In this episode we interview Olivier Guckert, city councellor in Commercy and board member of Vélo Active Mobilité Grand Est (French language)
Dans cet épisode, nous interviewons Olivier Guckert, conseiller municipal à Commercy et membre du conseil administration de Vélo Active Mobilité Grand Est (en français)
Meeting with Olivier Guckert, City Councilor of Commercy First Encounter on the Route
After crossing the vast landscapes of the Meuse, Guillaume and the riders engage a local official in a discussion about the specifics of bicycle approaches in rural areas (known as inter-urban zones in transport jargon).
"So, cycling in rural areas?" Guillaume asks. Olivier Guckert: "People think cycling is not possible. They remain highly dependent on cars. However, there are many short trips of less than five kilometers. But people are afraid and do not feel safe on roads where trucks circulate. Ensuring safety with separate bike lanes is a prerequisite for increasing usage. But this cannot be done overnight. Investments quickly amount to millions of euros due to the numerous crossing points that need to be secured.
The State must drive investments in bicycle infrastructure and alternative mobility. Local authorities need to create multi-year investment programs and also ensure route continuity. We observe that the piecemeal logic with project calls is not always effective. The deadlines for submitting files are too short. Often, old projects resurface, not necessarily the best ones. Investment policies need to be long-term, taking about three to four years to develop truly new projects."