Brussels Capital Region is embracing the ambition to achieve the “decarbonised city”, certainly in terms of countering the negative impact of transport emissions. Attitudes in this city region, of 19 municipalities, have changed considerably in recent years through raising of awareness, and adoption of concerted mitigating measures. Building on this positive dynamic the ambition of the project is to drive a structural modal shift promoting the use of cargo bikes (and e-cargo bikes) as a realistic, even more efficient, alternative to private cars and light goods vehicles - for work, services, commute, school run, leisure journeys within the city, for short trips and last-mile deliveries. The initiative to mainstream cargo bike use as part of an integrated mobility approach (within the framework of "Good Move", the Region's Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan) is directed at creating a cargo bike community, a shift to active travel, and so drastically reducing exposure to damaging and ultimately avoidable toxins.
Partnership
Project led by Brussels Capital Region
1 University: Vrije Universiteit Brussel
1 Co-operative social enterprise: Urbike
1 Bike Service Provider: Remorquable
1 Non-profit organisation: Pro Velo asbl
1 Car sharing Company/ OPTIMOBIL Bruxelles SA
1 private Parking Operator: BePark
1 public Parking Agency: Parking Brussels
1 Environmental Agency: Brussels Environment
This first Journal sets out to introduce the Cairgo Bike project, its aims, the policy background and governance model. Brussels Capital Region sees this UIA opportunity as a means of extending and investing further in their ongoing development of a sustainable mobility future for the city and its inhabitants. Twin goals of improving citizen quality of life and supporting economic activity are regarded as compatible, where clean air is a key factor in establishing a healthy environment for all parties and stakeholders, living and working in the city.
The project is designed to drive a transport modal shift, away from vehicular traffic to an active travel mode, replacing use of LGVs (Light Goods Vehicles) and private cars by an ecosystem of cargo bikes targeting both citizens and families, as well as the business community. It is built on a concerted partnership, tasked with implementing a set of mutually supporting actions, devised to generate and mainstream this behaviour change. The Journal positions this ambition, the integrated package of actions, within the context of a wider stimulation of cargo bike solutions in many European cities, supported by EU policy and recognising the benefit of understanding and sharing concrete experience in this respect.
Of course such an undertaking, such a conversion to a new modality, is not immediately evident or simple to achieve, for many the cargo bike option is not on the radar. Structures, conditions and flanking measures need to be in place or developed, obstacles and challenges overcome. Finally therefore the project and its architecture is confronted with a series of challenges which can realistically be expected to impact on the progress and ultimately success of the initiative. For Cairgo Bike, in the Brussels Capital Region context, aspects such as Leadership, Public Procurement and Integrated Cross-departmental working are not considered as critical issues, which could have a detrimental effect on project advancement. Equally Participation, Monitoring and Evaluation, Communication and Upscaling are not reasons for concern, but these are recognised as fundamental operational priorities which will require continuous and considered attention. The impact of the Covid pandemic as a source of disruption and behaviour change is uncertain, but it has joined the game of challenges as a serious player, the consequences of which impose the need for ongoing scrutiny and perhaps in time, adjustment.
2. Active travel towards a clean air future
At the rearranged COP 25 conference in Madrid (under presidency of Chile, 2019) Frans Timmermans stated that “Urban climate action is at the heart of the European Green Deal and is essential to achieving a Global Green Deal”. Over the last 20+ years and not only in terms of climate change, more and more cities across Europe and across the world, have been championing a cause to intensify intervention at the urban, local level as an effective force for wider economic, societal and environmental improvement. Still not all cities, globally, have a governance situation or the means to effect such positive localised, and so catalysing, transformations independently. Brussels Capital Region, however, like many other European cities, has been quick to recognise and attempt to capitalise on the potential of instigating own action, particularly to address environmental challenges. The Cairgo Bike project is the latest in a series of sustainable initiatives and forms a logical extension to existing actions and strategy set out in the Region’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan “Good Move”. https://mobilite-mobiliteit.brussels/en/good-move
The goal is to add to the weaponry aimed at achieving a radical, essential improvement in urban air quality. The focus is on achieving fundamental behaviour change, driving a modal shift away from use of private cars and LGVs (light goods vehicles) to take up the cargo bike as a viable, practical alternative. This is targeted both at families and citizens in general but also at professionals, one person self-employed businesses, small and medium sized enterprises, delivery and service providers, large companies and municipalities…
In this first project Journal the intention is to describe the scene, the actors, the dramatic challenges, ambitions and initiatives which populate the Cairgo Bike firmament.
