Key EU vote paves way for billions of euro to be invested in cycling

I, like many opthers, got this email from Brian Simpson MEP, chair of the EP transport committee:

"Many thanks for contacting me and for taking an interest in European Transport policy.

I agree with you that cycling has to be part of any future transport solution that is serious about tackling congestion and pollution. This is particularly the case for urban areas where because of the relatively short commuter distances there is clear potential to promote cycling and get people out of their cars.

However I do not agree that the right place to promote cycling, or more specifically the Eurovelo routes, is via the TEN-T network, which is a transport network dedicated to creating major passenger and freight transport links between and within EU countries. This is for two main reasons:

To fund European Transport policy we need money from the national Governments and as you may be aware, in light of the current economic climate and the state of play on the EU budget negotiations, it is very unlikely that the Transport budget will get the funds needed to invest in the crucial missing links and bottlenecks that leave massive gaps in our current transport infrastructure (and that would serve completely different objectives from the ones associated with the Eurovelo network).

That is why the European Parliament wants to target the available money on major transport infrastructure that will really contribute to UK as well as EU growth and jobs while meeting environmental and climate change objectives. At this moment in time massive gaps in rail and water-borne transport links across Europe hold back our sustainable transport agenda. I would argue that it is the development of rail and water-borne transport which really has the potential to reduce pollution and congestion on the scale needed, providing viable alternatives to road or air transport. This has to be a priority.

The second reason is because I see the Eurovelo network as being mainly of value for tourism purposes and I think it is important to distinguish here between where cycling can help meet EU transport objectives and where it better falls under tourism policy. There have already been several initiatives, under the EU's new tourism competence, to support and fund cycling projects, such as the Iron Curtain Trail. I fully support these initiatives and believe these are the correct place to carry on funding cycling associated with tourism. I also fully support the proposal to include bicycle infrastructure for long distance cycling paths such as the Eurovelo routes, where for instance bridges or tunnels are built/adapted with TEN-T money.

Where cycling can be part of the sustainable transport solution is for the type of cycling that I have mentioned at the beginning of my email, where cycling can be used as an option to replace car use or even public transport use in mainly urban areas. The EU only has a limited role when it comes to policy-making at local level and while I fully believe that cycling should be an integral part of national urban mobility policies, it is the responsibility of the UK Government and UK local authorities to create better bike infrastructure as part of better urban infrastructure planning. We in the European Parliament have always pushed for national Governments to do more to promote cycling within urban mobility plans, but obviously many Governments see this as unwanted interference from Brussels. We will have another stab at this mid 2013 when the European Commission comes forward with new policy proposals on urban mobility.

To reiterate, I fully agree that cycling can bring benefits in terms of reducing pollution and congestion, while at the same time proactively address health concerns. We need to ensure that EU policies are geared towards measures that promote cycling, particularly in urban areas, where cycling can really be part of the sustainable transport solution. This is something I will be committed to doing during the revision of the EU urban mobility legislation."

While I wrote to urge him to change the resolution, I have some sympathy with his responses. The TEN-T European Network needs to focus on sustainable long-distance passennger and freight transport. If this puts cycling on teh European radar that is good, but what we really need is something which gets infratsructure prokects at a local level moving.

A pool of EU cash for local projects would be good, but in my view what woudl be more useful wodl be some form of EU harmonsiation directive compelling national and local governments to observe certain standards of provision. The big problem with our local government in this country os that it is largely run by elderly amateurs who have no vision, respond to dog-whistle pressure from noisy and entitled residents, themselves often older, and they are too conservative (small c). National polliticians tend to be more thoughtful, but until local government has to build cycle infra to minimum standards as they must with roads in general, we might as well whistle for it.

I'm a great believer in the Eurovelo network and the possibilities it opens up. Not many people go all the way from Munich to Paris (although some do!) as so eruditely put by Simmo72 - but when you think of the routes as cycling motorways, they begin to make sense! You don't have to drive from London to Leeds on the M1, you can get off at junction 2 if you like
Andrew Sykes
Author of 'Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie'
http://CyclingEurope.org

I like the look of turning right at Calais and riding on down to San Sebastián. Put some decent hostels along the way and it looks like a winner to me.

I am not sure about plans for non-stop Munich-Paris bike route but if this provides more funding for local councils to make it safer to cycle to the shops then I am for it.

Read the article. The fact that cycling has been included in the TEN-T funding is an important stepping stone in the campaign to get 10% of the European transport budget spent on cycling.

I'm not getting this. Is this a map of the network? Surely cycling needs local councils and local government drawing up plans for their own area. A European network is a waste of time. I want to know I can ride safely down my local road, not if I can cycle from Munich to Paris non stop. The EU once again is talking gobshite.