European Parliament Recognises the Importance of Cycling

BRUSSELS, Belgium – Recently the Transport and Tourism committee of the European Parliament recognised the role of cycling as a crucial mode of transport for urban areas. The Transport and Tourism committee reacted to the Communication by the European Commission entitled “A Sustainable Future for Transport”.

Next to recognizing the role of cycling as a crucial mode of transport for urban areas; the final report, drafted by Mathieu Grosch also calls for an increase in funding for transport concepts promoting cycling. His report was the result of a long internal negotiation process. The text aims to promote the concept of “effective co-modality” based on the most efficient use of each transport mode and addresses the pressing issues of decarbonisation of transport and road safety.

ETRA, the European Two-Wheel Retailers’ Association, lobbied strongly for the inclusion of cycling in the final report. Secretary General Annick Roetynck had meeting with many MEPs, where she successfully defended ETRA’s position, based on the defence of sustainability and transport demand management. She welcomes the adoption of the view expressed in the final report, which reflects ETRA’s concern for sustainability of transport and management of transport demand.

ETRA particularly called for the adoption of provisions specifically mentioning cycling and its role in a sustainable transport system. The promotion of cycling is central to a transport system which aims not only to lower its environmental footprint, but also to take into account the social and economic impact of transport. However the key to increasing cycle use is the improvement of cycling infrastructure, and ETRA successfully lobbied for the adoption of an amendment which foresees a 20% increase by 2020 of funding for cycle-friendly transport concepts.

The report will be put to vote in the plenary session of July 2010. It comes ahead of a Commission White Paper on transport policy for the 2011-2020 timeframe, which is expected for the end of 2010. ETRA strongly hopes that the Commission will take the opinion of the Parliament into account when drafting the document and includes provisions which rightly reflect the contribution of cycling to the EU’s aims in the fields of environment, health and competitiveness.