The 2023 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in the Netherlands at the beginning of February, could hardly have taken place in a more bicycle-oriented venue. The host city Hoogerheide is situated in the region of Woensdrecht, which was awarded the UCI Bike City label in 2017. But the Bike City connection does not stop there. Woensdrecht is part of the province of Noord-Brabant, which officially received the UCI Bike Region label during this year’s UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships. The award ceremony was just another celebration of cycling in a province where the bicycle is a way of life.
“Learning how to cycle is one of the things you do growing up,” says Michel Reinders, Director of BrabantSport, who received the award on behalf of Noord-Brabant. “For primary and especially secondary schools, cycling is by far the most used transportation method. When you cycle as a child, it is normal to keep cycling as an adult: for commuting, recreation or both.”
Hosting an international event such as the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships provided an added incentive to get the population on bikes, not least the younger generation. At a special children’s press conference, students could put questions to former UCI Cyclo-cross World Champion Lars Boom (born in Vlijmen in Noord-Brabant), and children could also take part in cycling clinics to discover the joys of riding a bike.
“We wanted to show schoolchildren how fun and cool cycling is, and inspire them and their parents to choose the bicycle for the school ride instead of the car. The emphasis was on having fun.”
Likewise, the Vuelta Ciclista a España peloton riding through Noord-Brabant last August provided the perfect opportunity to promote cycling through a special programme for schools and recreational riders. The programme 'Meer kinderen op de fiets' (More children on a bike) ran from May to July and involved 1000 children from 10 different schools in Noord-Brabant. Cycling skills and safety, as well as the importance of exercising were among the focuses of this programme.
Readily available information
Anyone in Noord-Brabant wanting to find out anything about cycling routes and activities have no shortage of information. On the website of the lifestyle organisation Sjees, fast cycling routes can be found in the click of a button, while Gangmakers - Ons Brabant Fietstis dedicated to employers, providing tips and offering consultations to get their staff onto bikes. Then there is the organisation Ons Brabant Fietst, which has a clear objective “More people on bikes”.
While the Netherlands’ national goal is to increase the modal biking share by 20% by 2027, Noord-Brabant has set itself a regional goal: to increase the users of its cycle highways by 20%.
“The first results from our recently-opened cycle highways indicate that the increase is already above that,” says Michel Reinders, who points to the importance of providing direct, comfortable, and safe routes that are easily accessible and respect the environment.
The region’s first nine cycle highways should be completed by 2025 and plans are afoot to begin work on another series of at least nine cycle highways. The cycle highway plan connects the cities of Eindhoven, Tilburg, Breda, ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Helmond to their surroundings between 5km and 15km away. Furthermore, the cycle highway plan enables direct connections between the region’s larger cities. Each cycle highway has its own special feature, such as the Maasover cycle-bridge in Cuiji and the bicycle tunnel under the Europalaan bridge in Kaatsheuvel.
“The biggest challenges in coming years will be two new bridges crossing Brabant’s major canals: the Wilhelminakanaal in Best and the Zuid-Willemsvaart in Beek en Donk.”
Michel Reinders talks about “challenges” rather than “problems”, a reflection of the cycling mentality in Noord Brabant where cycling is a lifestyle.
The region is also an active member of national initiatives, such as the “Scale Up Cycling” strategy and a networking programme between local authorities, stakeholders and scientists who collaborate to “unleash the potential of cycling”.