Numerous people stand in front of the Würzburg train station: adults with cargo bikes, young people with mountain bikes, children with balance bikes. A girl is out and about with inline skates, a baby sleeps comfortably in a Maxicosi on the trailer. You all take part in the first Kidical Mass Demo in Würzburg? and wait eagerly for it to start.
Two trams pass by, then the police block the street and around 200 bicycle demonstrators set off. Over the Berliner Ring to the Residenz, through the Oeggtor and the Neubaustraße down to the Main, along the Mainkai and finally over the Röntgenring back to the train station. Once around the city center by bike.
Cycling should become safer for children
And why? “I think it is important for the future that we cycle more,” says participant Elisabeth Schätzlein. The mother of three children knows that a lot has already been done in Würzburg. “But,” she adds, “we have a lot more to do.” From Frauenland to Grombühl, for example, there are still too many impractical places such as underpasses with steps for cyclists.
The two fathers Tobias Schmachtel and Martin Keller came specially from Estenfeld. Schmachtel says: “We want to draw attention to the fact that cycling has to become safer for children.” Keller nods and remarks: “The streets in Würzburg are still very much designed for cars.” When his son is out on his bike, he has “a bit of a strange feeling”.
Demos in over 130 cities
The family bike demo was organized by the Würzburg alliance “Verkehrswende now”. She is part of the worldwide movement “Kidical Mass”, which has existed in Germany since 2017. In addition to Würzburg, adults and children demonstrated in over 130 other German cities for a family-friendly cycling infrastructure.
But people in France, Austria and Switzerland also got on their bikes. The weekend of action took place as part of the European Mobility Week and on the occasion of World Children’s Day on September 18 and 19.
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