EUROBIKE, Friedrichshafen, 30-08-2007

The annual general meeting of the ECF adopted in May “The ECF Declaration of Bern” on ‚More cyling – it’s  role in the climate debate and ransport policy’. At the Eurobike 2007 ECF President Manfred Neun presented this document yesterday to the Oberbürgermeister of Friedrichshafen, Josef Büchelmeier, one of the politicians and officials  who can play an important role in promoting cycling in Europe.

Velo-city 2007 Conference in Munich showed the way from vision to reality

The Velo-city conference 2007 in Munich in June was the most visited Velo-city in history. 958 delegates from 51 countries exchanged know how and experience over four days. EU Commissioner Jacques Barrot sent a video message showing his interest in promoting cycling. Lessons learned from Munich are that cities can increase the share of cycling in transport very fast if political leaders decide to invest in bicycle infrastructure and other measures to promote cycling.

ECF calls for a minimum of 10% of all transport budgets for cycling

The ECF calls on the European transport authorities, at all levels, immediately to set targets for radical growth in cycling levels, and to make an immediate commitment to invest a minimum 10% of transport budgets in cycling measures. The European Commission should give cycling a central role in the coming Green Paper on Urban Transport.

European Commission and the member states rejected the resolution of the European Parliament on transport of bicycles in all trains in Europe

The European Parliament voted last year compulsory for every train in Europe to transport bicycles. Unfortunately the European Commission and member states rejected this resolution. They agreed instead on a text that will allow train companies in Europe to fail to transport bicycles in some international and high speed trains. Bicycle tourism in Germany for example is growing, but the Deutsche Bundesbahn reduced the transport of bicycles in long distance trains by about 50%. ECF calls for expansion and improvement of cycle tourism infrastructure, such as the European cycle route network EuroVelo, and the carriage of cycles on all long distance trains.

More info via:

Dr. Bernhard Ensink, ECF Secretary General – GSM: +31641744350 – b.ensink@ecf.com