This past February, The European Parliament adopted its first resolution dedicated exclusively to cycling. Calling on the Commission to develop a dedicated European Cycling Strategy, the resolution also urged the Commission to recognize cycling as a fully-fledged transport mode, on equal footing with the other modes. “Cycling should be integrated into urban mobility – with cycle highways between suburban areas and city centres, secured bike parking facilities close to urban transport nodes, and affordable e-bike and bike-sharing schemes. Cycling is a valuable alternative for travel over short distances in urban and rural areas, and for tourism, but this potential has to be unlocked,” according to the text approved by the TRAN Committee.
The resolution asked for more investment in cycling-related training and awareness, encouraging more people to get (back) on a bike. According to the resolution, cycling also has the potential to create 1 million new jobs by 2030 by absorbing and reskilling workers. To achieve this, it is crucial to enhance the production of bikes and e-bikes within the EU.
Cycling can offer an affordable transport alternative for vulnerable social groups who may be exposed to transport poverty. The resolution therefore encourages Member States to develop support systems to facilitate the purchase of bicycles and ebikes along with incentives for participation in bike-sharing systems.
The European Cycling Federation expertly summarized what the European Parliament’s new resolution means for cycling on the whole.
The EU Commission is now primed to endorse a comprehensive EU cycling declaration that will set out strategic support by the EU institutions and Member States for cycling up to 2030. This will not only fortify cycling’s contribution to the EU Green Deal, it will also include the needs of business and industry to achieve the ambitious goals of the plan. A noted change in citizens’ day-to-day behaviour & mobility routine will follow with greatly improved cycling infrastructure and economic input.
An in depth communique of the Details of the EU Cycling Strategy, includes increases in each of the following sectors :
Economic Benefits In Cycling from 513 Euros (2017) to 760 Euros (2030)
Jobs In The Cycling Economy from 650,000 (2017) to 875,000 (2030)
Number of Cycling Trips Per Day from 160 million (2017) to 240 million (2030)
Number of Electric Power-Assisted Ebikes (pedal assist) in use from 6.5 million (2015) to 62 million
The European Cycling Federation’s “Euro Velo” network also recently released its vision for ramping up e-bike production and use, and more specifically, ebikes’ impact on tourism.
In tandem with this, France has just announced an expansion in their training of school children - especially those in challenged neighbourhoods with limiting financial backgrounds - in cycle readiness and inclusion. The program aims to train approximately 800,000 kids per year by 2027. This scheme will also include a French government investment of €250 million in cycling in 2023.
The European Union cycling culture has much to celebrate. The North American bike & ebike community applauds these advances, with the hope of echoing these aims, on the home-front.