The project is built on implementing a set of mutually supporting actions designed to understand and make behaviour change happen. If we dissect the various components of this integrated package of activities (communication and awareness raising, “conversion”, cargo bike testing, sharing/renting services, purchase incentive, secure parking provision, monitoring user experience and air quality impact) we are immediately reminded that it is extremely difficult for any single agency - public authority or private - to fulfil such a mission. So the concept of partnership becomes the fundamental beating heart of the initiative. The key here is to construct a team of the most relevant stakeholders based on knowledge, experience and capacity to tackle the task in hand. This translates into the assembly of an active group of diverse stakeholders committed to cooperate and deliver the various, often overlapping, steps essential to the transformation process. In this sense Cairgo Bike looks to have established a balanced and well adapted partnership model and programme of action, capable of driving the transition process.
In broad terms:
- Public authorities, Brussels Mobility (BM), Brussels Environment (BE) take charge of project coordination, management and communication (both project and target groups).
- The social enterprise Urbike and the Cycling promotion non-profit organisation Pro Velo have responsibility for a programme of training and testing for professional (business) users and private citizens/families respectively.
- The bicycle service provider “start-up” Remorquable and the Car-sharing platform Cambio offer opportunity to lend or rent respectively bike trailers and cargo bikes based on the principle of “Don’t own – share”. Cambio already has a tried and tested vehicle sharing system in operation across Belgium and can tap in to this experience.
- Parking Brussels and BePark are engaged in provision of secure parking facilities where on- street or home infrastructure is not in place for such larger volume bicycles or tricycles, and where theft or vandalism represents a significant risk.
- Brussels Economy and Employment set up and manage a financial incentive for professional candidates - grant aid for purchase.
- Brussels Environment and the university VUB combine to evaluate and monitor take-up and acceptance of this alternative transport mode, and consequences for pollution exposure of cargo bikers and air quality. https://environnement.brussels/sites/default/files/user_files/pres_20190423_colloquesortiethermique_icct.pdf
So the project represents a real quadruple helix+ approach bringing together public authorities, private agencies, non-profit sector, research institutes and ultimately the end-user - to work together to trigger a positive change in urban air quality. The role of Brussels Environment and the VUB university to institute crowd-sourcing input to study behaviour patterns and impacts appears to be a valuable recurring phenomenon in cargo bike/air quality projects across Europe – Greifswald University Germany (Interreg CoBiuM project), Cracow University of Technology and CEA Vitoria-Gasteiz (Horizon 2020 City Changer Cargo Bike), University of Helsinki (UIA Hope project).
3. The European Dimension
The project is clearly in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals particularly, 3. Good Health and Well Being and 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities. Coherence with EU policy is also on track when we look at the 5 objectives set out in the urban dimension of cohesion policy for the programme period 2021-2027 which include: A Greener low-carbon Europe – promoting sustainable multi-modal urban mobility goals as part of a transition to a net zero carbon economy, but also; A Europe closer to citizens – to address negative effects of concentration in the urban context (traffic congestion, pollution, urban sprawl, affordable housing, poverty etc.) and implementation through European Urban Initiative mechanisms. It also draws motivation from guidance and recommendations formulated in the Urban Agenda for the EU Partnerships, Urban Mobility (Promoting Mobility Behaviour Change … minimising car use) and Air Quality (Better Air Quality Planning; Better Focus on the Protection and Improvement of Citizen’s Health - code of good practices for cities air quality action plans). In UIA terms there are clear points of common ground with other projects in the programme, for example the HOPE project using crowd-sourced air quality monitoring, experimenting with a “green paths” clean air route planner tool.
