Brainstorming towards 2020; with flow!

December 2019

At our offices, in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, we find three people enthusiastic in conversation. They are senior engineer Alexander Beterams, mobility consultant Koen Beekhuis and communications officer Hilde Oudman. In 2019 they decided to join our team, leaving other jobs and careers behind. They share a passion for mobility, looking for synergy.

“In 2020 we will really break free from traditional thinking,” says Koen. He easily incorporates his knowledge of political science into transportation planning. “Take Dutch parking policies. I anticipate that municipalities will really embrace collaboration with companies to provide shared mobility for citizens and business customers. ”

“And that is a totally different approach than sticking to set car parking standards,” says Alexander. With twenty years of experience in the consulting world, he knows what he is talking about. “The legal need to reduce emissions, both on national and international level, will force us to develop more open-minded and unbiased new policies.”

“In which many different partners will start to come together” says Hilde. “Just like cyclists on a busy cycle path who constantly respond to changing situations and find a way together.” Alexander smiles. “As mobility consultants it is our task to bring knowledge of various types of mobilities together, supporting policymakers in both determining and implementing policy,” he says.

“Because a good mobility consultancy firm is more than just traffic engineering,” Koen philosophises. “Even meso projects can be started at micro level,” adds Hilde. “Bottom-up”.

“Take the development of the railways as an example,” says Koen. “The upgrade of a local station area can increase demand, which in itself could justify further investmens in bottlenecks of the rail network.”

“And then, as a small player, you are indeed able to approach large issues by cooperation, rising above self-interest, with sustainable solutions,” says Alexander. “Besides, it does not always have to be about large infrastructure projects.”

“No,” says Koen. “Behavioral change can also be achieved with small things, as long as you dare to look integrally.”

“Where you need each other,” Hilde continues. “Look at me on mu bike. It is very important not only to know my own direction, but also to respond to where other people on the road want to go.”

“Mobility connected,” concludes Alexander. They all laugh. We will certainly hear from them in 2020!

We wish you all a great year; with flow!

Please note consultant Koen Beekhuis has now left us and is currently working for the Dutch firm Movares.