Radkompetenz Österreich

Luxembourg’s cycle-friendly reform

In 2017, the Luxembourg traffic ministry commissioned a best-practice study in 2017 to analyse the legal situation of cyclists in six European countries. The focus was on regulation regarding traffic organisation and infrastructure. The Viennese traffic planning office komobile was also part of the study. The result is a comprehensive reform of the legal framework concerning cyclists, which was implemented surprisingly quickly. It includes passing clearance and turning right on red! (more…)

Coexistence in pedestrian zones

Bicycle and pedestrian traffic as the two pillars of active mobility need sufficient space. Pedestrian zones are often rendered as crucial bottlenecks leading either to a friendly coexistence or conflicts. The fact that opening pedestrian zones for cycle traffic can work was demonstrated by the German research project “Taking the bicycle to go shopping downtown – conflicts and potentials of opening a pedestrian zone for cyclists”. (more…)

The annual Cycle Competence prize draw: win a VELLO!

Among all our loyal newsletter readers who can answer three questions on bicycle traffic the platform Cycle Competnece is giving away an urban folding bike from Cycle Competence member VELLO at the European Cycling Summit in Salzburg. Here you can read the first question, the next two will follow in the next newsletters.

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CityChanger CargoBike

Not only do transport bicycles remain a trend topic, their importance is also continuously growing. Their increased use as a climate-friendly alternative to a motorised car is given new impetus by two projects with CycleCompetence background: “CityChangerCargoBike” and “KlimaEntLaster” (a word play on the German word for easing a burden “entlasten” and for truck “Laster”). In September the Horizon 2020 “CityChangerCargoBike” project will start and run until August 2020. (more…)

Company bicycle instead of company car

Healthy, good for the environment and stress free! With a company bicycle model (“Job-Rad”) employers can support their employees to increasingly switch to a healthy and environmentally-friendly mode of transport both for commutes as well as private travel. The CycleCompetence members klimaaktiv mobil (BMNT) und Herry Consult are publishing helpful tips on the subject and an expert opinion on the question of private use (“Sachbezug”).

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Simple mobility in the neighbourhood

Instead of parking it in a traffic jam inhabitants of a residential estate in the Heindlstraße in Linz could in future just leave their cars in the garage. They are now being offered a mobility alternative in the form of easily accessible rental bicycles and safe bicycle boxes. (more…)

Cycle route through the nature reserve

Those who know the Lauteracher Ried are aware of its singularities: It is one of the last habitats in Vorarlberg to house characteristic ground-nesting bird species like the Western Curlew, the Corn Crake or the Plover. At the same time the Lauteracher Ried is an important recreation area as well as a production area for agriculture operating under strict nature protection regulations.
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European cycling summit 2018 in Salzburg

The motto is “Cycling culture moves” and the flag is European because of the EU presidency. This will be the setting for the cycling summit in Salzburg from 24 to 26 September 2018. The programme offers exciting keynote presentations, panel discussions and interactive formats. In the exhibition area CycleCompetence Austria will set up a lounge for exchanges with experts. (more…)

Project GISMO: Active commutes as health provision

Currently everybody is talking about exercise as good health provision. “Sitting is the new smoking” is a slogan frequently repeated. The GISMO project subsidised by the FFG and headed by Cycle Competence member Z_GIS (Department of Geoinformatics, University of Salzburg) has picked up these topics of active mobility and health provision: It is positioning the daily commute to work as a chance for exercise and health provision at the same time. (more…)

Youth Mobility: New Facts and Handbooks

Children need a lot of exercise. At least 60 minutes of exercise per day is the recommendation for children and young people by the Word Health Organisation (WHO). Overall, only 17.4% of Austrian pupils between the age of 11 and 17 get this much exercise. This was shown by the largest European health study among children and young people, the “Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study”. An active commute to school would counteract this trend. New data is now available. (more…)

Prototype “flexiTrike” presented

The research project “flexiTrike” can present is innovative final result: an e-tricycle with tilt mechanism to promote active mobility of people with an increased safety demand when cycling. This e-tricycle is designed for people who have not cycled for some time or for those who cannot use a conventional bicycle because of their physical constitution, age, special needs or other limitations. (more…)

Traffic law and bicycles: A European comparison

A comprehensive international best practice study about traffic and infrastructure related laws and regulations promoting cycling and walking was was drawn up by komobile on behalf of the Ministry of Transport in Luxembourg. The countries analysed were Austria, Denmark and Spain. A cooperation was established with the offices MOE/Tetraplan (Denmark) and Citec Ingénieurs Conseils SA (Switzerland) and lead by komobile. (more…)

