Day 1 of Velo-city 2018 concluded with a stimulating discussion about Megacities.

In a nutshell, the plenary explored the mega-challenges which Megacities are facing, focusing on intermodality, congestion, planning, capacity, and governance. During the plenary, mega-solutions that could lead to a great city were also discussed. The concept behind the session was to highlight the issues of the megacity and its challenges and how the lessons can be replicated in smaller sized cities.

The plenary was moderated by Raluca Fiser, President of Green Revolution and Vice President of ECF. At the end the session, Ms. Fiser raised interesting questions linked to each presentation, tackling issues such as inclusion and focusing on gender and class. With three women taking the stage and one man, the plenary was full of female power.

The speakers for the plenary “Megacities” were:

• Sergio Avelleda, ex-secretary of transport of São Paulo and current chief of the mayor’s cabinet.

Mr. Avelleda, the only man in the session, presented the mobility case in Sao Paulo, the Brazilian megacity and how the numbers of bike lanes and bike infrastructure increased. “Successful action becomes permanent public policy”.

• Anvita Arora, researcher at Innovative Transport Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Ms. Arora presented an overview of the challenges and opportunities of the megacity through the lenses of an academic/ researcher. She focused on Indian megacities. Ms. Arora explained that even though nowadays growth has become synonymous with motorization, this is not necessarily alwys the case. “We are trapped in a vicious spiral of our own making”. She later provided advice on the strategies and focus areas of smart cities, in order to improve lives, “smart cities always put people first”.

• Paula Bisiau, Sub-Secretary of Mobility, Buenos Aires.

Ms. Bisiau introduced the Bike Sharing System in Buenos Aires. During the plenary, she presented the mobility challenges for cycling developments Buenos Aires is focusing . She also explained how Buenos Aires has transformed into a bike friendly city, by endorsing bicycle education, promoting bicycle as a transportation tool for children and increasing the numbers of women cyclists. “The roads are now safer for bicycle users”.

• Laura Ballesteros, Ex Sub-Secretary of Mobility, CDMX.

Ms. Ballesteros is very involved in the Civil Society movement in Mexico City and is now running for a seat in the Mexico City government. During the plenary, she presented the challenges of developing more cycling in Mexico City. She also presented the positive results of cycling policies in eliminating deaths and traffic accidents in Mexico and increasing social inclusion. Finally she stressed the need for more “female power in cycling all over the world”.

The “Megacities” plenary took place during Day 1 of Velo-city 2018; Tuesday 12^th June 2018 at 16:40-17:40.