B-Track-B’s pilot phase in Münster has recently come to an end. Now is the time to reflect on the achievements of this ECF project that aims to get people cycling more often thanks to technology that rewards people who cycle. Of the 8 pilot cities across Europe that participated in this project, Münster was very successful and the city even organised a big event to mark the end of the initial phase. It was a great day of events, with many visitors and an international attendance. What a great day to promote cycling.

B Track What?

B-Track-B is shorthand for the complete title “Bike the Track – Track the Bike”. The project aims to get people to bike more thanks to tracking devices that are added to users’ bicycles which are then logged when they pass by special units scattered across a city. Just in the same way as a jogger is encouraged by the number of kilometres he has just run, a cyclist will be encouraged by all the points he has accumulated. Each trip is a point in the lottery. The aim is to get both adults and children to participate in this tracking system, which also gains a competitive edge when friends, family and colleagues also participate: who has cycled the most trips? Who will win the best prize? The results can be viewed on the B-Track-B website, and in Münster the inhabitants certainly got very involved, with over 1,000 participants in this pilot phase.

Münster Cycling Day

Amid the beautiful weather at the closing event on 13^th September, pupils from the Realschule Wolbeck were invited on stage to be awarded their honorary title of “Leezenklasse”, which roughly translates as the Cyclists Class. This school group was the one that cycled the most during its leisure time during the months of April, May and June, without counting the rides between home and school. The children were very proud of getting this accolade! Cyclist acrobats also entertained the public on the sidelines of the event, which had stands, various booths dedicated to cycling, and even a stage programme organized by the city of Münster. Phillip Oeinck, from Münster’s Cycling Office, was happy at the result of the city’s initiative. He pointed out: “The participation during the Cycling Day was as good as it was during the whole BTB campaign.”

But this event was also about showing the world how to get a city excited about the BTB system, which can be set up in any city with only a small budget. Delegations from York (UK), Lublin (Poland) and Rjasan (Russia) were all present on this day and all were impressed by the number of people cycling in Münster, some of which is a direct result of the programme. “This is a great opportunity to get people cycling”, said Andy Vose from the Cycling Office in York.

ECF looks forward to seeing York, and others, introduce the B-Track-B system in its city centre! The system is now open to any city or employer who wants a dynamic and modern cycling incentive scheme that makes use of technology (Android and Apple apps, radio-identification, web resource).

Get in touch, get involved! Bike-the-track, track-the-bike could soon be part of your city.

Click here to view ECF’s B-Track-B webpage

Visit the B-Track-B website