Cycling for Everyone
Cycling for Everyone
The Paris delegation in a bike parking garage in Amsterdam
Knowledge

DCE hosts Paris Mayor’s Office

31 January 2025

On the 20th and 21st of January 2025, the DCE, together with the municipalities of Utrecht and Amsterdam, hosted a high-profile delegation from Paris.

The delegation consisted of the Deputy Director of the Mayor’s Office, responsible for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and mobility; the Head of Spatial Planning, Transport, Mobility, Urban Nature, and Energy within the mayor’s office; and the Head of the Cycling, Roads and Mobility Directorate of the City of Paris.

 

Day 1

Upon arrival in Utrecht, the delegation was warmly welcomed by representatives from Movares and Lumiguide, who conducted a walking tour showcasing the state-of-the-art bicycle parking facilities at and around the central station. This was followed by an exchange with representatives from the Munipality and the Province of Utrecht, joined by Gertjan Hulster of Nieuw + Verbeterd and Ruxandra Aelenei of R.A. Planning. Over lunch, the participants discussed the various plans, challenges and opportunities facing each city and region.

The afternoon session featured an expert introduction by Ruxandra, preparing the delegation for a comprehensive cycling tour that highlighted Utrecht’s intermodal transport solutions, bicycle parking network, and both challenges and (potential) solutions for a harmonious coexistence of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorised traffic, especially where road width is limited.

 

Day 2

The second day began with a warm reception by the Municipality of Amsterdam, represented by Anne Hovingh. Mariette van Empel, attaché of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Paris, joined for the kick-off, providing interested insights about both capitals. The morning was dedicated to presentations Municipality of Amsterdam, the City of Paris, and experts from the consultancies Goudappel (Gali Freund), and Mobycon (Anna Taillez), provoking a lively discussion and providing valuable insights and introductions for the subsequent walking tour.

The walking tour of Amsterdam focused on the city’s strategies for managing various traffic speeds and user groups and ensuring safe and comfortable coexistence between pedestrians, cyclists, and motorised vehicles. After lunch, the delegation engaged in a roundtable discussion facilitated by the DCE, which included participants from the morning session as well as Lucas Harms, Deputy Head of Active Mobility at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Wim Bot of the Fietsersbond, Jon Mouter, Assistant Project Manager for cycle parking at train stations at the Municipality of Amsterdam, and Bas Govers of Goudappel.

 

As the programme concluded in the afternoon, the delegation departed with a wealth of ideas to address challenges in Paris. This occasion further strengthened connections with Utrecht and Amsterdam, reinforcing their joint commitment to sustainable and accessible urban mobility and inspiring all those involved.

 

 

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