From the Dutch Cycling Embassy team, thank you for a fantastic year bringing cycling to everyone, everywhere! We're taking a break for the holiday season, and will be back in full swing in the new year to keep building cycling cities around the world. See you in 2026!

“We all benefit when our cities are more balanced, where cars are not the dominant force.” #DCENetwork member Melissa Bruntlett was featured in the New York Times' Women and Leadership special report about her years in advocating for cycling cities! Read the full article here:

After launching "Women Changing Cities" in Vancouver, Amsterdam, London, Shanghai and Miami, we're delighted to bring these global stories of urban transformation to Berlin. Join us February 12 in partnership with Women in Cycling and the Netherlands Embassy in Germany. Free tickets: bit.ly/4pDh7Y2

A new World Bank report calls on governments to create dedicated Livable Streets Investment Programs, steadily scaling funding to 10% of road budgets by 2035. Why? Because livable streets deliver some of the highest returns in transport investment—up to €16 per €1 spent: investinlivablestreets.info

Hey Miami! The stars have aligned above your fair city, and—for one night only—we'll be sharing the stage with our friends at @thewaroncars.bsky.social for a double book feature and live podcast recording in partnership with @transitmia.bsky.social. Get your tickets while they last: bit.ly/3Ygeek5

Big news! On Thursday, January 15th we'll be sharing the stage with Melissa & Chris Bruntlett @modacitylife.com for a double book event at the Miracle Theater in Coral Gables, FL hosted by @transitmia.bsky.social. Don't miss this epic team-up! purchase.actorsplayhouse.org/EventAvailab...

While some cities still say, “That would never work here,” others are setting aside excuses and turning ambition into action—reclaiming streets, reimagining mobility, and shaping safer, more inclusive public spaces. These are 35 cities in 20 countries we visited this year that are leading the way.🧵

If our cities are shaped by stories, then great books form the foundation of knowledge and inspiration needed to build more liveable, inclusive and prosperous places. These are 24 titles we read this year that informed our approach to changing hearts, minds and streets. An #UrbanismBookClub thread.

Viewing #transport infrastructure through a #bikenomics lens shows that bike-friendly investments generate big returns, like health improvements, climate benefits, and social equity. Dive into how Dutch cycling insights can reshape smarter infrastructure planning 👇 itdp.org/2025/08/18/t...

From the heights of its skyline to the charm of its alleyways, Shanghai dazzled at every turn, with vibrant streets, rich character and a connected transport system. After six days of exploring the city by foot, bike and transit—and sharing our experiences—we’re already looking forward to returning!

Home to 28 million people, Shanghai is the world’s third-largest city—and nowhere captures its shift from industrial hub to modern metropolis better than the East Bank of the Huangpu River. At the centre of this waterfront revival is a 21-kilometre linear park anchored by a continuous cycling route.

Are you interesting in cities and how to make them better for everyone? Bluesky has, in my observation, the biggest and best community of urbanists and city-builders on social media, and STARTER PACKS were a KEY to creating that! I have a bunch of them. This was my first! go.bsky.app/G7isZfk

Suzhou is the most populous prefecture-level city in Jiangsu province and was once the economic and cultural center of China from the Song to Qing Dynasties. Today, its historic Old Town is a vibrant mix of old low-rise homes and modern, renovated buildings, creating a welcoming social environment.

Shanghai famously turned its back on the bike decades ago, surrendering its streets to cars in pursuit of economic prosperity. But in the coming years, they will make a remarkable U-turn, reclaiming substantial road space to add 1,250 km of high-quality cycling routes in the name of urban vitality.🧵

“Our cities are built on storytelling.” Yesterday was a special opportunity to bring 'Women Changing Cities' to a whole new audience. We took our stories of transformation and women’s leadership to a group of students, professors, and politicians at Duke Kunshan University, just west of Shanghai.

