Portrait of Nena Sohr and Markus Rehers

Ms Sohr, Mr Rehers, Wettringen is Germany's most bicycle-friendly municipality. What is Wettringen doing right?

Markus Rehers: Wettringen has had a cycle path network plan for a long time, which is continuously updated. The infrastructure is good: we have safe and well-lit cycle paths in the town centre, good guidance of the cycle paths into the neighbouring municipalities, many footpath and cycle path bridges that shorten some routes compared to the car route. All bus stops in the municipality have bicycle parking spaces, at the central bus station they are covered. The so-called "Triangle Project" initiated by the district of Steinfurt for commuters and touring cyclists is brand new and has been completed since May: Wettringen and the towns of Ochtrup, Metelen, Steinfurt, Rheine and Neuenkirchen are connected by 62 kilometres of cycle paths - some of which run along former railway lines. Recently, the municipal council decided to build a one-kilometre-long bicycle lane.

Nena Sohr: The award for the most bicycle-friendly municipality came from the citizens themselves - they gave their town such a good rating in the online survey of the Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad Club (ADFC) in the Climate Test 2022. Following a survey on mobility behaviour in 2022, we know that Wettringen residents cover about a third of all their journeys by bicycle. For us, this is an incentive for the future: we are thinking about further measures such as mobility stations to make it even easier to change between the different means of transport.

You both work in the city hall - what role does cycling play in your job?

Nena Sohr: Cycling contributes to climate protection, that's for sure. That's why the role of cycling is significant for me as the municipality's climate protection manager. And cycling contributes to the health of cyclists, which is a great social value. That's why in Wettringen we always think about cycling - if there is funding somewhere, Markus Rehers and I look together at what new things we can do.

Markus Rehers: The municipality has service bicycles for various purposes - for external appointments that are a little further away, there is even an e-service bike. Something special is our e-bike, which is used for emptying the public waste bins in the town centre. Every year, a team from the town hall takes part in the city cycling event and collects kilometres.

What routes do you cycle privately?

Nena Sohr: I live in Rheine - there I cycle everyday routes to do sport or to visit my parents.

Markus Rehers: I cycle in all weathers to run private errands, to work and to business appointments in town - but I also often go on tour with family and friends. I probably cycle 120 kilometres a month. Apart from that, I discovered the road bike for myself - I got a taste for it on holiday. My girlfriend gave me a voucher to take part in the beginner's race of the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro. To be honest, I still have a bit of respect for it, but I'm going to train now.

What are your best tips for routes and places to stop?

Markus Rehers: Wettringen is located on several themed routes: on the northern course of the 100 castles route - from here you can quickly reach Bad Bentheim. The Aa-Vechte tour follows the water, the next destination is Burgsteinfurt, for example. The Ems-Heide-Weide-Tour is a circular route of 107 kilometres around Wettringen. One of our specialities are the almost 20 huts in the villages around Wettringen - built on a voluntary basis from natural materials and maintained by neighbourhood groups. Cyclists can picnic under the roof or simply take a break. For coffee, we ourselves like to go to the Rothenberger Hofcafé of the Münning family, with a wide view and home-baked cakes. Another destination on Wednesday afternoons is the HeimatHaus in Wettringen: they also have cake, sometimes home-baked bread and a crafts exhibition. Signposted with a heart is the Hiärtken-Tour (High German: Herzchen-Tour): 50 kilometres around Wettringen, along the way are the Offlumer and Haddorfer lakes.

What makes the Münsterland a cycling region for you personally?

Nena Sohr: You grow up here with a bike - it's simply part of the landscape. My parents, for example, always cycled to work. When you're young, without a driving licence in the countryside, you have few alternatives but to get somewhere by bike. The acceptance of cyclists is great here. When I compare this with Hamburg: There, cyclists complain about car drivers and vice versa. I hardly ever experience that here. Cycling is part of mobility in rural areas - because the infrastructure is good for both holidaymakers and everyday cyclists, because the topography is flat and therefore easier to ride, and because it gives you a bit of independence.

What will the bicycle-friendly Wettringen look like in the future?

Nena Sohr: It will definitely be even more colourful in the townscape, because there will be the right bike for everyone: trekking bikes, gravel bikes, fixis, all kinds of cargo bikes, racing bikes and of course still the Dutch bikes. There are also plans for a pump track for BMX bikes - the young people have asked for this and have spoken to the mayor. That's what we want: a typical bottom-up project that comes from the people.

Thank you very much for the interview and have a good ride!