As Velo-city is drawing to a close there were once more  events to watch. High-level European guests addressed the challenges ahead for cycling in the European Union while the International Association for Public Transport discussed with guests how to integrate cycling better into cities' transport schemes. We also have some highlights from the closing session.

• The European Session - The State of Cycling in the EU
• UITP - Seamless Transport is Smart
• Closing Velo-city 2013

The European Session - The State of Cycling in the EU

From over 20% of people using bikes in countries such as the Netherlands to only a few in Malta, the EU is a huge "salad bowl" when it comes to cycling. Bernhard Ensink, ECF Secretary General, brought together high-level guests from the European Institutions to discuss the state of cycling for the EU's 500 million citizens.

You can read our detailed report here

UITP - Seamless Transport is Smart

There were 2 different sessions that focused on public transport and cycling today. First the intervention of Alain Flausch Secretary General of UITP (International Association of Public Transport) during the morning plenary. He did stress the importance of good partnerships for public transport to work smoothly. Considering intermodality, he agreed that combining public transort and active mobility was essential to a good governance. As the bicycle for instance entitles to dramatically increase the catchment area of public transport.

Concerning financial issues he stated "Public cycling shall be financed by the public sector but we need to think on new ressources. For instance revenues from congestion charges could be allocated to the operation of bike sharing schemes"

Then during an interactive workshop session Caroline Cerfontaine of the UITP Combined Mobility Platform chaired a session about one of the major challenges to cycling today: how to integrate bicycles and public transport?

"We have to go beyond simple addition," said Folkert Piersma of Dutch association Prorail as he was presenting bicycle parking solutions at railway stations in the Netherlands, together with his colleagues Lesley Valies and Marieke Zwaneveld.

Uwe Weissflog from inMotion, Germany presented his company's creative concept about how to integrate cycling, buses, trams, subways, and trains. "We think public authorities could offer portable bicycle cooperation programs with bicycle industry partners and cyclist associations. This would make Public Transport much more attractive and create value," Mr Weissflog said.

The Skills and competences needed to accomplish integration were also on the agenda. Matthias Grätz from Baltic Environmental Forum and Thomas Hefter from the Institute for Social-ecological Research, both based in Germany, presented how bicycle planning could become part of a sustainable mobility culture in Central and Eastern Europe.

Closing Velo-city 2013

And because any Velo-city has to end at one point, today has come the time of the closing ceremony.

"I am a little bit sad" said Vienna Vice Mayor Maria Vassiliakou Sad that it is over. "But I can tell you I am very happy that you all came. This velo-city was exactly what we aimed for."

The audience had then the opportunity to get a glimpse of what Adelaide host of the 2014 conference had to offer. The lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood started by highlighting all the assets of his city as a wonderful venue. But more than a great party time, velo-city 2014 shall be for all attendees "the opportunity to take part in the transformation of a city that is aiming at being the most cycle friendly of the southern hemisphere."

Manfred Neun could afterwards thank the organisation team and all the participants to have entitled this Velo-city to be a ground breaking one (the largest ever),  and he concluded "Thanks to Vienna, See you in Adelaide".

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