COMPARISON OF NATIONAL CYCLING POLICY IN EUROPEAN
COUNTRIES
Mrs GeneviŁve LAFERRERE, Civil Engineer
Center for studies on urban planning, transport, utilities and public
constructions
1. A REPORT TO BUILT THE FOUNDATIONS OF AN EFFECTIVE POLICY
 Cycling is an inevitable part of the solutions for today s transportation
problems
In each European country we can find one or several decision-makers that
have declared something similar in the last months. Nevertheless it is obvious
that cycling policies are not at the same level everywhere in Europe.
The Centre for studies on urban planning, transport, utilities and public
constructions (Certu) is a component of the ministry of public works,
transportation and housing. The Certu assists ministries, state agencies,
municipalities, technicians and also user groups on urban fields. In 1999 the
president of the French national cycling committee asked Certu to realise a
 Comparison of European national cycling policies to help the French
government to build the foundations of an effective bicycle promotion strategy.
This analysis tries to provide readers
" A better understanding of the potential of cycling
" A greater appreciation of the links between cycling and other policies,
non only transport, but also land use planning, environment, economy,
health and road safety
" An opportunity to discover similarities and differences useful to
understand what is transferable and what is not in each country.
2. THE METHOD OF ENQUIRY
The study had to be realised in a short time and had to be easy to read by
each minister or technical advisor. The challenge was to give them some clue
to have a coherent action for significant results. So the aim was not to give a
complete overview of the situation regarded to the different laws in different
fields in each European country. I decided to work on official documents and
reports. I adopt a similar plan for each country: some information on the
national and historical cycling background; description of transport, land use
and road safety policies. Then I asked to national cycling experts to confirm
the contents of the digest.
3. THE LEADERS, THE FOLLOWERS AND THE BEGINNERS
If we consider the date of the beginning of cycling policies, we can see that
Europe is divided into three groups: the leaders, the followers and the
beginners. In each group, I have tried to choose the more significant actions
that contribute to increase the level of bicycle use. Netherlands and Denmark
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are identified as leaders, Germany and Switzerland belong to the followers
group. The beginners are United Kingdom, Italy and Belgium.
3.1 The Netherlands: leader of the leaders
Everybody knows that the Dutch experience is a success story. In this country
a high level of prosperity matches a high level of bicycle use. The historical
background gives some keys to understand this success: since 1975 the
Dutch government supports a bicycle policy but 1990 is the most important
date because the Bicycle Master Plan has been adopted. The strategy
consisted of the following five steps:
Dealing with the source: this means limiting vehicle access to towns
and areas of natural interest
Reducing and managing mobility: this requires shorter distances
between places where people live, work, shop and spend their free time
Improving the alternatives to the car: bicycle, public transport and
carpooling
Providing selective accessibility by road
Strengthening the foundations: communication, government co-
operation at all levels, financial helps, enforcement and research.
Each target has quantifiable objectives to reach in a limited time.
3.2 Germany tries to follow the example of the leaders
This country has a federal government so a lot of decisions are taken on a
local level. Since 1980ies, the environmental issue is an effective subject of
anxiety but the promotion of bicycle use is very different from one region to
another. It seems that main policies are not enough co-ordinated to give
significant results.
3.3 United Kingdom in the good direction
The minister of transport has adopted a National Cycling Policy in 1996. A
National Cycling Forum promotes good practises and co-ordinate the actions.
In the White Book published in 1998, the government recognises that the
bicycle is a means of transport, which can play a part to reach economic and
ecological goals in urban areas. Several municipalities have a cycling officer.
Walking and cycling is promoted in schools and the project  safe routes to
school has a big success. The actions are concerning infrastructures, parking
(more for bicycles, less for cars), but also land use with the Planning Policy
Guidance n� 13: to have financial, municipalities and County Councils must try
to reduce mobility with small distances between main places, in order to have
compact towns. The effects are very slow because it takes time to introduce a
changeover from car to bicycle and perhaps it may be necessary to increase
the communication on this subject.
