The nation is home to more bikes than people and boasts one of the world’s most impressive bicycle path networks that spans no less than 35,000 kilometres across the whole country. This stellar reputation is demonstrated most impressively in Utrecht. This city, a mere 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam, is consistently reducing roadways, is home to the world’s largest bike parking lot and its latest city designs include a completely car-free neighbourhood.
Merwede is a neighbourhood in Utrecht, one of the fastest growing cities in the Netherlands. An old industrial area, it is now undergoing a transformation process based on urban planning criteria that puts clean and shared mobility ahead of the existing prioritisation of road traffic.
Instead of areas reserved for parking vehicles, Merwede will have lots of green areas and public spaces. In fact, every block that is built in this area will have an interior garden and the idea is for many of them to be accessible to all residents. Supermarkets, schools, medical services, banks, etc. All services will be within a short distance, so people can go shopping, work and practice sports in the neighbourhood and relax on a terrace in one of the city’s squares without having to use their cars.
The demolition works have already begun and the final project includes sustainable housing for around 12,000 people (the first residents are expected to move in by this year).
From shared to zero
Many cities have been designed or re-designed based on private vehicles: more traffic lanes, spaces reserved for parking, public or private car parks, displacement of pedestrian ares. However, this trend seems to be gradually reverting and we are finding more examples of cities and neighbourhoods in which pedestrians have priority and other means of transport.
In the case of Merwede, it is estimated that there will only be three spaces for every 10 households reserved for cars and 300 of these will be for shared vehicles. Clearly, the neighbourhood will have networks and services in place for shared cars and bicycles, with plans for an entire public transport system that will connect the neighbourhood with the whole of the Netherlands. The challenge is obvious: instead of one (or more) cars per household, there will be one car for every three households, which will free the streets of traffic and parking spaces.
Multimodal mobility hubs
The concept of multimodal mobility hubs is being pursued as an innovative solution for Merwede. These hubs focus among others on:
- Car sharing
- a high quality public transport connection
- On-call taxis (and in the longer term, self-driving on-call vehicles);
- Self-service pick-up kiosks for parcels
- Bicycle rental system
- Availability of amenities for daily needs such as grocery stores or a coffee bar near the hub.
Design cities for people, not for cars
Instead of cars, the project designers are looking to further boost the use of bicycles in Merwede. The starting point for achieving this is good: bicycle use is widespread in the Netherlands, (Bicycle Cities Index 2019 indicates that Utrecht is, in fact, the best city for this form of transport).
Changing the residents’ mindset
However, those in charge of the project know that the hardest thing will be changing the mind-set of the inhabitants. They are convinced that “the new city district of Merwede is a good start for a shift from cars to cycling and walking and from private ownership to sharing.”Changing from motorised forms of transport and choosing bicycles brings with it plenty of benefits. Not just environmental and noise, but also the health of residents.
According to figures for the city of Utrecht, every day, between 7 am and 7 pm, more than 100,000 people go to work, school, university, shopping or home through the centre of the city using bicycles. However, the city council wants cycling to be even more attractive for these and other citizens and Utrecht’s mobility policy has this transport system as its central theme.
The impact on public health
Apart from reducing pollution, cycling can help to reduce stress and the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, type-2 diabetes and strokes. Furthermore, bike-friendly cities can also increase the safety of cyclists. An OECD Cycle Safety report found higher levels of awareness in places with large numbers of bike users, cycle paths and supporting infrastructure.
Circular economy
Merwede will also have the largest underground heat and storage facility in the Netherlands to heat and cool the district. Greenery and solar panels will be installed on roofs, with the aim of making the neighbourhood more sustainable.
Another crucial aspect of the new neighbourhood is the idea that it will rely on circular economy as much as possible. That means creating as little waste as possible and using as few new resources as possible. Merwede will become home to De Clique, too, a circular startup that will try to reuse waste from the hospitality and business sectors.
Community building
The city district looks set to be full of exciting activities that will bring the community together. There will be a skatepark, lots of nice restaurants and cafes, and a climbing hall: and all this before people even move into the neighbourhood, so it’s bound to be absolutely bustling once these plans become reality.
Setting a new standard
The redesign of this Dutch neighbourhood is much more than just bikes and green areas. The project designers believe the challenge is for the Merwede example to become a standard, particularly when designing and developing new neighbourhoods. In other words, for us to gradually change our habits, focusing less on cars and more on using more sustainable and healthy forms of transport.
The area of Merwede is to become a showcase for healthy and sustainable living with innovative concepts for recycling, energy production, climate adaptation and mobility solutions. It will not only become a pleasant place to live, but also act as a new link between the surrounding neighbourhoods.