Within Cairgo Bike we have carried out a scoping of what other cities are doing in relation to facilitating cargo bike usage based on a dual self-interrogation precept of “are there things Cairgo Bike can still learn and from whom” and “what/who can or should Cairgo Bike influence in an EU (or even Belgian) perspective”. From this attempt to identify complementary activity and cargo bike good practice in other EU cities it becomes evident that cargo bike encouragement has been and is being sponsored through various programmes at the EU level including Horizon 2020, Interreg, Life, Civitas…
It becomes immediately obvious that the City Changer Cargo Bike project (Horizon 2020) https://cyclelogistics.eu/about has been an important mover and shaker, mobilising partner city and wider examination of cargo bike opportunities, producing extremely valuable information and guidance material. In the grand scheme of things, the Cairgo Bike scoping exercise reveals an interesting set of categories.
- Cities that have embraced the cargo bike almost spontaneously – where there is a strong cycle tradition and history of mobilisation and acceptance (also probably helpful topography) – so Scandinavia, the low countries etc.
- Cities which have benefited from strong governance support – i.e. combination of significant national and city funding as in Germany and Austria which has generated clear momentum in cities like Bremen, Rostock, Graz…
- Cities which have grasped the opportunity provided by EU programmes/projects and initiatives to learn and develop good practice.
- Cities where spin-offs are developing or taking over from the impulse of administrations or clean air/mobility policies i.e. where civil society or businesses are making their own modal shift decisions based on real business case or well-informed choice – Leuven and Mechelen in Belgium fall into this category.
- Cities which are still in the dark
The most interesting projects really do have that characteristic of involving City services, cycle organisations/ngo’s, private enterprise and university research institutes with of course civil society. In this sense the Cairgo Bike approach in terms of the players and activities it brings together, fits well with conclusions drawn from city experience as it seeks to push its own unique and complementary intervention package. In this sense the composite architecture of the project can hopefully serve as a baseline, a coordinated action template for other cities with aspirations to promote active travel as antidote to the dangers posed by urban air quality. The activities previewed by Cairgo Bike are eminently transferable with no real logistical or governance impediments to prevent cities building a similar integrated practice approach.
4. Actions
There is something uplifting about watching a group of local people, self employed or employees arriving to try out a cargo bike, follow a training session, take to the road with a project guide and finally leave with a new piece of material to test at home or in the workplace for a two week period. From anticipation and apprehension there is a visible transformation, a sort of confidence “yes I can do this”, there is a value when someone in a later feedback session says,
I could service 6-7 clients daily using the cargo bike where previously a daily average was 5 using the company van
Initiation sessions have now been organised in a number of Municipalities in the Capital Region including Jette, Koekelberg, Ixelles, City of Brussels, Forest… – companies such as Proximus, the Belgian television stations VRT/RTBF and Vivacqua (the Brussels Water Company) have taken up the offer of trialling the cargo bike for certain tasks. So Cairgo Bike is fully up and running - the website and branding is in place, stickers and plaques are fitted to cargo bikes and trailers, invitations to take part or apply for subsidy are publicised and grants provided, municipalities are mobilised – but this is only the start of a journey for both delivery partners and ultimate beneficiaries.
Each element of the project architecture is crucial to achieving “a whole which is greater than the sum of the parts”, for example where project survey shows that in Brussels lack of parking facility for cargo bikes is a real limiting factor deterring acquisition. This is expressed even as a constraint by people who already have a cargo bike and therefore demands careful consideration. As the project moves on, data collection and interlocking measures (i.e. resolution of IT systems to allow access to sharing points for trailers or cargo bikes) will attempt to ensure that the creation of a viable, complete ecosystem is established. Conclusions drawn from user experience (what worked, what didn’t) via questionnaires and log books, information from black carbon sensors will feed back into decision making on further roll out and communication.
