On 25 and 26 September, Le Havre hosted the MegaBITS partners for a comprehensive two-day meeting focused on advancing cycling data integration, mobility infrastructure, and cooperative innovation. The in-person meeting allowed time for connecting and catching-up, and importantly, to brainstorm and carry out workshops about key elements to advance the project.
Floating Bike Data (FBD) was a major focus, with Hamburg presenting their evaluation approach and best practices in FBD usage, followed by Copenhagen, which shared outcomes from a recent testing period. These updates sparked in-depth discussions on data applications and highlighted early insights that can inform broader data-sharing practices.
A plenary session, led by imec, delved into the Mobility Data Space (MDS), focusing on gathering user requirements to guide the development of a Cycling Data Space (CDS). This effort aims to create a robust framework for sharing and utilizing mobility data across Europe, promoting both innovation and policy alignment. It was decided by the partners that the CDS would integrate with the German Mobility Data Space, due to the benefits that this would bring regarding resource management and data accessibility.
Following a collaborative workshop on the FBD tendering process, attendees participated in a brainstorming session on Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) for cycling. Facilitated by Overijssel, this session explored possibilities for integrating cycling with smart transport systems to enhance safety and efficiency.
Chalmers led an evaluation session, providing a comprehensive review of project progress and performance. Antwerp also shared advancements in its participation platform, which facilitates citizen engagement and fosters community input on mobility projects.
The second day began with a bike tour of Le Havre, allowing attendees to experience firsthand the city’s cycling infrastructure. Later, a workshop focused on strategies to stimulate app usage for Floating Bike Data, led by Overijssel. This was followed by a session on selecting key use cases for the Cycling Data Space, facilitated by Imec, to align data applications with user needs.
Updates continued with a communications briefing from CIE, followed by an announcement on the project’s candidacy for the RegioStars Awards, underscoring the project’s impact on urban mobility innovation.
The meeting concluded with discussions on various collaborations, including partnerships with Meridian, European Commission influence, and strategies to engage service providers. CIE also presented initiatives to strengthen BID (Bike Infrastructure Development) projects across participating cities.
With valuable insights and clear next steps, the meeting wrapped up with closing remarks from Overijssel, marking another step forward in Europe’s cycling and mobility innovation journey.