The European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) has launched an online dashboard that tracks progress being made in countries and cities across Europe in implementing safe space for cycling during the coronavirus pandemic – with Paris, Barcelona and Brussels highlight among the leaders.
As countries have begun easing out of lockdown, national and local governments in the UK and across the continents have been investing in active travel both to aid social distancing and to encourage people to get around other than by public transport or in cars.
“I find it inspiring to see that cities, regions and Member States are taking this as a wake-up call,” said Morten Kabell, co-CEO of ECF, whose members comprise cycle campaign groups from across the continent.
“People do not want to go back to unbreathable air and dangerous streets. We are glad to confirm that the data shows many mayors are taking the right steps to promote cycling and walking. It is the only way we can consider anything positive came out of this crisis.”
The dashboard summarises the total kilometres of measures announced and those implemented, plus the total budget allocated for cycling promotion.
Other pages include maps identifying cities where measure to promote cycling have been put in place, and leaderboards showing which countries and cities are making the greatest progress.
ECF says that in compiling the data, it has “analysed and cross-checked many sources including official and unofficial documents, plans, announcements, news items, and reports from our members on the ground from nearly 300 cities.
“Our dashboard tracks the different types of infrastructure, fiscal and other measures, their scale, as well as announcement and implementation dates.”
Examples of the type of data highlighted in the dashboard include:
A total of 1,221 km of new cycling and walking infrastructure have been announced
545 km are already rideable
€ 823,167,400 were allocated for cycling promotion
Rome has announced 150 km of cycle lanes
The extra budget allocated for cycling measures in Finland amounts to 7.8 euro/inhabitant.
Jill Warren, ECF’s other CEO, said: “Since the beginning of the recovery phase, European cities and national governments have allocated at least €823 million to active mobility; over 1,200 km of cycling infrastructure has been announced and more than 500 km have already been implemented.
“The COVID crisis, while tragic, is also a huge opportunity to accelerate positive change and reshape our cities – and we are embracing it.”
The dashboard is supported by SRAM Cycling Fund, whose director, Randy Neufeld, said: “ECF's Tracker shows that cycling access can improve rapidly at low cost. Now cities and advocates can make the case for taking action in months not years.
“The dashboard itself came together in just a few weeks, realised because of ECF's skilled professional team coupled with the reach of a network of member groups.”
Look at Life - What Price Safety? (1965)...
How would they have attracted drug dealers?
I can see why he'd want to get a nose ahead. At least he won't need a hooter to let peple know he's there.
It's probably helmets. *Runs away*
Notably, the website doesn't appear to make any claims about aero properties of the nosepiece (or the glasses themselves).
Well they don't seem to think so - apparently they'd not applied for it to be accredited to be part of the race in the first place.
I should have tagged the sarcasm in my response - I don't think we have a very joined up system in the UK! It is left to drivers' own initiative...
I suspect it extended somewhat beyond the central space pictured - there are 125 exhibitors listed on their website.
Argon18 call the Krypton an "all road" bike rather than a "gravel" bike, but in terms of the Standards (EN 17406), there is no such distinction -...
As you might guess from my profile name, I'm from a mountain biking background. Typically the MTB community are much more forward thinking and...