A multi-partner, multi-tasking project like Cairgo Bike is always going to encounter unexpected difficulties or real obstacles even despite meticulous planning in advance. Innovation almost implies stretching the boundaries. This demands a resilient and flexible approach particularly in terms of dealing with teething problems. In the case of the questionnaires which cargo bike candidate testers are required to fill in, simple things have had to be overcome. Some individuals/groups failed to complete questionnaires, or logbooks. Others failed to use the black carbon sensors diligently, while handwritten questionnaires, because of the hand writing, were sometimes difficult to read or involved much time to interpret. Project partners need to understand why this is happening even when the majority of users are complying with the guidelines given. This has involved adjustment, some simplification of questioning, favouring of online forms, problem solving to ensure that the noise made by the aethalometers is not too intrusive to make people switch off, plus more hands on explanation and support. In terms of the grant for purchase for professionals a couple of FAQs have been added to the communication channels which are quite instructive:
Can I transport my children in the cargo bike for which I have received a grant from the Brussels Capital Region?
The grant for purchase is intended to support transport of voluminous goods and materials by cargo bike. You may transport your children, only on condition that the main function of the cargo bike remains work related transport of goods and materials.
Are all trades/professions eligible to receive the grant for purchase?
Micro-, small and medium businesses which have at least one active registered workplace unit in Brussels Capital Region may apply for the grant on condition that they can demonstrate the utility of a cargo bike to transport goods and materials in respect of their occupational activities.
This shows that the project needs to keep responding, accordingly, clearly and quasi-continually to legitimate enquiries. It is important to understand that, if unanswered, these uncertainties could hinder take-up and acceptance, or lead to funds perhaps being used for unintended purposes.
While potential parking sites in parking buildings have been identified, negotiation with managers to fix concrete locations and decisions on systems to stall and access cargo bikes (both the hardware and the IT structure) is an active work in progress. This means that the project also has to be aware of the possible impact of variable action time lines in respect of the ambition to achieve essential collective, mutually supporting solutions.
These few examples are not in any sense a threat to project success but reaction and willingness to adapt is a key element in optimising project delivery and fulfilling objectives.
5. Challenges
This section confronts project aspiration with a set of key challenges. These represent potential pillars, positive reference points, which if treated well can underpin efficient and successful project implementation, but in a worst case scenario may also impose limitations. The table below sets out the conclusions of a first exercise to evaluate the relevance and impact of these challenges in respect of project development. This will be followed up in future journals where it will be interesting to plot any evolution in relationship, between project progress and opportunities/problem solving issues presented by the challenges. Perhaps we will find that some are not challenges at all, perhaps we will uncover new or unexpected challenges (as we have encountered with the pandemic experience). In any case a worthwhile reason to watch this space.
Currently the project benefits from strong political support with the relevant policy areas falling under responsibility of 3 Ministers from the same political family (Groen/Ecolo). Administrative leadership is relatively autonomous and in this the project has an advantage as it is based on incentivising rather than prohibition, so it is not particularly contentious. Project management is based on a cross-cutting structure with good cooperation relationship between BM, BE and BEE, established through positive past collaboration experience. This group meets monthly in the role of Management Committee, a core group established to coordinate project advancement, deal with administrative issues and any reorientation required. In respect of project actions there is a devolved responsibility to project partners. Here the coordinating role of the management team is important and this is followed up by organisation of again a monthly Steering Group open forum meeting at which all project partners are represented.
