"Picnic the Streets" Campaign in Brussels

This year’s Velo-city conference will have a huge focus on strengthening bicycle advocacy. With so many interest groups looking to attract attention,  bicycle advocates need to be savvy, explains ECF Communications Officer, Julian Ferguson. 

Congestion in Brussels

Before talking about Velo-city, I'd like to tell the cycling world about something rather amazing that happened last weekend in Brussels, Belgium. People were fed up with a city which is literally being choked by traffic and cyclists were tired of sub-standard infrastructure

So they decided to protest. 

What did they do? In an act of 'civil disobedience', they simply sat down in the main road and had a picnic. Families, kids, grandparents, cyclists and pedestrians, numbering the thousands enjoyed a Sunday lunch, while cars ground to a halt as their  roads were transformed into picnic blankets.  

It was really quite a clever move in a city which screams "cars first, people last."

Because who can argue against families enjoying public spaces? And if you argue for cycling in the name of people,  it’s hard for authorities not to listen.

Families enjoy a picnic on Brussels' main street last Sunday

 Velo-city Vancouver - A Platform For Change

The Brussels' example points out that cyclists need to be savvy if they're to be heard. Politicians, city councillors, and authorities have a lot of interest groups whispering in their ears, and cycling is not always at the top of the list.

That's why it will be exciting when the world's cycling greats descend on Vancouver for the four-day Velo-city  Global conference in a little under two weeks. What sort of insight will they share in getting more people cycling?

I spoke to my colleague Kevin Mayne, a veteran in the cycling advocacy world and former head of UK's national cycling organisation, CTC.  

"Cycling advocacy is what unites the Velo-city family. We all want to bring the benefits of cycling to our communities whether we are from governments, businesses or cycling associations," Mayne tells me. 

Kevin Mayne at an advocacy workshop in Vienna, Austria

"And we know advocacy works.  When the champions for cycling are united we see record investment in cycling, growing numbers and vibrant cycling movements all over the world.”

Mayne will be talking in a session called "Leadership in cycling advocacy" where he'll be focussing on what makes advocacy organisations outstanding. 

And a whole team of famous bicycle advocates will be joining him.

Gil Penalosa from 8-80 cities will be opening the conference. Danish cycling guru Troels Andersen is set to talk about using electronic chips to boost cycling and how to promote cargo bikes. Jeffrey Miller head of the Alliance for Biking & Walking will be talking about opening streets to people and Chilean, Lake Sagaris, famous for her pro-bicycle work in Santiago,  will talk about the cycling progress she's seen in many cities. 

If all goes to plan, we may just see many more Belgian picnics popping up across the globe. 

 About the Author

Julian Ferguson is the Communications Officer for the European Cyclists’ Federation. Originally hailing from Australia and a keen bicycle advocate, he plans one day to ride his bicycle from Brussels to Melbourne

About Velo-city? 

Velo-city Global 2012, is taking place in Vancouver on the 26-29^th of June. It’s the biggest cycling planning conference in the world, bringing together the best and the brightest in cycling and transport policy. Check out the conference website here, and register now.