On Wednesday morning, the ProVelo association held a protest on the Grand Duchess Charlotte Bridge, highlighting what they describe as “unacceptable” conditions for cyclists and pedestrians.
The dispute centres on a 350-metre section of the bridge, where preparations for Saturday’s festivities have narrowed the pavement, forcing pedestrians and cyclists to share the space. The only alternative for cyclists is a detour through vehicle traffic.
In response, ProVelo organised a protest during the morning rush hour, escorting groups of cyclists across the road to demand safer passage. The association criticises the municipality of Luxembourg City for having, in their words, “once again” forgotten about soft mobility.
“For the umpteenth time, cyclists have been forgotten,” said Monique Goldschmidt, President of ProVelo. She explained that their primary concerns are cyclist safety and the clear separation of bicycle, car, and pedestrian traffic. “The first thing you have to do is look after the vulnerable road users,” Goldschmidt stated.
She also pointed to a recent radio interview with Mayor Lydie Polfer, who acknowledged that crossing the road at that location is too dangerous. “On that, she is absolutely right,” said Goldschmidt. “We are crossing safely with the cyclists in groups this morning, and if they had wanted cyclists to get across safely, they could have easily arranged for that,” she criticised.
Although a 30 km/h speed limit has been retrospectively imposed by the Ministry of Mobility, observations suggest few drivers are adhering to it. “And nobody is checking, either,” added an annoyed Goldschmidt, underscoring the reason for the association’s direct action.
ProVelo has questioned why the city council did not simply designate a traffic lane for cyclists. However, Patrick Goldschmidt, a member of Luxembourg City’s municipal executive board (“Schäfferot”), countered that such a solution would be impractical.
He explained that the volume of traffic on the bridge makes closing a lane unfeasible. As an example, he cited a July event where a lane was closed 30 minutes early, causing a traffic jam that stretched “all the way to Cloche d’Or.”
“This means there is such a volume of cars at that spot that it was not feasible for either the state or the municipal authorities to close a lane there,” Goldschmidt stated. He added that a dedicated cycle lane would have needed to be dismantled and reassembled nightly during the setup for this week’s festivities.
Among the cyclists affected, who are currently required to walk their bikes across the bridge, reactions on Wednesday morning were mixed. Many found the situation challenging, particularly those with cargo bikes. One parent commented, “With the cargobike and two kids, it’s just too difficult to walk all over the bridge and with other pedestrians coming and other bikes coming. It’s actually creating a more difficult situation.” Another pointed to a physical hazard, noting, “What’s more, the barriers are dangerous with their splayed feet. If two cyclists try to pass each other, there’s not enough room.”
Others, however, were more accepting. One cyclist shrugged off the inconvenience, saying, “It’s alright. You just have to get on with it [...] It takes me five extra minutes, it’s nothing.”
Patrick Goldschmidt emphasised that the change on the throne is an “exceptional” event and suggested cyclists could “surely” accept a temporary time loss of three minutes. For the time being, he asserted that the pavement remains the safest place for cyclists.
In response to the ongoing situation, ProVelo has announced a further protest for Wednesday evening at 5.30pm at the Schuman roundabout.