Bike-train intermodality can come in various shapes, sizes and speeds. Today, it entailed rocketing out of Shanghai on a CRH (China Railway High-speed) train at 350 km/hr, and then hopping on a pedal-assist shared bike and rolling comfortably through Kunshan along a three-metre-wide protected lane.

Our final travels of 2025 have taken us to Shanghai, where Chris continues the rapidly expanding work of the @dutchcycling.nl Embassy in China. The two of us will also present our new book “Women Changing Cities” at a local university, and have a couple of days to see some sights. Watch this space!

“What can cities do to recover from this great planning disaster? Here are three reforms that can help. First, remove off-street parking requirements. Second, charge market-rate prices for on-street parking. Third, invest the resulting meter revenue to improve public services on the metered blocks.“

Oh my gosh, so cool to see Melissa Bruntlett of @modacitylife.com profiled in this NYT piece!! Well-deserved, Melissa! Hope to cycle in the NL with you again some day. 😊 www.nytimes.com/2025/11/25/h...

“Inclusive urbanism isn’t just the right thing to do. It’s the only way of achieving lasting transformation.” What a fabulous event tonight in London! Thanks to the full house that packed the British Library's George Elliot Room who were fully engaged in a dynamic conversation. Next stop Shanghai!

London is fast becoming a cycling city. As each new piece in the network appears—which has more than quadrupled from 90 to 431 km since 2016—so do new cyclists. Its infrastructure now sees a stunning 1.5 million daily users—a 43% spike since 2019—moving nearly half as many people as the Tube below.🧵

We’ve been inspiring change & proposing environmental solutions for 40+ years. Take advantage of our knowledge with our ebook sale at participating retailers. ALL ebooks just $6.99 now until December 19! islandpress.org

“The more people who understand these ideas and bring them to their daily work, the more value that we can bring to the world around us.” Melissa talks to the New York Times about advocating for equitable, inclusive and sustainable mobility—and writing about other women who do, too: nyti.ms/3XhNIWX

Over the last eleven years, collecting our #TreeByBike has evolved from political statement to one of our family’s most revered annual rituals. In that period of time, we’ve watched a global community grow around a simple hashtag—filled with folks changing hearts, minds and streets in their cities.

Since our eldest is spending Christmas abroad—the first time our family will be apart for the holidays—we opted to give her the honour of transporting the tree this year. Happy #TreeByBike season from our home in Delft to wherever you might be. Now, let’s get that hashtag trending across the globe!

A new book means new headshots, this time with Utrecht providing the beautiful backdrop. 📷: www.sarahmarchionda.com

Melissa Bruntlett is an urbanist storyteller. This is her story. 𝙊𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙨, 𝙬𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙, “𝙊𝙆, 𝙠𝙞𝙙𝙨, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙤.” 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘. NYTimes 🎁 article @modacitylife.com

“We all benefit — regardless of our age, our gender, our ability, our socioeconomic status — when our cities are more balanced, where cars are not the dominant force.” An absolute honour for Melissa to be featured in the @nytimes.com’s Women in Leadership Special Report this week. nyti.ms/3XhNIWX

Welterusten vanuit Utrecht.

While Chris's role with @dutchcycling.nl often involves travelling across the globe to talk glowingly about our cycling paradise, occasionally he gets to stay and show it directly to decision-makers. This week, it was a high-level delegation from the Beijing Municipal Commission for Transportation.

“Town planning is defined as the art of creating an environment needed to produce and maintain human values—and the harmonising of public and private needs so one shall not be sacrificed to the other. If any urban activity can be said to have approached that ideal, it was the making of Dutch towns.”

Hey Elkhart County, Indiana, Melissa's coming (back)! And this time she's bringing a friend! The Community Foundation of Elkhart County Building Blocks Talks has been rescheduled to January 20, 2026 - now a tag team event with the both of us. Details and registration: www.buildingblockstalks.com

We’re taking “Women Changing Cities” to China! Next week, we’re heading to Shanghai, and are excited to partner with Duke Kunshan University for a special “Author Talk” event Saturday, December 6th. Tickets are free and open to the public, but registration is required. www.modacitylife.com/events

Whilst the UK government is reported to be planning to cap the Cycle to Work Scheme, the Dutch government commits €1 billion to cycling infrastructure to connect new homes.

