More than half of Groningen's residents bike between home and work, and car parking spaces are scarce in locations easily accessible by bike. To reinforce the city center as the main retail core, malls and shopping centers outside the city are banned. Essential purchases can be found at small retail stores in the residential areas. Downtown business owners who complained of lost income before the 1976 plan was implemented have seen an increase in sales, and the majority support the new planning efforts. Trains, regional and local busses, and taxis are networked through central commuter stations to make travel easier.
Bus drivers carry electronic transmitters, so with a click, traffic lights do their bidding.
In their effort to achieve balance, Groningen's citizens have not made automobiles completely taboo. Groningen's planners invite you to visit, claiming the only way to get a really good impression is to come and see for yourself. So grab your bike helmet, and head north, follow the bike reflectors to Biketopia. Please send comments to webmaster Last Updated 29 June 2000 .