BILBAO WILL BE THE HOST CITY OF THE 1ST URBAN BICYCLE MEETING AND BIKEFRIENDLY AWARDS
- The Meeting, promoted awarded by the Bicycle Cities Network It will be held in Bilbao on March 4 and 5 of next year
- The organizers have valued the determined commitment of the Mobility and Sustainability Area of the Bilbao City Hall for the development of bicycle use in the city.
- Bilbao, which is a member of the Bicycle Cities Network, also opts for the Bikefriendly Awards that recognize the efforts of public entities in favor of the use of urban bicycles and that will be delivered during the celebration of the meeting.
The days March 4 and 5, 2019 Bilbao will become the center of bicycle promotion in cities, thanks to the first edition of the Urban Bicycle Meeting, Organized by the Bicycle Cities Network to which the Biscayan capital belongs.
The main objective of this 1st Urban Bicycle Meeting in Bilbao is to promote and provoke the generation of synergies between public administrations, start-ups and local initiatives and companies linked to the field of cycle mobility, in order to give a definitive boost to the daily use of bicycles in cities.
To choose Bilbao as the venue for this meeting, the organizers have valued the decisive commitment of the Mobility and Sustainability Area to the development of bicycle use in the city. The Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (PMUS), the calming of traffic with the “Bilbao 30” initiative, the development of the Cycle Plan and the electrification of the municipal bicycle service (Bilbaobizi) have been especially highlighted.
Municipal mobility policies, which, as recalled by the Deputy Mayor and Councilor for Mobility and Sustainability, Alfonso Gil, “are especially aimed at improving people's health and quality of life.”
The meeting will have various parallel activities that will give visibility to the bicycle sector in its different spheres.:
- Presentations by national and international experts on bicycle mobility.
- International debate tables.
- Showroom for start-ups and specialized companies in the sector.
- Speed-meeting dynamics (public & private sector).
- Delivery of the Bikefriendly Awards promoted by the RCxB.
- Bike routes through the city.
Special mention requires the delivery of the Bikefriendly Awards 2019 promoted by the Bicycle Cities Network and to which Bilbao also aspires. These awards are intended to recognize the effort carried out by public entities affiliated to the Network of Cities for Bicycles to promote projects, initiatives and/or actions aimed at promoting and facilitating the daily use of bicycles and sharing good practices and experiences. in the field of bicycle mobility through a reference platform and/or space, both nationally and internationally.
In this first call for the “2019 Bikefriendly Awards” a single distinction will be awarded for each of the following 4 categories:
- LEADERSHIP AND INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT. Efforts used by the competent public administrations for the design and development of instruments and/or resources aimed at promoting, coordinating and/or evaluating the different actions necessary to promote the daily use of bicycles in their cities and territories.
- CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE. Design and implementation of infrastructure and/or services necessary to guarantee cycling through the city quickly, safely, comfortably, coherently and intuitively (cycle lanes, parking, accessibility to buildings, maintenance points...)
- EDUCATION AND PROMOTION. Development of actions in the areas of education, encouragement, communication and/or information, aimed at all citizens and aimed at combating all those barriers and prejudices that hinder the daily use of the bike.
- BICIECONOMY. Promotion and stimulation of all economic activities directly or indirectly related to the bicycle sector, with a high impact on local economic development.
In addition, all applications submitted to the “2019 Bikefriendly Awards” are eligible for the following 2 second prizes:
- Initiatives related to the promotion of bicycle use in urban environments that stand out for their high innovative component.
- Merit for the effort carried out over the last two years to develop and implement measures to promote the use of bicycles in their territories.
La Bicycle Cities Network It was created in 2009 and currently has 116 member administrations and public companies representing some 550 Spanish cities.
This first Urban Bicycle Meeting in Bilbao, aims to be a decisive commitment to the bicycle as a vehicle for daily use, contributing unequivocally and effectively to the sustainable urban development of our cities, having a positive impact on the health and quality of life of our citizens.
A meeting between Administrations and public companies, the private sector and the public in general, which aims to mark a before and after in the collaboration and effort of all towards a more sustainable future.
