Cycling in Yorkshire
11th October 2023
The Dutch have built 62 long-distance Cycle Highways, out of a planned total of 326.
What are the characteristics of these routes, and are they achieving modal shift?
Read about the Emerging Dutch Cycle Highway Network.
30th August 2023
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo yesterday celebrated the French capital's achievement in reducing traffic and air pollution by 40%. How long did the reduction in foul air take, and what are the health consequences?
Read about the Paris Mayor Celebrates 40% Less Traffic and Pollution.
24th August 2023
Cycling is up 36% in central Brussels a year after a circulation plan was introduced, and there is 25% less motor traffic.
The Good Move plan to make the streets more liveable has been a success, but are there any problems?
Read about the Brussels Circulation Plan Sees Cycling Up 36%.
21st April 2023
Ireland is moving cautiously towards reducing car use, in order to achieve its climate targets, with a two-phase strategy.
Read about Ireland Moves Cautiously towards Reducing Car Use.
1st February 2023
Utrecht is to build a car-free neighbourhood for 12,000 people. As it's high-density housing, the city has chosen to use the space between the buildings for greenery, not parked cars.
Read about The Future Starts Now: Utrecht Builds Car-Free Neighbourhood.
16th November 2022
Around €1.1 billion has been allocated to cycle infrastructure in the Netherlands for cycle parking, Cycle Highways, tunnels and bridges.
Read about €1.1 Billion for Cycle Infrastructure in the Netherlands.
7th November 2022
Climate activists staged a protest against private jets at Amsterdam Schiphol airport over the weekend, that resulted in a police bicycle chase.
Read about Police Bicycle Chase at Schiphol.
22nd September 2022
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne this week announced a new plan vélo to ensure that France continues to develop into a cycling nation.
Read about the Plan Vélo 2023 France.
5th September 2022
Germany offered a €9 public transport ticket, to combat inflation and climate change. What were the results?
Read about Popular But Expensive - German €9 Ticket.
24th October 2021
Paris's Plan Vélo for the next 5 years includes 180km of new segregated cycle tracks, and a wealth of other good ideas too, showing a real commitment to promoting cycling.
Read about a Paris Plan Vélo 2021-6.
14th October 2021
You only have to give way twice over the 18km of the Rijnwaalpad Cycle Highway between Arnhem and Nijmegen. People like the smooth ride with no stops. How do the UK's cycle links between towns compare?
Read about the Dutch Cycle Highways.
10th May 2021
Delivery vehicles represent 15-20% of traffic in Paris, but 45% of harmful particulates. What is the French government planning to do about it?
Find out in French National Cycle Logistics Plan.
5th February 2021
Trips by bike in the Paris region doubled because of a pop-up bike network.
Read about Paris Pop-Up Bike Lanes.
9th February 2020
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has put the environment and sustainable transport at the heart of her 2020 re-election campaign, with parking spaces to be replaced by wider pavements and bike lanes.
Read about Paris to become "100% vélo".
17th January 2020
The European Cyclists' Federation has produced a report titled the Safer Cycling Advocate Program. It draws on Dutch and Danish expertise, and is designed to help people in other countries campaign for better cycling facilities.
Read about ECF Safer Cycling Advocate Program.
7th February 2019
A UCI report on the success of bike lanes in Seville has highlighted how a complete network was created in just 18 months. With the UCI's blue riband event coming to Harrogate later this year, its report is timely and should inspire us.
Read about UCI reports on Seville.
Bike lanes in the Netherlands are designed with thought and intelligence to create a joined-up, easily usable network.
I took a few photos of cycle infrastructure in Zandvoort, and I've added some comments about the intention of the planners. In the UK, we should pay particular attention to the way they give bike routes continuity, instead of making them give way to every side street.
Read about inspiration from Dutch cycle infrastructure.
A Dutch road safety organisation is calling for the crossbar design of men's bikes to be scrapped, saying it is less safe than a 'step-in' frame, and no longer necessary for a strong bike.
Read about Dutch organisation calls for end of crossbar.
Many bike paths in the Netherlands are dangerous because they are so busy, and because some people are using their smartphones, instead of being aware of what is going on around them.
