Tailor-made two-day study tour in The Hague

The Hague and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council

Given the many similarities, we proposed selecting The Hague for the study tour. In terms of historic urban development, like Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown (DLR), The Hague consists of several historic towns that have grown together, with a mix of dense built-up areas and more spacious residential areas. Furthermore, residents of The Hague region can use the Randstad Rail, a light rail system comparable to the LUAS lines. The Hague was also one of the pilot cities for the Demonstration Cycle Routes that were developed in the 1970s. The introduction of the Demonstration Cycle Route in The Hague shares many similarities with the challenges of introducing cycle routes, such as those along Deansgrange Road in DLR.

The program

The overall goal of the study tour was to inspire, to exchange, and to learn. On the first morning, several introductions were on the program to introduce the city of The Hague, local mobility culture, and a historical perspective. In the afternoon, we took the group on a cycling tour through the city, covering active travel infrastructure, network challenges, and residential areas without through traffic. The harbour area and its developments were also covered.

The second day had an early start, since a school run observation in smaller groups was on the program. This was followed by reflection and exchange. Then we moved on to a policy session with a city of TheHague staff member, who explained the current local mobility policies and their challenges. The last presentation of the day focused on translating Dutch examples and principles to Ireland, as well as adopting a positive approach to cycling home. This was illustrated by a number of projects we have conducted in Ireland over the years, such as creating cycle-friendly streets in DLR and conducting a wayfinding study in Ireland.

We concluded the study tour with a small group exchange that brought together county staff and councillors. Questions like, ‘What did we learn?’, ‘What would we like to bring home to DLR?’ and ‘How can we achieve that?’ guided the discussions.

Experiences

Participants rated the study tour an impressive 9.3 out of 10, highlighting the perfect mix of learning through presentations, discussions, and field trips, as well as the opportunity to experience it all by bike. They especially appreciated cycling around the city, exploring how seamlessly The Hague’s active travel network works. The combination of on-site learning, engaging exchanges, and networking made the experience stand out.

At Mobycon, we’ve been guiding study tours for many years, helping groups explore sustainable mobility and Dutch-inspired solutions first-hand. If you’re interested in organizing a customized study tour for your team or organization, get in touch. We’d be happy to design an experience tailored to your goals.