This brief report, written in December 2011 by the Cycling Embassy of Denmark, examines the interregional bicycle project, “Nordic Cycle Cities.” In the past three years the project has seen 11 small and medium-sized municipalities develop methods and tools to help them meet the challenges of getting more citizens to jump on their bikes.
The core of the project was the preparation of three central strategic documents: a bicycle account, bicycle strategy, and bicycle action plan. This process involved liaision with different administrations, politicians, and citizens in each of the municipalities.
The 11 municipalities have worked on encouragement projects focusing on children and commuters at local companies. Exchanging experiences across the municipalities has also opened the eyes of the Swedish and Norwegian partners to the use of training bikes for bicycle events for kids, which, for example, the Municipality of Randers has done. In addition, the participants have been inspired to develop their own campaign concepts.
The process plans, strategies and results of the projects can be downloaded from www.nordiskecykelbyer.dk. The site is in Danish.