Cycling and the EU Urban Mobility Framework

There is an undeniable trend happening in cities all over Europe: transport planning is focusing more on sustainability and promoting walking, cycling and public transport. Much of this is rooted in the need to quickly cut transport emissions to contribute to national and EU climate goals. But it is also rooted in responses to citizen demands for cleaner air, safer and quieter streets, more multimodal travel options, and more livable communities.  

The EU Urban Mobility Framework sets the Commission and Member States on a good course to achieve all this. But action speaks louder than words. It is now up to the Commission to actually deliver on its commitments, and on Member States to change their transport systems in ways that prioritise sustainability over other more energy-intensive modes of transport. 

Key recommendations

Going forward, there are three things city governments can do to incorporate cycling into their urban mobility planning and align their actions with the vision laid out in the EU Urban Mobility Framework.  

1. Develop and implement cycling strategies. Cycling strategies are the basis of sound planning and effective implementation. Successful strategies promote multimodality, adjustments to the highway code that favour sustainable and active mobility, financial incentives for citizens to purchase and ride bicycles, and other actions that enable behaviour change. For this to happen a city must demonstrate bold political leadership, effective inter-departmental coordination, engage with a variety of stakeholders, set ambitious but realistic objectives, and make the right level of financial investments.  
2. Build cycling infrastructure that is safe, attractive and practical for users Across Europe. Cyclists (and pedestrians) experience a disproportionate level of death and serious injury. Providing safe cycling infrastructure is the best way to protect people who want to cycle. Investing in and building segregated cycle tracks, cycle parking and measures that decrease motor vehicle speeds and volumes are all ways to make the built environment more cycle-friendly.  
3. Offer financial incentives to citizens. Governments can provide employees with allowances in their salaries for every kilometre they cycle. Tax cuts can be provided for bike-leasing schemes which enable people to afford bikes that may be temporarily out of their price range, such as e-cargo bikes. Or cities can provide citizens with direct purchase incentives. In France, e-bike sales doubled when the government introduced a purchase subsidy.  

Cities that aspire to increase the share of cycling in their modal split can only do so through active engagement, good financial investments and attention to infrastructure. If more and more European cities take actions like these over the next five to ten years, then cycling will truly become a fully-fledged mode of transport across the continent.