Knowledge DCE in Switzerland 6 April 2024 Cycling News From 5th to 7th March 2024, the Dutch Cycling Embassy and nine of its network members visited the cities of Bern, Zurich, Winterthur and Lausanne, as a part of a cycling mission to Switzerland, organized together with RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency) and the Netherlands Embassy in Switzerland. The delegation consisted of twelve experts from nine companies (full list below). The companies ranged from infrastructure consultancies – with specialities varying from active mobility planning through intermodality to equitable public space design – through to companies providing smart cycling infrastructure solutions, cycle parking products and cycling promotion tools. The mission kicked off on 5th March with an introductory session by the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) and SchweizMobil. The afternoon programme, organised by the City of Bern, opened with a presentation on the city’s cycling developments and aspirations. This was followed by Dutch expert input on the three focus topics for the afternoon: bike parking at stations and the bike-train combination; intersections; and school zones and low-traffic areas. The group, joined by a wide range of local public and private stakeholders, including planners and consultants, SBB, ProVelo, as well as PubliBike, then split up for themed cycling tours. After the tours, participants regrouped for workshopping sessions, where our team of Dutch cycling experts provided support and guidance in designing Dutch-inspired, locally-adapted solutions. The first day closed with a networking dinner at the residence of the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Switzerland, with a keynote speech on the topic “Die Velowende” provided by Ursula Wyss, politician, economist, urban planner, and former member of the Swiss National Council and the council of city of Bern. On 6th March, the Dutch delegation travelled to Zurich for a networking breakfast. The event opened with a keynote from Silas Hobi of Umverkehr Zurich and a presentation on the E-Bike City Projekt of ETH Zurich by Catherine Elliot, followed by pitches from the Dutch delegates. The delegation then toured the city – by bike of course – together with ProVelo and ETH Zurich. In the afternoon, the delegation visited Winterthur for a series of presentations and site visits, focussing on the topics of the coexistence of pedestrian and cycle traffic, cycle parking facilities at railway stations and mobility sharing. This programme too was accompanied by a wide range of local stakeholders, from local and cantonal planners to the local sports office, city police, advocates, consultants, and representatives of the local cycling industry. Participants then had the opportunity to get to know each other better over drinks in the early evening. On the final morning of the programme, the City of Lausanne welcomed the Dutch delegation for an exchange of presentations and cycling tour. The UCI, represented by Isabella Burczak, Cycling for All & Sustainability Manager, the University of Lausanne and ProVelo all joined in the interesting discussions around Lausanne’s ambitious plans to increase the modal share of cycling, make the city more liveable, and reduce the climate impact of transportation. With more to discuss than time allowed, participants agreed to continue the exchange online at the end of April. The afternoon saw the delegation back in Bern for two parallel sessions. One session was a panel discussion of the most challenging current topics in cycling planning with VeloKonferenz. The second session was a roundtable discussion of shared mobility and cycling services with the Mobility Academy of TCS, the Touring Club Schweiz. The mission programme ended with a final networking apéro for all afternoon participants and further VeloKonferenz members. Over drinks, participants and local stakeholders engaged in lively discussions and made plans to meet again, collaborate, and continue building on the week’s successes, for a more cycling-friendly Switzerland. A special thanks goes to PubliBike, which provided access to bikes for the Dutch delegation to use all week. Further thanks to RVO, the Netherlands Embassy in Bern, ExportPartner, and the many, many local stakeholders who welcomed us with open arms, and put in the time and effort to make the week a success for all. List of participating companies: Goudappel Abel Sensors LUMIGUIDE Smart Mobility Solutions Studio Bereikbaar Loendersloot International Bike.box Mobycon Royal Haskoning DHV Mobility Label