Mayor's bike and cargo bike show: Gmund is approaching the title of "bicycle-friendly community"

The car should only be a second choice in Gmund.

The Cargobike Roadshow on Sunday, September 25 shows that even large purchases can be made by bike.

Twelve cargo bikes are available for test drives.

Gmund -

Since 2018, the town has been striving for membership in the Working Group for Cycle-Friendly Municipalities (AGFK), and recognition should take place in 2023.

The municipality has done most of the necessary homework.

"113 of 181 individual measures have been completed," explains Mayor Alfons Besel.

The municipality's new service vehicle fits the clear course: an e-bike has been available for the town hall employees for a week.

The municipality, in cooperation with the AGFK, will show that even more is possible at a cargo bike show next Sunday, September 25th.

Cargo roadshow at the Seeglas parking lot

At the Cargobike Roadshow, twelve different e-cargo bikes from twelve manufacturers will be available for testing from 10 a.m. on the Seeglas car park.

The AGFK road show is touring throughout Bavaria, with Gmund being the first stop.

The municipality's cycling officer, Veronika Simon, brought the presentation to Gmund.

A course has been set up for the tests.

If you want to try out how to get around the curve with children and weekend shopping, this is the place for you.

The Cargo Roadshow promises independent advice without any commercial interest.

Make cargo bikes better known

"You see cargo bikes more often in the townscape," says Besel.

The community wants to make them known on a broader level.

Even if the infrastructure for the maxi bikes poses challenges for the municipality.

"At the moment nobody knows exactly where you can park them," reports Besel.

The community is still promoting the cargo bike.

"We still have to create the infrastructure," says Besel.

Bicycle traffic concept with many dots

In September 2019, the municipal council officially approved the cycling concept.

A comprehensive catalog of measures that the municipal administration has drawn up in cooperation with the Agmunda "Traffic" working group.

This was preceded by a "pre-tour" of the municipality by bicycle by representatives of the AGFK and the authorities in April 2019. In the same year, the municipal council appointed the administrative employee Simon as cycling officer.

Since then she has dedicated herself exclusively and with great commitment to this topic.

The town hall employee is the interface, engine and contact person for all questions of cycling and the promotion of cycling for administration and citizens.

The cycle traffic concept serves as a working basis and is constantly updated.

Results are visible in place

"In the meantime, our efforts are also becoming visible locally," Besel says with satisfaction.

The municipality is currently discussing, for example, with the district office about improving the connection between Gmund and Dürnbach.

The creation of a bicycle protection strip or pictograms that indicate bicycle traffic are under discussion.

In Moosrain, the municipality has completed a new bicycle parking facility.

"It is important to us to create comfortable facilities for our cyclists," the mayor makes clear.

Currently 51 measures to improve bicycle friendliness are in progress.

Bike-friendly despite the difficult topography

Besel explains that he is confident that the award as a bicycle-friendly community will take place in 2023.

Even if, given the topography of Gmund, the spatial constriction and the federal and state roads that run through the community, it is not an easy task to reach the goal.

In any case, the new official vehicle of the town hall should be used frequently - although many town hall employees like to cycle to work anyway.

When it's not pouring, Besel wants to ride his e-bike next week to the mayor's meeting in Waakirchen.

"The bike is ideal for shorter business trips," says Besel.