Campaign to encourage more NL residents to ditch the car for bicycle

On Monday, the Dutch government launched a campaign to encourage Netherlands residents to take the bicycle, not the car, on short trips. That’s not only good for your health, but also the environment. State Secretary Vivianne Heijnen (Infrastructure) launched the campaign in Maastricht.

A quarter of all trips in the Netherlands are made by bicycle - the most in the world - but there is still a lot of progress to be made, according to Heijnen. Half of all car trips are shorter than 7.5 kilometers, and a third are even shorter than 5 kilometers - distances easily covered by bicycles.

The awareness campaign will highlight the common motives for cycling instead of driving. “Healthier living and more exercise are at the top of many people’s list of good intentions at the start of each new year. We are helping with this campaign. And it’s often wonderful to take the bike for short trips. Some movement, a breath of fresh hair, and a clear mind. Where there is more cycling, the sky often clears up literally and figuratively,” Heijnen said.

The campaign will run for three years, with ads on the television, radio, online, and outside on bus shelters and the like.

The Netherlands aims to have 20 percent more people cycle to work in 2027 than in 2017.