Bike the track/ Track the Bike is a project that aims to change the way families across Europe commute to their favorite leisure activities. B-Track-B coordinator, Patrick van Egmond fills us in on the project. 

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As the coordinator of the B-track-B team, I invite you to join us. Cycling is considered the most suitable mode of transport for short distance trips (from 2 to 5 km). The promotion of cycling is an excellent means to reduce the use of fossil fuels and reduce pollution in your city.

Our 7 starting cities (Rotterdam, Venice, Fredericia, Ljubljana, Münster, Algarve and Espoo) will stimulate families to take their bikes to go to sports matches, parks, shopping malls, cinemas or theatres, festivals, and similar leisure destinations.

Supported by the IEE program the B-Track-B cities will organise family cycle campaigns using dedicated bike-tracking software. Our main B-Track-B target group are families with children aged 9-15 that live in the urban area. Due to their complex mobility patterns they are the group that is most using the private car - possessing a private car encourages them also to us it during leisure travel, whereas the bicycle would be much more energy efficient and healthier. Besides this, the children are old enough to cycle on their own to leisure destinations. Finally those children are at the age just before they are allowed to drive mopeds or scooters.

Through targeted marketing within the cities, already 700 families will participate within the B-Track-B campaign. Many more families in the urban area are reached through the organisation of large promotional events, and hundreds smaller actions and communication in cooperation with the local cycle associations, cycle industry and chambers of commerce.

The B-Track-B software combines cycling, game elements, mobile phone application, website and social media, RIFD and GPS tracking technology to boost present bicycle use. The technical part of the project is built around three levels of available technology. This will allows every city in Europe to participate, no matter their local technological context or present levels of cycling. Hoping that you will join us too.

 For more information write or call Patrick van Egmond p.v.egmond@dtvconsultants.nl / +352 (0) 691 040175, or Henk Hendriks of the European Cycle Federation h.hendriks@ecf.com /+31 (0)30 2918144