Regardless of global agreements, climate resilience is ultimately built in neighbourhoods with the people who live and work in them. For towns across the Netherlands, that requires a collaborative regreening effort between the municipality and community. #ActionStartsHere @mayors4climate.bsky.social

For centuries, cities have been planned by and for able-bodied, gainfully-employed men. Feminist urban planning isn’t proposing the opposite, but a model that considers all stages of human life, from infancy to old age, without giving greater importance to the productive-work stage. bit.ly/49uev9N

In November the City of Maastricht opened the country's first 'fietszone'. Based on the cycle street where cyclists are boss and cars are guests, the City wants to improve road safety in the city centre. We will be watching closely to see how this approach expands! Read more: buff.ly/pOdYvia

Heartfelt gratitude to everyone who traveled from across the Netherlands to celebrate the launch of #WomenChangingCities with us in Delft last night. After 15 years in this space, we continue to be energised and inspired by the passionate people we work with in transforming cities around the world.

Brilliant evening celebrating with @modacitylife.com on the launch of their third book, “Women Changing Cities”! Excited to dig in! Gefeliciteerd! 🙌🏼

"If we want a public space where you feel safe and welcome, and where you have a sense of ownership, we have to change mobility." Major changes are taking place in cities worldwide in the areas of housing, safety, and sustainability. And women are the forefront of these initiatives: bit.ly/44jk3QR

"With nearly 1/3 of all trips made by bicycle Utrecht shows what can happen when cycling is fully integrated into urban planning." Congratulations to @degemeenteutrecht.bsky.social, topping this year's @copenhagenizers.bsky.social index of global cycling-friendly cities! Full list: buff.ly/c6fZrDI

Goedeavond from Utrecht, who today @eiturbanmobility.eu named the most bicycle-friendly city in the world: “What sets Utrecht apart is that it has understood something paramount long before most others, that the goal is no longer to make space for cycling, but to construct the city around cycling.”

With 24 hours until our Dutch launch for 'Women Changing Cities: Global Stories of Urban Transformation', we're excited to reveal a new panel addition: ex-ECF CEO Jill Warren! Don't miss out on the discussion and chance to network with attendees from across the Netherlands! Register: bit.ly/43tuaCc

The Netherlands is investing €1 billion in cycling infrastructure to connect hundreds of thousands of new homes nationwide. These funds will build bike highways and improve bike-train intermodality, enabling residents to access jobs, healthcare and education without being locked into car dependency.

The Netherlands is to invest up to €1 billion in cycling infrastructure to connect hundreds of thousands of new homes nationwide. Read more: zagdaily.com/trends/dutch...

"Each name on the list represents more than leadership – they represent momentum." Great to see #DCENetwork @modacitylife.com, Donkey Republic and partners @ecf.com @polisnetwork.eu, Cycling Industries Europe on the 100 Mobility Changemakers 2025 from @zagdaily.com. Read more here: buff.ly/tqDiJuF

Trams on grass, Rotterdam edition.

“These transformations are about understanding our streets are not designed for one purpose. They have always been spaces for commerce, community, and connection. And we've lost that in the last 50 years, as cars increased their dominance on street space, whether moving or parking.” tiny.cc/hg2v001

Podcast Up! We talk with Melissa Bruntlett about the new book, Women Changing Cities, highlighting women leaders from Tirana, Albania (pictured below) to Barcelona and Sydney, Australia. @modacitylife.com @thewaroncars.bsky.social @visionzerovancouver.ca tiny.cc/hg2v001

“Now show it in the rain,” is a comment that pops up in our feed occasionally, as if the country that cycles 18 billion kilometres while experiencing 217 days of precipitation each year grinds to a halt every single time the skies open. There's no such thing as bad weather, only bad infrastructure.