There are no car lanes. Just a bus only road, also used by a taxi. And there’s access to the market square for trucks/market stalls that you see pass in the beginning. Nowhere in this video do we see space for private automobiles.
Here is my latest Drone video, filmed last year in the Netherlands, of Nescio Bridge in Amsterdam youtu.be/5Bwiu986aZs
I don't think I have many local people following me here, but just in case, I want the few of you to know about this.
Arranged by @strongtowns-carmel.bsky.social.
That still sounds very cheap to me. Here in NL today a litre of Euro95 is EUR 2,20 which amounts to AUD 3,56
'De binnenstad is misschien wel de meest complexe machine die we als mensen hebben uitgevonden.' (Floris Alkemade, architect) De #Potterstraat bij de #Neude in de binnenstad van #Utrecht, gefotografeerd in 1925 en door mij in 2026. #stadsmens @zowasutrecht.bsky.social
There were still open places to choose from. I think that’s the answer: no need (yet).
Antwerp’s central station is often called one of Europe’s most beautiful railway stations. But what about parking your bicycle there? In this one-minute short, you even see me for a change, walking a bicycle down the ramp and parking it inside the station.
youtube.com/shorts/DLZ1g...
Antwerp’s central station is often called one of Europe’s most beautiful railway stations. But what about parking your bicycle there? In this one-minute short, you even see me for a change, walking a bicycle down the ramp and parking it inside the station.
youtube.com/shorts/DLZ1g...
Ceci n'est pas une piste cyclable. C'est le résultat d'un plan de circulation, qui permet de continuer à faire circuler des véhicules, de façon "invitée", tout en drainant un trafic cycliste important. #vélorue #Fietsstraat #Amsterdam
1969 shows cars parked on the side of a narrow road with a very wide footway to the left of the roadway. Today the wide footway has largely been replaced by private gardens. The road is paved and narrow, with only bike parking, no car parking. Two people cycle on the road
Bellamystraat, Amsterdam in 1969 and today. I can't stand in the exact same spot as the photographer did then as it is now someones front garden!
In 1992 there is car parking on the road, including on the corner of the crossroads, with bollards on the footway. Today the street is paved with no parking allowed and more greenery. A woman rides a cargo bikes with kids in it
Frans Halsstraat, Amsterdam in 1992 and today
The arrogance of space of cars in cities...
Even with the narrow streets of Utrecht and space allocated for walking and cycling, the contrast of who the urban space once belonged to versus what occupies that space now is saddening.
Cities need shade and when you pave multiple lanes for cars, you open up more space to create heat islands.
Allocations of finite urban space should prioritize greenery and active transportation, leaving only a tiny sliver for the personal car.
Shade takes time. Think ahead.
Hegseth: "We are only four days into this and the results have been incredible."
- Middle East engulfed in regional war
- 11 countries attacked by Iran
- Oil & gas prices skyrocketing
- Strait of Hormuz now a conflict zone
- Terrorism threat raised across the world
- No sign of Iran regime collapse
I cycled a street that lies in two countries — German cycle paths on one side, Dutch on the other. A border once marked by barbed wire is now deliberately invisible. A new post, with two videos.
I cycled a street that lies in two countries — German cycle paths on one side, Dutch on the other. A border once marked by barbed wire is now deliberately invisible. A new post, with two videos.
In the Netherlands, cycling isn’t an afterthought; it’s a way of life. Sam & Martin spent two weeks in June 2024 riding 29,000km of barrier-free routes. For Martin, who has Becker muscular dystrophy, every pedal stroke was independence and freedom.
cyclinguk.org/dutch-trike-tour
No more parked cars at a part of Oudegracht in Utrecht. Late December 2025, 53 parking bays were removed and it looks great! (Now that drivers are finally getting used to it. Quite a few fines were issued.)
« I leave with peace of mind, with a sense of work accomplished, knowing that the city has taken the lead in the areas of ecology and solidarity »
Huge thanks to mayor Anne Hidalgo
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
@annehidalgo.bsky.social
In Utrecht, the city centre isn’t dominated by motor traffic - it’s shaped around people.
You see families riding side-by-side, conversations happening in the street, cafés spilling outdoors.
When cars are restricted, streets come alive: quieter, safer, more welcoming, and better for everyone.
/We have. 🙄
When have one in our neighbourhood.
Read what Pekka wrote. 👇
Mum and daughter cycling side by side on a protected cycle track on CS2
Saw at least three families on the school run on cycleway 2 this morning. This scheme, on a road that was previously a deathtrap for anyone cycling, was transformational. Time for protected cycle tracks on all main road
image showing Halvemaansteeg, Amsterdam, then and now. Top: black-and-white photo from 1979 with cars and a taxi dominating a narrow street, people squeezed onto small pavements. Bottom: modern colour photo of the same street, now car-free with a child cycling on the cycleway
Halvemaansteeg & Rembrandtplein, Amsterdam in 1979 and today.
From car-choked streets with little space for people to a lively car-free area with only trams, pedestrians & bikes permitted. Cafes and outdoor seating dominate the area.
A reminder to politicians: design streets for the city you want.
A cycling/walking tunnel under the railway station of Hilversum (NL) with access to an underground bicycle parking garage, seen from the saddle.
New Short
youtube.com/shorts/KlRla...
Screenshot of text from the “About Us” section of our website. “The Urban Truth Collective is a collaboration between leading practitioners with persuasive communication, marketing and branding expertise applied specifically to solving the difficult challenges of better cities. This collective was started by three people but is designed to grow with diverse perspectives and experience experiences that reflect who and what make our cities great.”
Our WEBSITE is LIVE!
“The Truth About Cities In An Age Of Disinformation.”
Read about WHO we are, WHY we started this, our PLANS to grow, and most importantly, WHAT WE’RE GOING TO BE DOING.
We hope you’ll support this work, and help us spread the word! #UrbanTruth
www.urbantruthcollective.com
Lunch with various Miffy shaped food
A set of Miffy traffic lights
Visit to Utrecht today for a Miffy lunch and a bike ride with @bicycledutch.bsky.social with a visit to the Miffy traffic lights en route
A young boy stands on the back of his parents bike
A balancing act
A split-image comparison of the same urban street decades apart. The top black-and-white photo shows a 1970s streetscape lined with parked cars. The bottom modern colour photo shows the same street transformed with a wide bike lane, many parked bicycles, greenery, and people cycling, including a man riding a cargo bike with a child in front.
Bos en Lommerweg, Amsterdam in 1976 and today. Outside this supermarket space given to car parking has been replaced by bike parking and a protected cycle track. Most customers now arrive by bike, not by car. Design your streets for the traffic you want
