Barcelona’s BiciBus set to extend with Shimano's Bike Bus Accelerator programme

A group of children and parents ride to school together, following a set route at a set time, picking up more riders along the way. It is as joyful as it is simple, and wherever it works, it quietly changes the way a neighbourhood thinks about its streets.

The Bike Bus Accelerator exists to take that idea further and faster. Initiated by Shimano and delivered by the global NGO BYCS, it is a multi-year programme that helps people start, grow and sustain bike buses, making a safe and fun ride to school the norm for more children across Europe.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, families in Barcelona’s Sarrià district started a regular bicibús to help children cycle safely to school. The concept quickly spread across the city and then to other parts of Catalonia, with bike buses now also operating in Vic, Olot and many other Catalan towns and cities.

Unique

What made Barcelona unique from the beginning was the combination of weekly rides, large numbers of participants, strong community organisation and international visibility. It was a concept that also caught Shimano’s attention, leading the company to support the original founders of the BiciBus movement, including Xavi Matilla, Anna Xuriguera and Oriol Bota, in helping the idea grow beyond the Catalan-speaking territories.

There are currently around 20 bike buses operating in Barcelona, but the ambition is to create many more across Europe through the Bike Bus Accelerator (BBA), which was presented during the Tour de France Grand Départ in Barcelona last July.

In this first phase, the programme will focus on six key European cities facing different cycling mobility challenges: Barcelona, Lisbon, Vienna, Glasgow, Utrecht and Copenhagen.

Together with the cycling NGO BYCS, Shimano Europe’s programme is built around three pillars. The first is Knowledge, sharing expertise on route planning, safety guidelines and lessons learned from established bike buses. The second is Connection, creating a network where parents, teachers and volunteers can learn from one another. The third is Tools, providing practical resources and, later this year, a grant programme to help launch new bike buses and support existing ones.

Future of cycling

Ties van Dijk, Advocacy Specialist at Shimano Europe, says that millions of people want to cycle but are held back by barriers that should not exist.

“With this programme, we want to break down some of these barriers,” says Van Dijk.

“Infrastructure alone is not enough. To secure the future of cycling, we must make it easy to maintain bicycles, ensure children can ride safely, and continue investing in systems that support everyday cycling, today and for generations to come. The Bike Bus Accelerator fits this vision.”

“This movement belongs to the parents, teachers and children who ride every week. Our role is the one we know best: being the part that helps all the other parts move together. A bicycle only works when every component does its job, and a bike bus is no different. We’re proud to support the programme to help grow, launch and raise awareness of bike buses across Europe.”

Photography: Shimano Spain