Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has the ambition to increase the number of airport employees who come to Schiphol by bicycle in the coming years. The cycling program 'goinGDutch' has been developed to realize this ambition. On Monday, September 2, Stientje van Veldhoven, State Secretary for Infrastructure & Water Management (I&W), officially launched this program.  

More than 66.000 people work at the airport, of which approximately 4.000 people come to Schiphol by bicycle. Schiphol is one of the newest bicycle ambassadors of State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven (I&W). Based on this role and in order to increase the number of airport employees who come to Schiphol by bicycle, Schiphol, in collaboration with partners BAM, Microsoft and OrangeNXT, has developed a bicycle vision called 'goinGDutch'.  

“The (electric) bicycle is an interesting means of transport for employees who live within a radius of 25 kilometers from Schiphol. It is sustainable commuter traffic, good for vitality and relieves the other access roads to Schiphol. Together with the partners of goinGDutch, Schiphol has the ambition to be able to say at the end of 2020 that 7.000 employees will regularly take the bicycle to the airport and even 2024 by the end of 10.000, ”says Miriam Hoekstra- van der Deen, Director of Airport Operations at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

In the cycling program goinGDutch there are concrete plans to stimulate cycling to and around Schiphol. These plans focus on infrastructure, bicycle facilities and the stimulation of cycling behavior. Schiphol and I&W are investing in broadening the so-called fast cycle paths between Hoofddorp, Schiphol and Amsterdam. Intersections are also being made even safer to improve infrastructure. Subsequently, bicycle facilities will be expanded, such as the number of bicycle sheds and charging points. Schiphol will then actively work to ensure that employees get on their bicycles, for example by making it financially attractive.

Van Veldhoven thinks it is a great step. “Good routes and facilities for cyclists to the airport yield a lot. Not only for the accessibility of the airport, but also for the health and wallet of the cyclists themselves. And every additional cyclist relieves the other access roads to Schiphol. If you look at the number of travelers at Schiphol, I also see a lot of potential there, especially for the traveler who has to fly often and has little baggage.

Stimulate bicycle

The 12 bicycle ambassadors represent various sectors. In addition to Schiphol, this concerns the UMCG, ASR, Amega group, Efteling, Enexis, Fujifilm, MN, the national police, Radboud University, TataSteel and Zalsman.
They actively encourage cycling among their employees. And with that they inspire not only their employees, but also their sector, region or customers. Examples of the targeted measures that the ambassadors take include mileage allowances, taking advantage of tax benefits when purchasing a bicycle, charging options for e-bikes, rental bicycles, bicycle sheds, showers and bicycle repair shops at the office.

The bicycle is unmistakably Dutch. More than a quarter of all trips made by Dutch people go by bicycle. The cabinet has the ambition to allow even more travelers to choose bicycles. With provinces, urban regions and municipalities, Van Veldhoven invests 345 million euros in new bicycle routes and parking facilities. Leasing a bicycle from 1 January 2020 will become as easy as leasing a car, but at the low additional tax of 7%. In the climate agreement, the Cabinet has announced that it will allocate an extra 75 million euros for good bicycle parking facilities at public transport hubs, for example.

Also read: Bankruptcy for Gobike electric bicycle sharing system in Rotterdam

bicycle ambassador State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven
State Secretary Stientje van Veldhoven
Pitane Blue
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