riders have traveled almost 12 million kilometers, saving over 1346 tons of CO2*
Technology for a better future
For the first time VanMoof took a deeper look at the impact their rider community is having on the world. E-bikes have now taken pole position in a worldwide mass mobility revolution. The trend of millions of people switching to more sustainable transport is shown in the rapidly growing VanMoof community, increasing by 30% to over 155,000 riders. And the pace of this e-bike transition has already changed cities radically. City dwellers worldwide are embracing e-bikes as a safe and reliable mobility option.
This year alone, VanMoof riders have travelled almost 12 million kilometers – that’s 300 times around the world, or 15 times to the moon and back. Most impressive of all are the carbon impacts, saving over 1346 tons of CO2 from being released. And this is just the beginning, with all related trends pointing to cleaner, greener, and smarter cities.
A new mobility paradigm
“This was a breakthrough year for e-bikes. And we’ve started to see the benefits of less congested streets, cleaner air, and healthier commutes. We have every reason to believe this behavioral shift is here to stay now that people have adopted a smarter, greener alternative to the status quo”
Ties Carlier, co-founder VanMoof.
According to the latest projections, the market for electric bikes is expected to exceed $46 billion in the next six years, with a growth rate twice that predicted before the pandemic. The impact of Covid-19 has had an unique effect on transport planning in major cities, with new policy developments transforming urban landscapes and allocating significant funds to increase the amount and quality of cycling infrastructure.
Ride the future
With an updated motor, automatic electronic gear shifting, and integrated anti-theft tech, the VanMoof S3 & X3 are custom-tuned for the ultimate riding experience. This new range of e-bikes isn’t just the most innovative and powerful VanMoof has ever made, it’s revolutionizing the way cyclists move around cities forever. The high performance VanMoof S3 & X3 open the road to the latest e-bike tech at $1998. Available worldwide in VanMoof brand stores and at vanmoof.com.
Comments Off on Unique QWIC Pop-up Display in Berlin
LEVA-EU member and Dutch e-bike brand QWIC is striking attention in Berlin. A pop-up window has been realized in the German capital where QWIC´s Premium Q is displayed in a playful way. With its pop-up campaign, QWIC wants to increase brand awareness in the Berlin region and inform consumers about their e-bikes.
Brand marketeer Mia Sabotke, is QWIC´s leading person behind the pop-up window: “QWIC is growing fast in Germany and with this unique and playful promotion we want to further increase our brand awareness. The pop-up promotion combines the online and offline possibilities of product presentation with our dealer as an important information and service point”.
Guerilla marketing
In August and September, the QWIC Premium Q MN8 – praised with various design awards – will be presented in the pop-up window downtown Berlin. With the help of chalk stencils on the street, the attention of passers-by is drawn and they are led to the pop-up window. By scanning a QR code on the window, interested parties receive more information about the e-bike and QWIC can accurately measure the effect of the campaign.
The promotion was set up in collaboration with QWIC dealer Wingwheels, located 700m from the pop-up location. Interested parties can obtain further information from the dealer about QWIC e-bikes and immediately take a test ride on the QWIC e-bikes.
Dutch Insurance company Univé concludes that e-bikes effectively help to improve the mobility of seniors. Their conclusion is based on CBS data (Dutch organization for statistics) about cycling behavior between 2010 and 2017.
For the group of 65 years and older, the statistics show that a total of 13.4% have been cycling faster, whereas for the group up to 50 years, the data barely shows any increase of speed. What’s more, the group of people above 78 years have been riding on average 33% more kilometres.
According to Univé, growth in recorded speed and distance is based on the ever-growing popularity of e-bikes amongst seniors. However, as a result risks on injuries are increasing accordingly.
In 2019, a total of 420,000 e-bikes have been sold in the Netherlands based on data from RAI and BOVAG. Parallel with the growing e-bike sales, Univé note an increase in the sales of bicycle insurances in 2020. 90% of the group of 65 years and older insure their e-bike, while this is 50% for the group between 30 and 65 years and only a third for the group younger than 30.
Etienne de Cooker, director of Univé Schade, acknowledges the benefits of e-bikes. “E-bikes are increasingly easy to use. That allows elderly people to remain independent for their mobility for a longer time and are therefore less reliant on friends and family. Increased speed and less resistance keeps their world big. Moreover, they keep moving. All aspects combined lead to an increased wellbeing and vitality for this age group.”
According to de Cooker, the downside of increased speed and more kilometers is the number of traffic injuries onvolving e-bikes. “Often, these are accidents not involving anyone else. This shows that risks related to higher speed are sometimes underestimated and that potentially risky traffic situations are sometimes 0overlooked.”
2018 traffic safety data by ‘VeiligheidNL’ endorse concerns about traffic safety related to e-bike usage amongst seniors. In the last ten years, cycling accidents requiring A&E intervention have increases by 30% , 40% of these victims in 2018 were 55 years and older. As for the e-bike accidents, 85% of the victims were +55 years.
According to De Cooker, rather than the e-bike itself being dangerous, risks are more related to the experience of the rider.
