The last day of Velo-city 2019 begins with a stimulating discussion: ‘Infrastructure from the City to the Greenways’!

Infrastructure is the backbone of cycling development. To share or to segregate? Is shared space a friend or foe? How do you decide and how do you enforce? The discussion between vehicular cycling (cyclists riding in regular traffic, as cars and buses do) versus segregated infrastructure (cycling infrastructure which has varying degrees of separation from motorized traffic) has been the main focus, especially in the urban environment. Furthermore, if the cycling journey gets longer, cycle highways become key to the discussion. 

Tackling climate change and protecting the environment, whilst maintaining and developing new sustainable transport systems pose new and existing challenges. How do we balance the sometimes competing demands of protecting ecological habitats, whilst also providing much needed new cycling infrastructure near protected areas? Infrastructure is crucial when longer journeys go through green areas and unused infrastructure can be refurbished to make leisure cycling and commuting possible through nature. This is where greenways come up which are trails (and sometimes wildlife corridors) found in both urban and rural settings that are frequently created out of a disused railway, canal towpath, or derelict industrial land.

The discussion in this plenary session is a central discussion under one of the three main conference themes, ‘Environment and Infrastructure’.

These are some of the issues that will be to teased out and explored to find out what has worked elsewhere and how. Come listen to our plenary speakers in this session:

Anne Graham (National Transport Authority Ireland) is Chief Executive Officer with the National Transport Authority. The Authority is responsible for the provision, regulation, and integration of public transport services, the provision of supporting infrastructure for sustainable transport and for driving the greater use of sustainable transport as a mode of choice. She previously worked with the Authority as Director of Public Transport Services on the regulation and provision of public transport services nationally. Prior to joining the NTA, she worked in the Dublin local authorities as a chartered civil engineer in the drainage, roads and traffic divisions.

Dr Jennifer Dill (Portland State University) is a professor in the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University and Director of the Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC). Her research focuses on the relationships between transportation, land use, health, and the environment, with a focus on bicycling and walking, as well as newer modes such e-scooters and carsharing. Her cycling research has included evaluations of innovative infrastructure in the US, equity of bikesharing, types of cyclists, and rider behavior using GPS data.

Burkhard Stork (ADFC) is one of the leading advocates for urban cycling - promoting safe and attractive bike infrastructure for all at the national and international level.

Xavier Brice (Sustrans) has long believed that how we travel is one of the biggest factors shaping how we live and relate to one another. So he is thrilled to be leading the UK charity Sustrans, which is working to build a society where the way that we travel creates healthier places and happier lives for everyone. The way that Sustrans does this is to make it easier for people to walk and cycle – as put simply, people do what’s easiest! This isn’t Xavier’s first time speaking at Velocity. Before Sustrans he spent 10 years at Transport for London and in 2007 Xavier spoke at Velocity Munich, sharing early ideas for the city’s new cycling and walking strategy that he was developing on behalf of the Mayor.

This session is Sponsored by KN Circet.

Join the debate at Velo-city 2019! Click here to register for the conference.

'Infrastructure from the City to the Greenways' Plenary will take place on Thursday, June 27th 2019 at 9.00-10.00.
For more information on the Velo-city Programme, Exhibition and Registration go to: https://www.velo-city2019.com 
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