The city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands has announced a new contest for ideas to improve cycling safety throughout the city. There are an estimated 800,000 cyclists in the city, with 63% of residents using their bike on a daily basis. As this number continues to grow – along with a supportive infrastructure of cycling lanes and bike parking – the city has seen an increasing need for bike safety innovation.
The Amsterdam Bike City Innovation Lab’s challenge for 2023 is “Cycling together safely and pleasantly.” The Lab states that this is part of ‘social safety’ which they define as “… how safe someone feels in public in situations where there is potential danger from other peoples’ actions. Examples of situations in which social safety can be at risk while cycling (include): aggression between cyclists, cycling home after sports in the dark, children cycling to school, or tourists who are not familiar with Amsterdam and the social norms. In all these situations, the behavior of other people can make you feel unsafe on the bike.” They are looking for ideas that are Innovative, original, and feasible. Ideas must be applicable in several locations throughout the city, so that they can be scalable. The solutions should also aim to tackle traffic issues related to cycling.
The contest is open to everyone, with submissions being evaluated by the Amsterdam Bike City Innovation Lab. The winner will receive 1,000 euros (~US$1055) worth of attention on social media and a budget of 15,000 euros (~US$15820) to realize their idea.
Submissions will be accepted until March 30th. The applicants with the 10 best ideas will have the chance to present their solutions in front of a jury of cycling professionals. The winner will be announced on May 31st.