3.4 Italy a good example for France and south European countries
The law number 122 well known as  Tognoli law introduced in 1989  Zona a
Traffico Limitato (ZTL), an efficient tool to discourage car use in the town
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centres. Urban spatial plans like  Piani Urbani del Traffico (PUT),  Piani
Regulatori Generali (PRG) or  Piani Urbani di Mobilitą (PUM) has to be co-
ordinated to reduce mobility, pollution and use of energy and also to increase
road safety. Even small towns with 30 000 inhabitants must have a PUT: in
France, it s only compulsory for big cities with more than 100 000 inhabitants.
In 1998, the Italian government has voted a financial law  norme per il
finanziamento della mobilita ciclistica to help regions to realise cycling
facilities.
4. LESSONS LEARNT FOR MOVING CYCLING FORWARD
The first important lesson given by the experience of the  leaders and also
the  followers countries is that the construction of a network of bicycle routes
is not enough to increase bicycle use. Simultaneous representatives must
discourage car use, promote guarded bicycle parking and inform regularly the
population about the advantages of cycling for a sustainable development and
for healthy.
The second lesson is about the role of the actors and the success of a
decentralised approach: the central government has to promote bicycle
research and to take restrictive decisions on car use like raising taxes on cars
and petrol, enforce a selective expansion of road infrastructure. The local
decision-makers have to decide where and when they will realise facilities.
The third lesson is about the co-ordination of the main policies (spatial
planning, environment, transport, traffic safety, and education) with common
links between objectives and measures. For example spatial planning is an
important tool for reducing car use through concentrating residential areas
and work locations in a  compact city and in the vicinity of public transport
junction. A bicycle policy needs a coherent plan with other policies, with
quantifiable targets for the 10 next years, with concrete projects and actions
on cyclist safety, theft prevention and communication.
5. CONCLUSION
The  Comparison of European national cycling policies has been published in
March 2001. This overview of the situation in 7 countries gives ideas and
examples of implementation on what to do to develop a national cycling
policy. Political declarations are not enough: people need acts, examples and
framework to change.
6. BIBLIOGRAPHY
General texts
2001 PLUS n�49 (1999) Ma�triser l �talement urbain : politiques men�es dans
4 pays
CEMT (2000) Circulation routiŁre : usagers vuln�rables
Certu (1999), PDU : prise en compte de la pollution de l air, du bruit, et de la
consommation d �nergie
Certu (1999) Une politique de stationnement : pourquoi ? Comment ?
European Commission (1999) Villes cyclables, villes d avenir
MELT / DRAST (2000) L �volution r�cente de l ing�nierie routiŁre en Europe
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Tilman Bracher (1988), Policy and provisions for cyclists in Europe, European
F�d�ration of Cyclists (ECF)
Transport durable  XXI E congrŁs mondial de la route(1999)  Kuala Lumpur
Velocity, Proceedings
The Netherlands
Gabrielle Bouleau (1999) Annales des Ponts et Chauss�es n� 92
Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management (Mars 1999) The
Dutch Bicycle Master Plan; (January 2001) Facts about cycling in the
Netherlands
Denmark
Danish Road Directorate (November 2000) Collection of cycle concepts;
(January 1998) Urban Safety management
Germany
ADFC/NRW Radstation: Bericht 1996 bis 1998
Federal ministry of transport (1999) Bericht der Bundesregierung �ber die
Situation des Fahrradverkehrs in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Guido Gremler, V�loplan, (Intervention ENPC 1995) La politique cyclable en
Allemagne
United Kingdom
National Cycling Strategy (July 1996)
Oliver Hatch (April 2000), interview in FUBICY congress in European
Parliament of Strasbourg
Oxford University Press (1992) Cycling towards Health and Safety
Italy
Traffic Technology International review (oct/nov 2000) ZTL
Switzerland
Fondation � Suisse, pays du cyclisme (1996) Les itin�raires cyclables
suisses
Publications VSS de l Union des professionnels suisses de la route
Rue de l Avenir - Groupe Conseil romand -
Belgium
Inter Environnement Bruxelles - 5Łme colloque sur les d�placements urbains
 juillet 1995
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