Velo-city 2018 article series featuring mini interviews on plenary speakers continue with Ninna Hedeager Olsen, plenary speaker for the Technology Plenary.

Ms. Hedeager Olsen has represented the Municipal Council for The Red-Green Alliance since January 2014. From January 2014 to August 2017 she was a member of the Employment and Integration Committee. Since August 2017, she been a member of the Technical and Environmental Committee and the financial Committee. On 1 January 2018 she assumed the role of Mayor of Technical and Environmental Affairs and herein the role of Head of the Technical and Environmental Committee.

In addition, Ms. Hedeager Olsen is Chairman of the Board at the Metropolitan Copenhagen Heating Transmission Company and The Green Council as well as Member of the Board at Metroselskabet, R98 and the Greater Copenhagen Fire Department.

A quick chat with Ninna Hedeager Olsen:

What does Access to Life mean to you?

Bicycles are a fantastic invention in many ways. They are simple machines that make it possible for us to move from A to Z in a healthy way while making way for a better use of urban space than people cooped up in metal boxes with wheels. They are an inexpensive mode of transport with a low carbon imprint and vast benefits for overall public health as well.

In short, bicycles allow for an access to life by allowing individuals to move efficiently – regardless of income status – in fresh air while getting some exercise and interacting with each other as humans. This allows for us to create cities with a focus on social inclusion, efficient and safe infrastructure and quite simply liveability and a good urban life – whether you are rich or not.

What cycling lessons are you bringing to Rio?

If the development of Copenhagen as a bicycle city has taught us anything, it is that cities should listen to their citizens. The current cycling efforts of Copenhagen began as a response to widespread demands in the 1970s for safer bicycle infrastructure. This created a political backing for cycling infrastructure and a consensus of no longer prioritizing cars as the main form of transport.

Several decades later we can see that this citizen driven political investment has payed off. The bicycle infrastructure is safe, comparatively cheap and extensive throughout the city. Bicycles are factored into all development plans for the city and we are getting better and better at coupling bicycles and other modes of transportation.

This creates a city with a better flow of traffic, cleaner air, healthier citizens, cost efficient infrastructure and a lower carbon imprint. So the overall cycling lesson is that it pays off to listen to your citizens.

What are you looking forward to the most at Velo-city 2018?

The overall theme of access to life is probably what I find most exciting. In my perspective we all need to become even better at focusing on how important a bicycle culture is to creating liveable cities.

This has been a main focus for Copenhagen, but the fundamental idea of access to life – rather than just liveability – is certainly an area where we need to learn from the rest of the world. The idea of cycling as a means to social inclusion is hugely important and somewhat overlooked in a Copenhagen context. So I am looking forward to learning more about ways to view and build cycling solutions that are more inclusive and creates more equal opportunities. 

What do you think is the added value of a global interdisciplinary approach to cycling?

Two minds are better than one. So just imagine how much better thousands of minds are. When discussing ideas and solutions of such as vast scope as how to design cities for a better life, there is no doubt in my mind that we need to share, criticize, praise and steal from each other as much as possible.

Better solutions in the cities around the globe aren’t simply good for the individual cities. They are good for all of us. Conferences such as VELO City are hugely important in moving the world to a better future.

The Technology Plenary is scheduled for Day 2 of Velo-city 2018; Wednesday 13^th June 2018 at 09.00-10.00.

For all information on the Velo-city 2018 Program please click here:
For Velo-city 2018 Side-events please click here:
For Velo-city 2018 Speaker line-up please click here:
Register now for Velo-city 2018 Rio de Janeiro!
*Stay up to date by following us on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and join our group on LinkedIn