Read more about smartphones create danger on Dutch bike paths.
21st October 2015
Cycling was more popular than ever in the Netherlands in 2014 according to new figures, which show an average distance cycled per person of 1018km. Electric bikes may be responsible for some of the increase.
22nd September 2015
Tom Dumoulin is ready for the individual time trial at the World
Championships in Richmond, Virginia, where he is favourite for the
event. He is still slightly tired after a great performance in the
Vuelta a Espana, but will be confident of competing well against rivals
Tony Martin and Rohan Dennis. Read about Dumoulin
ready
for World Champs ITT...
27th August 2015
Dutch rider Tom Dumoulin yesterday took the overall lead of the Vuelta
a Espana. A time trial specialist who may also be a future GC contender,
he is rapidly becoming a star of road cycling. In case you don't know
too much about him, here are five
facts about Tom Dumoulin...
22nd August 2015
There's controversy in the Netherlands over the selection of their nine
riders for the World Championship road race on 27th September in
Richmond, USA. Star riders Gesink and Mollema are in the team as
domestiques, to support Niki Terpstra, and Koen de Kort has been left
out. Read more about controversial
Dutch
team selection for World Championship road race...
11th August 2015
Sky rider Wout Poels was run off the road by a truck today during a training ride with fellow professional Reinier Honig in the Dutch province of Zuid-Limburg. They both tweeted about the incident, which they say was 100% deliberate, and involved a driver from Van Zaal Transport De Kwakel. Read more about Poels run off road by truck...
27th July 2015
The 2015 Tour's start in the Netherlands generated a lot of publicity, which resulted in it being the most watched Tour de France for 20 years in that country. Stage 2 attracted more viewers in Holland than any other in the event's history. Read more about 2015 Tour was the most watched in the Netherlands for 20 years...
26th July 2015
Utrecht is a cycle-friendly city, with good infrastructure for cycling, and a culture of cycling for short trips in and around the city. A large percentage of journeys in Utrecht are made by bike. What can we learn from Utrecht? For some answers, see HedgehogCycling's series of three 'cycling ideas from Utrecht' videos...
24th June 2015
Anti-doping Denmark yesterday published a report into doping in professional cycling, in particular on Bjarne Riis's team CSC. It found that Riis and others would have a case to answer for complicity in doping, but the statute of limitations prevents cases being brought. Read more about the Danish anti-doping report...
17th June 2015
A petition against beer bikes in Amsterdam is to be handed to the city council today. The petition has gathered more than 6,000 signatures since it was launched in April this year. Read more about the petition against beer bikes in Amsterdam...
16th June 2015
A beekeeper was yesterday called to a supermarket in Bloemendaal, Holland, to move a swarm of bees which had taken up residence in bike panniers while the bike's owner was inside doing her shopping. The beekeeper moved the docile insects without needing any protection. Read more about the bee swarm moved from bike panniers...
13th June 2015
Last month, France 2 broadcast a documentary about a micro-dosing experiment they carried out, with eight athletes taking part. They found that in 29 days, they could produce significant performance improvements with micro-doses of EPO and HGH, plus a blood transfusion, which would stay within biological passport parameters. Read more about the France 2 micro-dosing experiment...
10th January 2015
The maximum speed on bike paths in built-up areas of the Netherlands should be 25kmh, according to Fietsberaad, the Dutch organisation which advises on cycling policy. This would mean racing cyclists and users of speed pedelecs should ride on the road. Read more about the proposed 25kmh speed limit on Dutch cycle paths...
9th October 2014
Abellio, a subsidiary of Dutch national rail company NS, has won the ScotRail franchise. It is to improve cycle rail facilities, by investing in more bike parking, and opening cycle hire points at stations. Read more about Abellio to improve Scottish cycle rail facilities...
25th September 2014
Researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands have found that nearly 90% of nighttime cyclists had been drinking. Read more on most Dutch nighttime cyclists drunk...
24th September 2014
The Dutch Minister for Infrastructure and the Environment has launched a campaign to highlight the risks of cycling and using a smartphone, a practice which is not illegal. There's even a 'cycling mode' app. Read more about cycling and smartphones in Holland...
