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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Gerard Douplein, Amsterdam in 1987 and today

Split-image comparison of Gerard Douplein in Amsterdam, showing the same street in the 1980s and today. The historic black-and-white photo is dominated by parked cars and moving traffic, while the modern colour photo shows the street transformed into a lively public space filled with bicycles, cyclists, pedestrians, trees, cafés and outdoor seating.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Hemonystraat, Amsterdam in 1985 and today

In q985 the road is wide, with two lanes and cars are parked nose to tail along the left-hand kerb in front of tall brick and stone buildings, with more cars parked around the junction on the right. Today the road has been closed to traffic altogether and replaced with a red cycleway, with a wide paved area beyond it. Two men ride side by side along the cycleway past red and white bollards. Mature trees and rows of parked bicycles have replaced the parked cars on the left, and more cyclists cross the junction in the distance.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Hemonystraat, Amsterdam in 1985 and today

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Fannius Scholtenstraat, Amsterdam in 1983 and today. The reason we have bollards is because drivers can't be trusted to park responsibly.

In 1983 cars are parked tightly on the pavement and across the corner, including a Volkswagen van, a BMW and a white Peugeot. Two women stand between the parked cars. Today the cars have gone from the corner. The paving is brick, with large planters and low green bollards keeping vehicles out. Bicycles are parked along the buildings on both sides, and a blue and yellow shared bike is in the foreground.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Fannius Scholtenstraat, Amsterdam in 1983 and today. The reason we have bollards is because drivers can't be trusted to park responsibly.

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Robert Wright @reporterrwright.ft.com · 25/09/2026

I see a lot of people complaining about the undoubtedly stressful conditions at present on London's roads. But I see few people complaining about motor vehicles. Yet in the last 24 hours three vulnerable road users have died after being hit by people driving motor vehicles.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Oudezijds Voorburgwal, Amsterdam in 1980 and today

In 1980 cars are parked nose to tail along the left-hand quay, right up to the canal edge, with more parked cars on the far side. Today the parked cars on the left have gone, replaced by a café terrace with umbrellas and diners, and a grassy, overgrown strip now runs along the edge of the canal. Fresh green leaves are on the trees, and bicycles are parked along the far side.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Protected cycle tracks are not just for cyclists

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Haarlemmerstraat, Amsterdam in 1981 and today

In the 1981 image there are either two lanes of queueing motor traffic towards the camera or one lane of parked cars and the other lane filled with queuing traffic. Today there is no motor traffic in the image, as through traffic has been removed. There are several people, including children, cycling

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Car-free streets aren’t empty streets, they are full of life. People walking, cycling, browsing market stalls, sitting outside cafés, chatting and enjoying being in their city. Remove the cars, and you make space for people. 📍Middelburg, NL.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Eerste van der Helststraat, Amsterdam, in 1982 and today. A street once dominated by parked cars to a car free place for people, with children playing, greenery and cafés making use of reclaimed outdoor space. This is what’s possible when we choose to redesign our streets for life, not storage.

Split-screen comparison of Eerste van der Helststraat in Amsterdam in 1982 and today. The historical black-and-white photo shows the street with parked cars on both sides of the street, a cyclist and pedestrians. The modern colour photo shows the same street transformed into a car-free public space, with trees, plants, outdoor seating, pedestrians and children playing hopscotch.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Protected cycle tracks are not just for cyclists

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Floating bus stops are a simple way to make busy streets work better for everyone. Buses do not get held up by cyclists, while people cycling get a continuous, protected route instead of being forced into traffic. Safer cycling, quicker bus journeys and streets that work for people.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

A very common sight in the Netherlands: entire classes cycling together with their teachers on school field trips. Made possible because safe, convenient cycle routes are built into the transport network nationwide.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Plenty of bike parking at this swimming pool in Utrecht

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EmmanuelSPV @emmanuelspv.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Avant / Après Place Mireille, dans Paris Centre. En 1970 on se garait aux pieds de Molière, en 2026 c'est une zone piétonne - mais depuis peu. Jusqu'en 2025 on pouvait continuer à passer en voiture de gauche à droite le long de la statue.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Separate cycle tracks alongside rural main roads give the elderly or people with mobility issues far more freedom. Someone on a mobility scooter can travel safely from town to town, without having to rely on a car or public transport. This is what accessible transport infrastructure looks like.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

This bridge in Amsterdam, designed by British architects, links IJBurg with the mainland. It has a bidirectional tramway, bidirectional roadway, a bidirectional cycleway - plus space already built in for another cycleway when demand increases. Build for the future, not the past.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Future drone filming spot bookmarked!

