An EU Roadmap for Cycling
COTER-VI/013
An EU Roadmap for Cycling
As cycling has become increasingly attractive in metropolitan Europe, due to the undeniable benefits, the demands for a coordinated EU approach for promoting a paradigm shift towards cycling in the form of a roadmap have been growing among civil society organisations, MEPs and Member States.
Most journeys by bike are local and it is LRAs who are responsible for the delivery of local routes and cycle interventions, either by committing their own funding or utilising national and European funds. Many LRAs already recognise the immense benefits of cycling and the significance in boosting local economies by creating jobs and growth and are investing substantial sums in regional cycle networks and local schemes. However there is no co-ordination or clear European support to assist them or encourage other authorities to follow their lead. The growing demand for a more coordinated EU approach on cycling from the LRAs' point of view needs to be addressed. Moreover, laying out the views and wishes of local and regional authorities and the CoR should add weight to the calls of members of the European Parliament and Ministers while better contributing to any future proposals of the European Commission.
Most journeys by bike are local and it is LRAs who are responsible for the delivery of local routes and cycle interventions, either by committing their own funding or utilising national and European funds. Many LRAs already recognise the immense benefits of cycling and the significance in boosting local economies by creating jobs and growth and are investing substantial sums in regional cycle networks and local schemes. However there is no co-ordination or clear European support to assist them or encourage other authorities to follow their lead. The growing demand for a more coordinated EU approach on cycling from the LRAs' point of view needs to be addressed. Moreover, laying out the views and wishes of local and regional authorities and the CoR should add weight to the calls of members of the European Parliament and Ministers while better contributing to any future proposals of the European Commission.
The CoR was represented at the conference "Cycling into the future - a new approach to infrastructure, a new approach to policy-making at European level!" jointly organised by the Slovak EU representation and the European Cycling Federation on 14 September 2016.
https://ecf.com/news-and-events/news/cycling-future-new-approach-infrastructure-new-approach-policy-making-european
https://ecf.com/news-and-events/news/cycling-future-new-approach-infrastructure-new-approach-policy-making-european
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
- calls for an EU Roadmap for Cycling to be included in the Commission Work Programme 2018. The roadmap should address the growing demand for coordinated action at the EU level to help unlock the well-documented environmental, health and economic benefits of cycling;
- advises the Commission to embrace a target of doubling cycling across EU Member States over the next 10 years;
- requests that the European Commission establishes minimum cycling infrastructure quality criteria for relevant projects co-funded with EU money;
- calls for the EU to propose to national, regional and local authorities recommendations on better speed management and on the creation of traffic-calming measures via the introduction, among other things, of streets in urban areas with a default speed limit of 30 km/h (or 20 mph) and that take bicycles into account, making it possible for various users to coexist: pedestrians, bicycles, cars, heavy goods vehicles, emergency vehicles (ambulances, fire engines, etc.);
- advises the Commission to include cycling in its revision of the EU Green Public Procurement criteria for transport;
- advises the Commission (Eurostat) to develop a common data collection methodology and harmonised definitions for national and urban data on cycle use;
- welcomes the appointment of a cycling contact person within DG MOVE but points out that this position should be upgraded to a Commission-wide Cycling Focal Point;
- proposes to include EuroVelo, the long-distance cycle route network , in the TEN-T, thereby improving cross-border connections, developing tourism opportunities and fostering better inner-city accessibility;
- asks the Commission to support a clearing house, equipped with adequate resources, to address Member States’ and LRAs’ need for access to best practice, case studies, reports, funding possibilities, etc. on cycling.
- calls for an EU Roadmap for Cycling to be included in the Commission Work Programme 2018. The roadmap should address the growing demand for coordinated action at the EU level to help unlock the well-documented environmental, health and economic benefits of cycling;
- advises the Commission to embrace a target of doubling cycling across EU Member States over the next 10 years;
- requests that the European Commission establishes minimum cycling infrastructure quality criteria for relevant projects co-funded with EU money;
- calls for the EU to propose to national, regional and local authorities recommendations on better speed management and on the creation of traffic-calming measures via the introduction, among other things, of streets in urban areas with a default speed limit of 30 km/h (or 20 mph) and that take bicycles into account, making it possible for various users to coexist: pedestrians, bicycles, cars, heavy goods vehicles, emergency vehicles (ambulances, fire engines, etc.);
- advises the Commission to include cycling in its revision of the EU Green Public Procurement criteria for transport;
- advises the Commission (Eurostat) to develop a common data collection methodology and harmonised definitions for national and urban data on cycle use;
- welcomes the appointment of a cycling contact person within DG MOVE but points out that this position should be upgraded to a Commission-wide Cycling Focal Point;
- proposes to include EuroVelo, the long-distance cycle route network , in the TEN-T, thereby improving cross-border connections, developing tourism opportunities and fostering better inner-city accessibility;
- asks the Commission to support a clearing house, equipped with adequate resources, to address Member States’ and LRAs’ need for access to best practice, case studies, reports, funding possibilities, etc. on cycling.
