Velo-city history
Velo-city is widely respected as the premier international cycling planning conference series in the world. Cycling is increasingly recognised as an efficient, healthy, quick and environmental form of transport, and Velo-city seeks to encourage cycling as a part of daily transport and recreation. The name Velo-city is a small play on words using the French word for bicycle - vélo, and Velo-city can also be read as velocity or speed. The series name is owned by the European Cyclists' Federation (ECF). The Velo-city Series Director is Dr Bernhard Ensink, ECF Secretary General.
Velo-city began in 1980 in Bremen with around 300 participants and was heavily involved in the founding of the European Cyclists’ Federation three years later. In its almost 30 years of existence, the conference was hosted by major European cities such as London (1984), Barcelona (1997) and Paris (2003) and smaller fore-runner cycling cities alike, such as Groningen (1987) and Basel (1995). Since the Groningen conference, Velo-city conferences have been organised every other year with the last Velo-city conference taking place in Munich in 2007.
Munich was also the largest of its kind with more than 950 participants from 50 countries. Velo-city conferences attract not just one type of profession, but bring together all those who are involved in the policy, promotion and provision for cyclists. Answering the growing demand for expertise in cycling from cities, ECF has decided to hold an annual Velo-city conference as of 2011. The bidding process was officially launched in July 2008.
Further information:
Velo-city 2007