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

The Dutch don't just build cycle tracks, they build cycle networks. Over motorways, under junctions, then branching off to the gym, football pitches & other local destinations. Safe, direct routes connecting the places people need to go. This is how you make cycling a normal part of everyday life.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

A 3 minute video of me cycling along the seafront in Vlissingen, The Netherlands. Between 2025 and 2026 this road was redeveloped into a pedestrian and cycle only street, with motor traffic now prohibited.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Fair play to Eurostar. After being stranded in Amsterdam after King's day they have refunded my ticket, the hotel room I didn't use and booked in error, train, tram and ferry home. Always use #trainsnotplanes if you can. Plus you might bump into @eurostarjustin.bsky.social who is ace.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

WTF. Just assumed Russia nukes were on the way.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

A bicycle roundabout inside a motor vehicle roundabout

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

The traffic lights at Dutch junctions have different signal timings for motor traffic and bikes to minimise conflict, reducing the need for people driving to turn across the path of cyclists. The result is a junction that's safer, less stressful and keeps everyone moving efficiently.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

The 1,700 capacity bike parking garage at Beursplein, Amsterdam, provides parking for the area's shops & other destinations. Open 24/7 and always staffed, it's free to park here for up to 24 hours. Bike parking isn't allowed on the surrounding streets or squares, creating more space for pedestrians.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

A new housing development under construction in the Netherlands The cycle infrastructure is already in place, complete with junctions ready to connect to future homes, along with dedicated bus lanes Active and sustainable travel is planned from the very beginning, not bolted on as an afterthought

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Newham Cyclists @newhamcyclists.uk · 31/07/2026

Bus lanes are not safe cycling infra, because buses have to pull in front of those cycling. Dangerous & stressful even when everyone is careful & follows the rules. Protected cycleways with floating bus stops make this kind of near miss impossible. (Video from Old Street—thankfully not in Newham!)

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Got offered a new job today. More money and more annual leave = more Dutch trips 😎

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Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

It’s not just about what you remove (cars, noise, dirty air). It’s about what you add (people walking, a lot of bike parking, trees, outdoor dining, and room for kids to play safely). Amsterdam: 1986 and today. Streets for people. HT @hackneycyclist.bsky.social for the great before-and-after

Before and after of an Amsterdam Street, from a space for cars to a place for people, kids, bikes, patios, etc.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

This video I uploaded a few months ago, which has sat on a few hundred views has suddenly gained thousands of views over the last week. No idea why! www.youtube.com/watch?v=a21g...

youtube.com

This Is How Dutch Kids Go to School 🚲 (School Bike Park Fills Up in Minutes) | 4K Drone Video

YouTube video by Hackney Cyclist

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

America Street, SE1. A former car park turned into a nice pedestrian and cycle only street. Very nice, Southwark, very nice.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Sometimes the safest way to cycle through a roundabout is to bypass it altogether

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Simon Munk @psimonk.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

This is one of most maddening, dreadful, missed opportunity, cynically anti-cycling schemes I've seen in a while. Amhurst Rd, Hackney looks lovely at 1st glance (@hackneycycling.org.uk). But very wide, not heavily used pavement + relatively narrow carriage + planting - cycle tracks = conflict &...

Sunny photo of Amhurst Road in Hackney - zebra crossing and woman walking across wide continuous pavement crossing of side road in foreground, bus and bus gate, as well as rain garden planting on both sides of road further in background.

Van crossing continuous footway from other image, obscuring rest of Amhurst Road.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

At this level crossing barriers remove through motor traffic while keeping the route open for people cycling and walking. The road alongside the railway to the station is then restricted to buses and bikes, creating a direct, safe connection into the city centre. 📍Breda, The Netherlands

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

I've used three different cabins on my sailings between Harwich and Hoek Van Holland this year so thought I may as well share a quick tour of them. Firstly, the standard cabin (the only cheaper one you can get is one without a window) youtu.be/gI2IV1eBXJ8

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Stena Britannica / Hollandica Standard cabin tour

YouTube video by Hackney Cyclist

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

When you've been in an air conditioned office since 8am, forgetting there is a heatwave and then step outside to the supermarket

Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Rijssen station in the Netherlands: ample cycle parking, a bus stop right outside, and the quickest way to leave is by bike. Safe cycle infrastructure, including an underpass beneath the road and a turbo roundabout, lets you ride away without having to mix with motor traffic.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Plenty of cycle parking at this swimming pool in Utrecht

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Vredenburg in the heart of Utrecht has one of the busiest cycleways in the Netherlands. With private cars excluded, it's reserved for buses, bikes and pedestrians and it moves tens of thousands of people every day through the city centre. Less space for cars, more space for people.

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

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Hackney Cyclist @hackneycyclist.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

After over two weeks of lovely, Smooth Dutch cycle routes coming back to Hackneys cycleways was a stark comparison

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