The most important procurement tasks have already been undertaken (BM: communication and web services; BE: aethalometer pollution sensors; Pro Velo and Urbike: cargo bikes for citizen and professional testing). Private partners are not used to public procurement procedures but understand that they have to follow the spirit of the process. Some problems were initially encountered in relation to supply of cargo bikes/bicycles generally, as demand is high across the country and supply chains are under pressure. A proposal to instigate group purchase possibility has raised opposition from local retailers. This has highlighted the need to find a good balance between stimulating the local economy without wasting money, where favouring local bike shops also has legal implications. This option was then subject to review and a decision has been taken to introduce a voucher scheme available to people who have followed a coaching module with Pro Velo.
There is an experienced tradition of cross-departmental working in BCR particularly involving BM, BE and BEE who have collaborated on various projects and initiatives in the past. Cross-administration working also involves a relationship between Region and Municipalities which can create tension in such two-tiered governance systems. It is therefore important to maintain a good working relationship with the municipalities (to deliver testing and training opportunities at neighbourhood level for instance). So far this roll out to the municipal level is operating positively.
By the very nature of its partnership structure the project already has a high participation quotient. A broader stakeholder group (informative, consultative – Cycle sector, SME’s, Local community groups… open membership) has also been assembled, with well attended meetings organised (60-100 participants). A periodic Stakeholder News bulletin has been introduced, directed specifically to this target group when valuable information is identified and/or important communication needs to be transmitted. This is a clear plus for the engagement, ownership, awareness raising, co-production potential of the project but reminds us of the questions of how to optimally manage communication, mine input, maintain engagement and reach commonly accepted results. The work of the project partners in delivering the individual actions is very targeted to involve end-users and local population. The evaluation of the project focusses on the impact on air quality and also on the acceptance and take up of cargo bikes by end users. End user experience will be an important input in this process and provides potential to adapt project direction should this prove beneficial. “Crowd Science” is an equally important feature previewed in the monitoring task.
Monitoring and evaluation is part of the project DNA in terms of measuring exposure to air pollution, monitoring eventual health risks for bikers, evaluation of modal shift impact on air quality and evaluation of conversion and permanent take-up (cargo bike acceptance, behaviour change/mental shift). Involvement of BE and the university VUB in this task is a strong element to feed indicator based analysis. This should allow end users (private and professionals) to understand and make alternative, informed choices (more active travel, more healthy options, “cleaner air” routes). Equally a google drive dashboard has been set up where project partners can input analyses of action progress and activity. A risk strategy has also been developed with identification of potential mitigation interventions.
A significant level of project budget is dedicated to communication which by necessity is multi-layered in nature. Communication is not only a question of informing and publicising the project but is also a service that the project provides – i.e. to expand the cargo bike experience and build a cargo bike ecosystem in the broadest sense (local project website in French, Dutch and English). So this challenge needs to be understood in function of the different levels, channels and target groups. From the beginning the project has received wide coverage in the Belgian printed media. At the local level informing, raising awareness and inviting candidate users to take up testing and training opportunities has been a crucial and positive first step. Now momentum will be maintained to further engage and convert, to publicise results, to support the anticipated snowball effect and to share and transfer knowledge and practice. Liaison with Municipalities and exploitation of project partner contacts/clients/networks is an important ongoing feature to capture wider user participation and engagement. In parallel the project feeds the UIA web site as a first step to sharing knowledge and transferring practice to other urban entities in the EU (and beyond). In this respect invitation to other Belgian cities to join stakeholder meetings is a potential win-win with Gent, Mechelen and Mons already involved in cargo bike stimulation.
Cairgo Bike looks to generate a genuine momentum for a radical modal shift, creating a cargo bike ecosystem and establishing sustainable behaviour change. Pilot and test groups are the initial “ambassadors” – demonstration of fit for purpose – designed to mainstream behaviour change based on cargo bike trial and coaching, availability of sharing and rental offer, purchase incentives, secure parking infrastructure etc. Incremental intensification is the logical conclusion and the impact of the integrated approach contains the knowledge and lessons learned to stimulate and support similar initiatives adapted to other EU urban contexts. A key element will be the jump from capturing involvement of the willing and already informed (i.e. existing cycle community, environmentally conscious) to engaging wider segments of the community and urban economy.
