Romee Nicolai: the new bicycle mayor of Amsterdam
Romee Nicolai, founder and manager of the Bike Kitchen bicycle workshop at the University of Amsterdam, will be the city’s bicycle mayor in the coming years. Her goals include stimulating conversation about bicycle use and promoting the ‘slow city’.
What is a bicycle mayor?
‘A bicycle mayor is a connector: between people, bicycles and the city. Set up by BYCS, a bicycle mayor takes on the task of encouraging cycling within the city. For example, by highlighting the benefits for the economy, environment and health. This is done by collaborating with companies, governmental institutions and social groups. Presently, there is an international network of 144 bicycle mayors worldwide. The interpretation of bicycle mayor depends on the person and the situation, but all have the same objective: How do we make bicycles accessible and cities bicycle-friendly for everyone?
What challenges and opportunities do you see for Amsterdam?
Speaking with bicycle mayors from outside of the Netherlands made me aware that we are actually doing quite well here (in Amsterdam) in terms of cycling facilities. Nevertheless, there is always room for improvement, especially in bicycle safety.
Amsterdam is getting busier. How can we keep cycling safe, while the speed and number of (e-)cyclists increase. I see opportunities in making the image of cycling more than just a means of transport that is practical, efficient and fast. The meaning(s) we give to cycling determines our interaction with the bicycle and therefore the use of space. We often forget that cycling can also be fun or relaxing and a means of social interaction. In April I was in Marrakech at the Open Street Day: For one morning, a busy main street was transformed into a bicycle street by more than 500 residents, children, students, and elderly. They experienced what it was like to cycle side by side and safely through their city. An opportunity could be to organize such an Open Street Day in Amsterdam, to emphasize cycling as a chance for meeting and experiment.
‘We often forget that cycling can also be fun or relaxing’
What are your goals in the coming years as bicycle mayor?
As bicycle mayor, I have three objectives: First, to stimulate conversation about the meaning of cycling and to promote the ‘slow city’: Why do most Dutch people see cycling as something functional and efficient, instead of a means of transport for relaxation, meeting and fun? What happens when we pause for a moment of silence?
The second objective is to create awareness about the value of the bicycle by creating places where people can (learn to) repair their bicycle themselves. And the third objective is to organize street experiments and activities, using the existing space in a way that encourages thinking about safe and multifunctional streets.
Who will you collaborate with?
With whoever wants! That’s the nice thing about being a bicycle mayor: It is a volunteer position in which I try to make the city a bit more beautiful. I am currently in contact with people involved in mobility and sustainability within the Municipality of Amsterdam, other bicycle mayors from the BYCS bicycle mayor network and academics who inspire this.
What does June 3, World Cycling Day, mean to you?
World Cycling Day is an important day to celebrate how unique it is to cycle. How special it is that we have a bicycle on which we can travel from A to B every day, en masse, in a sustainable, efficient and relaxed way. It is important to be aware of this, because it is not self-evident for everyone. There are still people who do not have a bicycle or cannot cycle. In that respect we are a bit spoiled in the Netherlands. Cycling culture is deeply rooted in our society. Learning to cycle is almost a social norm, just like getting a diploma for swimming and for lace-tying your shoes. More importantly, it is nice for yourself to be able to ride a bike, and to feel the freedom to move where and when you want.’
