Brussels, 3 July 2009: The Danish and the Bavarian Capital have something very important in common: they are committed to turn their cities into true cycling ones. Two remarkable items allow drawing this conclusion: both have signed the "Charter of Brussels", which asks the European institutions to triple the level of cycling as part of all trips from today's 5 % to 15 % by 2020; and both are closely linked to Velo-city, the worlds' most important international cycling planning conference series organized by the European Cyclists' Federation: Munich hosted Velo-city in 2007, and Copenhagen will be organizing the Velo-city Global in 2010.
Learning aspect

Velo-city is more than a conference: it is about to change a city into a cycling city. This cannot happen without the support from the highest political level. In Munich, it was Hep Monatzeder who gave his backing, Copenhagen has found this person in Klaus Bondam. Taken up the principle that cities can learn from one another in how to bring about this change, they arranged, together with ECF President Manfred Neun, this first ever direct exchange of knowledge and expertise between two Velo-city hosts on 19 June in the Munich town hall.
Following the Velo-city 2007 in Munich, the city administration has taken a lot of further actions in favour of cycling. For example, opening up one-way streets for cyclists or expanding the Ride and Bike System. These measures are taken to meet the goal to achieve 15 % cycling modal share by 2015. Today, in Munich, in bicycle jargon a so called "climber city", 10% of all trips are done by bicycle.
While this would be an impressive evolution, it is still far from Copenhagen levels: this "forerunner city" has a cycling modal share of well above 20 %. Remarkably, 36 % of all commuters use the bike to get to work or school. By 2015, the city wants to raise this to 50 %.
Copenhagen officer in charge of the traffic department, Niels Tørsløv, invited his Munich counterpart, Georg Koppen, to attend the Velo-city Global in the Danish capital. So the wheels are spinning to organize the next Velo-city Global 2010 in Copenhagen and to enhance cycling policies throughout Europe, living up to the conferences' slogan: "Different gears, same destination".

1. Niels Tørsløv presenting

A New Movement
Coincidentally, on Saturday, 20 June 2009, the first "Slow Motion" event took place in Munich with the motto to enjoy mobility. The organizers were the Green City e.V. and Martin Held from the "Evangelische Akademie Tutzing" . "Slow" does not mean slow-going, it is more a new way of awareness and respect of one´s environment and mobility. The aim is to create a new mobility culture!
This was just the kick-off conference and there will be following many more to promote a slow-city with a high living quality, climate friendly and enjoyable mobility.

Contact:
Dr Bernhard Ensink
ECF Secretary General
b.ensink[AT]ecf.com

ECF - European Cyclists' Federation asbl
Rue Franklin, 28 | B-1000 Brussels | Belgium
Tel+32 2 880 92 74  Fax+32 2 880 92 75

Note to the editor:
Founded in 1983, the European Cyclists' Federation (ECF) is the umbrella federation of the national cyclists' associations in Europe, reinforced by similar organisations from other parts of the world. Altogether we have 60 member groups in 38 countries. On behalf of around 500,000 individual cyclists, we are pledged to ensure that bicycle use achieves its fullest potential so as to bring about sustainable mobility and public well-being. To achieve these aims, the ECF seeks to change attitudes, policies and budget allocations at the European level. The ECF stimulates and organises the exchange of information and expertise on bicycle related transport policies and strategies as well as the work of the cyclists' movement.
ECF website: www.ecf.com