Regions want safer cycling infrastructure to speed up the decarbonisation of transport

​More widespread bicycle use requires more investment in safety and more efficient infrastructure, including separate cycle lanes, strict speed limits and better enforcement of traffic rules. This is the key recommendation of regions and cities, as set out in the opinion prepared by Arianna Censi (IT/PES), Deputy Mayor for Mobility in Milan City Council, adopted at the plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) on 17 April. 

Local and regional leaders welcomed the adoption by EU institutions of the European declaration on cycling, which aims to establish common guidelines for the promotion of cycling as a crucial part of efforts to decarbonise the EU's transport systems. They stressed that to achieve the EU's climate-neutrality objectives for 2025, efforts should be focused on urban areas, which are home to 75% of the EU's population.

Widespread use of cycling promotes healthy lifestyles, reduces congestion in urban areas, improves public space and promotes more cohesive communities, regions and cities stated. However, lack of safety is a major obstacle at present. To address this, it is essential to implement appropriate infrastructure for cyclists, including dedicated cycle lanes completely separated from motor vehicle lanes, safe speed limits and a strict enforcement of road traffic rules. CoR members also call on the European Commission to fund the implementation of innovative cycling infrastructure under Horizon Europe.

Local and regional authorities play a vital role in implementing policies and developing infrastructure that promotes cycling. Their involvement in the development of the European Commission's future cycling mobility strategies is crucial to ensure effective implementation at the local level.

Multimodal platforms facilitate the smooth transfer of urban and suburban transport systems, enabling different modes of transport, including cycling, to be combined on a given route. Local and regional leaders are calling for multi-level governance and effective cooperation between national governments, local and regional authorities, transport operators, and other stakeholders to develop and strengthen effective solutions for multimodal transport.

Regions and cities are calling for a review of the regulatory frameworks for cycling at national and European levels in order to define indicative minimum European standards for the design and quality of cycling infrastructure, to promote safety and the widespread use of bicycles. They stressed the importance of gathering data on cycling in urban areas to formulate effective and appropriate public policies.

Finally, the CoR encourages municipalities and competent authorities to promote the safe use of bicycles and to carry out road safety awareness campaigns. The CoR also calls for the creation of a European Car Free Day and increased visibility for World Bicycle Day on June 3.

Quotes:

Rapporteur Arianna Maria Censi (IT/PES), Minister for Mobility of the City of Milan, said: “The European Declaration on Cycling is not only about bikes. This declaration is an instrument and an expression of the will of the European Committee of the Regions and the European Union to change the design of our cities in the future, to facilitate connections organise the relations between city centres and peri-urban and rural areas, and to offer a different life to Europeans, individually, and collectively, as a society."

More information:

The proposal for a European Declaration on Cycling was adopted by the European Commission in October 2023.

On 3 April the European Parliament, Belgian presidency of the Council of the European Union and European Commission signed the European declaration on cycling.

Building the mobility of tomorrow – Regions & Cities stories – video produced by European Committee of the ​Regions

Contact:

Name: Ângela Machado

Tel: +32 475 41 31 58

Angela.machado@cor.europa.eu