Call For Papers

Name: Pascal van den Noort

Position: Executive Director
Organisation: Velo Mondial / Amsterdam Cycling Capital
Address: Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 20 1017 RR Amsterdam
Email: operations@velomondial.net
Telephone: +31206270675
Fax:

Title of Presentation: Emission Free Routes

Summary Many cities never use cycling and cycling planning as a
means of regulating of emissions (CO2, NOx Noise).
European policies now oblige cities to act. With the
introduction of a Main Network for Emission Free Traffic,
existing and new modes of transport that do not emit will
be better accommodated to move around in the city.
This new type of thinking about infrastructure provides
an attractive alternative to car drivers – who are
disencouraged to enter city centers – to choose
emission free modes rather than other motorized
alternatives.
The Main Network for Emission Free Traffic stands in
the tradition on the Main Network for cars, the Main
Network for public transport and the Main Network for
bicycles.
Velo Mondial promotes the implementation of these
plans with many local actors in industry, business and
universities.
Background & This emission free network will be different from existing
Objectives networks for car, public transport end bicycles. It will
provide fast free-flow routes for short and medium-
distance journeys on which cyclist and other non-
emission modes like electric cars, segways, bicycles,
freight-bicycles, skates, trams have priority. For
example, there will be a green corridor, giving the right
of way at traffic lights. It not only accommodates these
modes it also aims at improving the air quality, since it
will replace car trips by modes of transport that do not
have emission, and by replacing car lanes by ‘Non
 Emission Lanes’.
This network will be integral part of the Main Bicycle and
Car Network, and will also at times public transport
(tram or trolley) networks. It will play an important part in
urban transport and will interconnect the main transport
interchanges, the major employment areas and various
city amenities, institutes of education and shopping
centers.

Implementation & Velo Mondial promotes this type of thinking and does
Results this when possible in the context of various consortia
such as Amsterdam Cycling Capital, Mimosa,
Spicycles and Optimimum 2. Various projects are
planned in the years to come, including campaigns,
rankings, seminars, conferences and master classes.
Most of the time cities are the partners.
Conclusions Whether or not this Emission Free Network will come
into existence is not at the heart of this debate. It is
about positioning emission free traffic in a world where
cities grapple with every opportunity to accommodate
its citizens. Conflicting interest of private motorized
transport, freight transport, public transport and
emission free transport all contribute in one way or
another to the quality of life of individual citizens. In
order to accommodate the whole of a city’s individuals,
measures are made and all these measures have to be
implemented, like measures for emission levels. Also
the practical reality of ‘space’ in a city becomes a more
and more rare commodity when the city population
increases as does the number of its visitors. Emission
free infrastructure accommodates many of the
objectives.

Email abstracts to papers@ecomm2008.eu

Deadline for submissions is 30th November 2007