How do the people of Kassel park their bicycles?

Until March 30, citizens can share their experiences and wishes at www.sdgpluslab.de/fahrradparken.

Maik Bock, research assistant at the Department of Cycling and Local Mobility, is conducting the survey in order to better understand the actual parking behavior and wishes of cyclists in Kassel city and region. Angela Francke (Department of Cycling and Local Mobility) emphasizes that research and participation can provide an important building block: "Our joint project on bicycle parking aims to develop innovative and sustainable solutions for urban infrastructures. Your participation in our ongoing survey is crucial in order to tailor these solutions to the actual needs of users. Together, we can improve cycling and shape the mobility of the future." The results of the survey and the insights gained so far will be presented on April 4, 2025 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. at UNI:Lokal, Wilhelmsstraße 21 as part of Kassel Bicycle Week.

The findings will be put to further use in the summer semester. Prof. Dr. Uwe Altrock (Department of Urban Renewal and Planning Theory) and Prof. Dr. Angela Francke, together with their students and guests from the field, will then address the issue of bicycle parking in Kassel city and region in an interdisciplinary seminar. "Bicycles are on the rise. Their success and acceptance also depend on them being able to be parked safely and properly in urban areas. This requires a city-wide concept, which we will be working on with students for the city of Kassel over the next few months," emphasizes Prof. Dr. Uwe Altrock, scientific director of the SDG+ Lab's 2024/25 theme year "Transformations in urban and rural areas".

Lena Knacker, research assistant at the Department of Urban Regeneration and Planning Theory, has compiled an initial report on tried-and-tested bicycle parking solutions in Germany and Europe. A key example is the large bicycle parking garage in Utrecht, which is considered a model for modern and efficient bicycle parking facilities with several thousand parking spaces, digital guidance systems and direct connections to public transport. In Germany, too, covered and secure bicycle parking garages are increasingly being built at train stations and in city centers, flanked by decentralized and modular solutions that offer cyclists more comfort and security than conventional parking racks. The analysis shows that targeted planning and needs-based solutions are crucial to promoting cycling in the long term.

Background:

The "Bicycle Parking" project is part of the SDG+ Lab, the laboratory for sustainability at the University of Kassel, and sees itself as a complement to the existing efforts of the city, local transport association, companies and other stakeholders. The aim is to further develop the quality of bicycle parking in Kassel and promote sustainable solutions.

With the SDG+ Lab, UniKasselTransfer is developing a laboratory for sustainability issues as a platform for exchange between science, politics, business and civil society. Along the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, practical solutions and innovations for the North Hesse region will be jointly developed. The theme year 2024/25 "Transformations in town and country" deals with the questions of how areas, spaces and uses in the urban region can be made more sustainable. The SDG+ Lab project is funded by the federal-state initiative "Innovative University" from 2023-2027.

More information: www.sdgpluslab.de

Contact:
Gianna Dalfuß
Head of Press and Public Relations
SDG+ Lab | UniKasselTransfer
0561 804 3567
presse.sdgpluslab[at]uni-kassel[dot]de