Dutch and Danish companies have hosted a two day cycling workshop with Southwark council.
Mobycon and Copenhagenize Design Co, specialists in developing active transport communities across Europe and North America, are working with Southwark as part of a council-wide commitment to improving cycling in the borough.
The event brought together cycling stakeholders from both within the council and local community representatives including Southwark Cyclists, Living Streets and Dulwich Safe Routes.
The sessions were also attended by members of Transport for London, Southwark’s development partners Lend Lease and Better Bankside Business Improvement District.
The workshops centred on planning, policy, design and marketing and education.
A council statement said people attending the workshop discussed innovative ways to improve cycling well beyond the realms of infrastructure but right across council policy – such as via Southwark’s health and wellbeing agenda, economic prosperity programme and regeneration plans – to name a few.
Cllr Mark Williams, cabinet member for regeneration, planning, and transport, said: “The workshops have been a fantastic opportunity to galvanise ideas and really refresh our thinking about improving cycling in Southwark and building on our work so far.
“Southwark’s vision for cycling goes beyond transport, and is something that we plan to embed across the council.
“It spans all areas of council business which is why every cabinet member is committed to realising this vision.
“It’s going to be a long journey, but I’m confident that with our community partners and the support of our residents, we are on track to significanlty increase cycling and all the benefits that brings.
“We were delighted to welcome experts from Denmark and the Netherlands to our borough to help us make Southwark a cycle friendly borough.
“We are committed to increasing cycling and at the same time making it safer. “We are embarking on a long term project to make this happen, and the advice and guidance of some of the most renowned cycling experts in the world has really helped.”
Mikael Colville Anderson from Copenhagenize Design Co, said: “We think it’s visionary that Southwark is the first borough to work with continental experts to create a more liveable city by taking the bike more seriously as transport.
“The borough has great potential for modernisation regarding transportation.”
Johan Diepens, executive director of MobyCon, said: “The benefits of cycling are immense. “It is not just good for the environment; it also has profound social, health and economic benefits.
“We want to work with Southwark to bring bicycles to the forefront of urban planning and we are confident that the borough has the potential to flourish in this way.”
Alistair Hanton from Southwark Cyclists, said: “It is exciting to discuss so many different angles on how we can make Southwark a better place for cyclists and by better I mean much for cycling and fewer causalities.
“Southwark Cyclists want to work with the borough to make this happen – we want a real partnership.”
(Source: Southwark council press release)
