Column Adriaan Mout | The bike is the new car

One of the consequences of the corona measures will be that the car, especially in the cities, must make way for the cyclist. Because of the increase use of the bicycle at the expense of public transport and because of the issue of mutual distance, more space must be made for cyclists. And that space in the crowded city can only be provided by the car. There are already advanced plans for this in Amsterdam.

The bicycle has already been the new car in building design for long. In terms of space and logistics designing bicycle storage is now almost as important as the parking garages have always been. The public space must be relieved of all these bicycles and individual storage spaces are replaced by communal bicycle storage areas. Complex computations on bicycle standards, turning circles, mutual distances, stacks, ramps, electrical connection points, ventilation, it all comes along. The increasing number of types of bicycles with ditto footprint completes the puzzle. The consequences for the architecture and the appearance of a building is often also food for discussion in urban planning and design review panel. It is striking that the appearance of parked bicycles scores significantly better than the car. Many architecture design policy plans already anticipate the ubiquitous bicycle as part of the image of a building and the relationship with its surroundings.

Commuting by bike is strongly stimulated, with ample km fees, leasing, but also aggregation and, who knows, compulsory km registration. It will be a matter of time before the bicycles are registered and we will pay per hour for parking the bicycle in the indicated boxes in public space.

As an avid (racing) cyclist, I am right behind this development. They are good for our environment and for our health. Let's hope that this clean mobility revolution continues. In our building designs, the bicycle has already become the new car in any case.