New record at the “Austria cycles to work” campaign

The “Austria cycles to work” motivation campaign will set a new record in avoiding CO2 in 2017. More than four million kilometres already saved 700 tons in CO2 emissions compared to car journeys. This proves the success of the campaign and high motivation among the participants. The event is organised by the Radlobby, supported by the initiative klimaaktiv mobil of the Austrian federal ministry for the environment (BMLFUW) (more…)

New products for 2018 with cycle competence

WOOM, VELLO and KTM already presented exciting new developments for the 2018 season. The best stage for this was of course the annual Eurobike in Friedrichshafen as it is the largest commercial cycle fair in Europe. Not only do the products and prototypes presented there offer a lot of IQ in development but also a lot of E in their application. Electronic support is an omnipresent topic in the cycling industry. In all of this the first self-charging e-folding bike VELLO+ stands out. (more…)

Study on the risks of dooring alongside parking vehicles

Cycle Competence member Rosinak & Partner has just finished a comprehensive study on cycling alongside parking vehicles and the risks associated with it. The study was commissioned by the Austrian Road Safety Board (KFV). All over Austria ten locations were researched via video analysis. Further, cyclists and car drivers were interviewed. The results show the risk potential for cyclists: (more…)

Two new members with a lot of energy

The number of companies, institutions and organisations making up and enriching the network of Cycle Competence Austria has grown by two to reach 26. We are welcoming the leading producer of outdoor charging stations for e-bikes, bike energy from Salzburg, as well as the mobility agency of the city of Vienna as new members of the platform.

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In Bicycle Heaven: Velo-city Conference Review

At the world’s biggest cycling summit „Velo-city 2017“which took place mid-June in Arnhem-Nijmegen in the Dutch province of Gelderland, Cycle Competence Austria had the great opportunity to present cycling knowledge “Made in Austria” to a broad audience. The conference itself and the cycling nation number one convinced the attending 1.500 experts. (more…)

Cycling strategy city of Salzburg 2025+

The city of Salzburg already is one of the leading cycling cities of Austria with a 20% share of cycle traffic. Now it has presented its new cycling traffic strategy “Radstrategie Salzburg 2025+”. Cycling traffic in Salzburg is to be given a strong impulse and is set to be increased to at least 24% by 2025. With additional reducing measures for car traffic a cycle traffic share of up to 28% would be possible. Cycle Competence members Rosinak & Partner and Z_GIS have contributed significantly to drawing up the cycle strategy. (more…)

Co-designing the city at the push of a button

Cycle Competence members Bike Citizens and komobile support citizen participation in Brussels and in Vienna’s eighths district Josefstadt – in quite different ways: Bike Citizens has co-developed the campaign “PING if you care!”. It allows cyclists in Brussels to report problem sites digitally. In Vienna’s Josefstadt komobile heads the participation process Lokale Agenda 21. Its cycling group has developed a cycling map for the district and can celebrate first political successes. (more…)

Partnership on Cycling: Transnational cycling traffic strategy in Belgrade

Based on a joint initiative from France, Austria and the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) “THE PEP Partnership on Cycling” was set up in 2014 within the framework of the Transport, Health, Environment Pan-European Programme by UNECE/WHO. Cycle Competence members BMLFUW and Verracon are actively contributing to the transnational process as representatives for Austria and as partnership managers respectively. (more…)

The transport revolution: Cargo bikes on the advance

The use of bicycles for goods transport has made it onto the traffic agenda in many European cities. This also showed at the CycleLogistics conference in Vienna in March and the cargo bike subsidy introduced by the city. Projects like CycleLogistics and EMILIA demonstrate the scope of the potential for transport by bicycle. They also point out how transport processes can be optimized the smart way. The former niche topic has become mainstream. The potential for shifting from car to cargo bike is enormous. The “Cargo Bike Boom” has certainly taken off!

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Cycle Competence trip: German Cycling Academy visits Vienna

Training, networking and exchange of experience take a central role in promoting cycling. The Cycling Academy (“Fahrradakademie”) of the German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu) has been pursuing these strategies since 2007 and once a year it is visiting a region that plays a leading role in promoting cycling traffic. In 2016 it was Copenhagen – now it is Vienna’s turn. The study trip is organized by Cycle Competence Austria. The platform also offers bespoke best practice trips for administrations, companies and institutions interested in the Austrian approach to increasing cycle traffic. (more…)

Fresh Facts: Cars as safety hazard, bicycles as casualties

Traffic accidents involving cyclists analysed following Radlobby-inquiry to BMVIT and KfV. In April 2017, a list of questions compiled by Cycle Competence member Radlobby Austria sent to the Austrian traffic ministry BMVIT revealed new facts on cycle traffic and hazardous situations: The safety hazard for cyclists definitely is the car, as shown by the statistics supplied by Statistics Austria and analysed by the KfV (Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit, a non-profit research organization): In three out of four traffic accidents with injured cyclists involving another vehicle or person car drivers caused the accident. (more…)