Velo-city is a prestigious four-day international cycling conference that travels to a different global city each year. Organised by the European Cyclists' Federation (ECF), it attracts over 1,400 participants from more than 60 countries, including governments, policymakers, academics, and industry leaders. The conference serves as a dynamic platform to brainstorm and exchange knowledge and ideas shaping the future of cycling. First held in 1980, Velo-city has visited cities worldwide, from Rio de Janeiro to Taipei.
On 18-20 June 2024, Ghent will host Velo-city, marking it the first time since 2009 that Belgium will be home to this world cycling summit. Under the theme "Connecting Through Cycling," the event will unite businesses, governments, and the research and education sectors, featuring over 250 speakers. Among them were Digital Flanders, VMM, and Telraam, presenting COMPAIR tools, sensors and use cases to the broader public.
Presentation of the Herzele case
One of the prominent lectures at Velo-city 2024 was “Getting the Right Data? Ask Citizens and Schools!” This well-attended session featured speakers from the Cities of Ghent, Breda (The Netherlands) and Sibiu (Romania) and the COMPAIR project. Lieven Raes presented the COMPAIR project, highlighting the Herzele school street case. He detailed the unique collaboration between citizens, schools, and local government to measure the effects of introducing a school street, both before and after its implementation. Lieven elaborated on the use of COMPAIR air quality and Telraam traffic sensors, as well as the Policy Monitoring Dashboard, showcasing how these tools effectively capture and analyse data. This collaborative approach not only ensures accurate data collection but also fosters community engagement and awareness.
Telraam-SODAQ sensor measurements, DEVA trip recording and DEV-D trip analyses during a bicycle tour
A daily 9-kilometer bicycle ride was organised over three days of the conference, attracting about 60 enthusiastic participants who explored various bicycle-friendly initiatives in the city centre of Ghent.
Along the route, Wouter Florizoone demonstrated the operation of a Telraam sensor mounted on the second floor of a house, and the enthusiastic owner supplemented the information with a testimony about the usability of the sensor.
SODAQ fine dust sensors were mounted on bikes and backpacks, allowing participants to monitor air quality in real-time using the LED light indicator. Meanwhile, trip data was recorded using the DEVA trip recorder. At the end of each ride, a presentation was given by Celien Van Gorp and Jurgen Silence from VMM and Digital Flanders, briefly explaining the COMPAIR project and providing a detailed overview of the DEV-D tool. Attendees could observe changes in air quality along the route on a map and different graphs, noting a small peak in fine dust concentrations at a location with ongoing roadworks. They also learned about exposure and inhalation and had the option to compare multiple trips to discover the healthiest routes.
Tracking air quality along the Ghent Bike Parade
3.000 Velo-city participants joined the Ghent Bike Parade on Wednesday, June 19th. Tom Callens measured the air quality along the 10-kilometer route, which featured entertainment along the way and a post-ride party at the end. Here is what he recorded, as seen on the DEV-D.
