Velo-city 2023 to be hosted by Leipzig
The European Cycling Federation today announced the German city of Leipzig as the 2023 host of Velo-city, the world cycling summit.
The 4 day summit, taking place 27th-30th of June 2023, will attract a global audience to the German city. In making the announcement, the ECF outlined that Leipzig was chosen, “in recognition of its sustainable urban development policies, its progress and further ambitions for cycling, and its attractiveness as a venue for the world’s leading cycling conference.”
As a yearly, global, event, Velo-city attracts 1400 attendees from 60 countries, with the offer of a unique knowledge-exchange and policy-transfer platform – blending those who plan, deliver, evolve and regulate our built environment, alongside those championing cycling as transport – for advocates, cities, decision makers, academics and industry leaders.
Jill Warren, CEO of the European Cyclists’ Federation: “We are delighted to bring Velo-city, ECF’s flagship event, to Leipzig in 2023. Mayor Jung and his team are committed to transforming Leipzig into a greener, healthier and more liveable city by redistributing public space, building more cycling infrastructure and investing in public transport. With 32% of Leipzigers already cycling daily or several times a week, the new cycling development plan 2030+ is set to boost cycling levels further. We look forward to bringing Velo-citizens to this inspiring and welcoming city.”
Burkhard Jung, Mayor of Leipzig: “The bicycle can and will play a major role in the upcoming urban mobility transformation, and it should be allocated the required road space for people to cycle around quickly and safely. We expect Velo-city to bring us new impulses for strengthening cycling and rebalancing the different modes of transport.”
The city of Leipzig has, in the years post unification of Germany, undergone considerable change, restructuring its public space, and building a comprehensive cycling network, including part of the scenic 250km Radweg Berlin – Leipzig (short: RBL ), alongside more than 400km of urban cycle paths, all achieved through ambitious cycling policies.
As a result cycling levels in Leipzig have doubled over the past 20 years, currently accounting for 19% of the modal split. Between 2010 and 2020, Leipzig’s cycle network grew from 376 km to 526 km, and by 2030 the city aims to increase the modal share of walking, cycling and public transport to 70%.
Velo-city 2023 represents an opportunity for all elements of the global cycling community to experience a city with character, great coffee, and amazing green spaces, a city which has reinventing itself in a way which is sensitive to its historically significant buildings, carefully intertwining urban development, preserving the past, whilst looking to the future.
