Gemeente Eindhoven
By
population Eindhoven is the fifth-largest city in the Netherlands. On 1
January 2005 the city had a population of 208,461 located at 92,464
addresses. On that date 134,000 people were working in Eindhoven.The Eindhoven region is one of the powerhouses of the Dutch economy, and accounts for fourteen per cent of the Gross Domestic Product. Forty per cent of all investments in research & development in the Netherlands are made in the Eindhoven region.
Eindhoven has a world-class Technical University, and the Design Academy Eindhoven. The city is known for its ‘green' character and has many parks. The surrounding countryside is packed with nature reserves, cycling and hiking routes, and camping and holiday resorts.
Eindhoven has 140 kilometers of cycle paths and many additional kilometres of cycle lanes. The maximum distance from residential areas to the city center are no more than 5 kilometers, therefore and the fact that the climate is mild and the city is flat, there is a high potential for cycling.
Political priorities on mobility have been set to improve the public urban transport system and to improve cycling in the city. Early 2009, the Bicycle Action Plan was launched and approved by the city council. It contains 101 measures that the city will take in the years 2009 – 2012 to improve the cycle climate in the city. As part of the plan, Eindhoven wishes to develop an integral marketing and communication plan focused on the most relevant target group on an individual level, instead of continuing with more general and stand alone bicycle promotion campaigns.