Wilhelmsburg: Cycle City

2013, the year of the Internationale Bauausstellung IBA Hamburg (International Building Exhibition) and the international garden show (igs 2013), also marked a tremendous opportunity for cycling in Wilhelmsburg, as bike-friendly stretches on the islands combine with the flat terrain to make this a “model district” for those on two wheels. In addition, a bicycle network was up and running. There are a number of different initiatives that share a common goal: a vibrant cycling community.
 
Wilhelmsburg is Hamburg’s first bicycle-oriented district, and was a testament to the success of the Wilhelmsburg Cycle City Network. This comprises the society Fahrradstadt (i.e. Cycle City) Wilhelmsburg e.V., the IBA Hamburg and the international garden show (igs), the Hamburg-Mitte District Authority, the State Ministry for the Economy, Transport, and Innovation, and the German Cyclists’ Federation. Together they aimed to make cycling an essential part of transport in Wilhelmsburg, both by winning people over to the idea and by getting them to take to their bikes. In addition to highlighting the fun and fitness elements of cycling, the drive to make bicycles a form of everyday transport also focuses on the important contribution that this will make to noise- and carbon-free traffic, as well as promoting cycling in Wilhelmsburg as beneficial for an active lifestyle, self-empowerment, and cultural tourism.
 
This network organised Wilhelmsburg Cycling Week in May–June 2010, which acted as a clarion call to “Get on your Bike” for people from the Elbe Islands and Hamburg as a whole. The week featured a wide-ranging programme that included the IBA CYCLING LAB 2010, on-site cycling days, and fun cycling trips around the island.
 
In 2011 the IBA Hamburg issued the brochure “Get on your Bike: Wilhelmsburg on its Way to Becoming a Model District for Forward-looking Cycling” (German version only). This documented Wilhelmsburg Cycling Week 2010, also demonstrating what progress had meantime been made in cycling, and how things were set to proceed in future.
 
In early 2012 the Hamburg-Mitte District Authority launched the Hamburg-Wilhelmsburg Cycling Concept. The first measures were implemented the same year.
 
Together with its partners, the Wilhelmsburg Cycle City Network will carry out initiatives focusing on this theme, and contribute towards the implementation of the “model district” concept. The “Get on your Bike” campaign is set to create a more positive image for cycling on the Elbe islands.