In common with other organisations and initiatives, the Covid pandemic has brought a set of unexpected difficulties to the table raising questions about how best to drive the project forward in a climate of imposed or self-determined restrictions, reduced personal contacts etc. It has posed problems in terms of organising physical training sessions and events, supply chain disruption. The Cairgo Bike project objective to establish an active travel community cannot be optimised purely online and so flexibility has been, and will be, required to identify windows of opportunity. Perhaps more uncertainty is also generated by the effect the pandemic is having on our way of life, particularly mobility choices but also our attention to health issues (i.e. return to the car through fear of crowded public transport). This could have a positive effect in terms of modal shift in the longer term, for example. At this point in time however what permanent change may result is not sure and therefore requires to be kept under careful consideration so that the project can react accordingly, to counter any negative tendencies - but on the other hand benefit from and be ready to exploit any positive trends.
The exercise of examining project challenges, in combination with exchange and feedback during the monthly steering group meetings, allows further reflection on questions which may need to be resolved moving forward, but in any case merit ongoing scrutiny.
1: Leadership
- Nothing is impossible but it is highly unlikely that there will be a disruption in the governance structure during the project lifecycle.
2: Public procurement
- Delays in supply of apparatus and parts may occur.
- How to ensure that there is a good balance between stimulating local economy and best return on economic investment?
3: Integrated cross-departmental working
- How best to keep up to date on other public projects, launched by Municipalities or other Regional bodies/departments for example, to ensure potential synergies can be maximised and communicated in an integrated way to the public?
4: Participative approach
- It is important to capture feedback from users during the project to evaluate positive and/or negative experiences and use this to adjust project architecture where necessary.
5: Monitoring and evaluation
- Output from the research side could prove to be quite technical, it will be important to consider how to simplify/adapt the content for wider communication purposes.
6: Communication with target beneficiaries and users.
- How to reach the currently disengaged? Obviously people who are already used to cycling in the city or are environmentally conscious are more likely to sign up to the Cairgo Bike offer, but this alone may not be sufficient to drive a mainstreaming dynamic.
7 Upscaling
- If the project objectives are reached will upscaling be a self-generating process in Brussels, or will it be essential to continue and intensify measures based on the intervention structure established?
- Will additional funding need to be sought to allow actions to continue after the project period?
- It is expected that (private) partners will continue their activities based on a good practice/proven business case motivation but will there be a need for ongoing support or follow-up of this target group?
It cannot be denied that the Covid pandemic has had an impact on project activity, imposing a regime of online meetings, restricting numbers of participants in project activities in the initial stages of implementation, delaying supply... On the other hand the project partnership has broadly managed to maintain the road map set out, keeping contact with stakeholders and beneficiaries, developing the action frameworks and processes and then, with easing of restrictions, firing up the key operational activities. Already a happy number of candidates have taken cargo bikes home, or to workplaces, to test for a two week period, applications for a purchase subsidy are being evaluated, logbooks are being recorded and aethalometers used by sample groups. We look forward to reviewing interim results from these initiatives and using information received to fine tune or adapt processes to fit purpose. This has already happened in terms of adjusting the design of questionnaires in the light of user experience. The next series of Web articles will concentrate on explaining project activities in more detail, focussing in on how the training and testing mechanisms, for example, are implemented and perceived. Two documentary outputs are in last stages of finalisation and links to these (“Benchmark and analysis of the geographic distribution and needs for cargo bike parking facility” and “How to choose a Cargo Bike – A practical guide to identify the cargo bike most suited for your professional activity”) will be provided there also.
About this resource
The Urban Innovative Actions (UIA) is a European Union initiative that provided funding to urban areas across Europe to test new and unproven solutions to urban challenges. The initiative had a total ERDF budget of €372 million for 2014-2020.
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