12 December 2012

Get Involved: Get the EU to include cycling in major infrastructure schemes

Nearly 35 million people cycle every day in Europe. There are more than 100 million Europeans that cycle regularly and nearly 200,000 more people cycling regularly in England in the past 12 months. However the European Union (EU) isn’t taking cycling as seriously as it should.

Strategic EU documents have failed to mention cycling and it is at risk of being side-lined by more powerful lobby interests.

Important budgets are being decided between now and 2014, and we want to ensure that cycling is included. We need to remind the European Parliament, a democratically elected body, that cyclists’ have a voice and a place in European policy.

Policy decisions made in the EU have to be implemented in the UK, as the UK is a member of the EU. So, if cycling is excluded from transport policy decisions in the EU, it’s likely to continue to be ignored in the same way in the UK.

By putting pressure on the European Parliament, we can make sure that cycling gets the recognition it deserves both within the UK and across the EU.

On 18th December, the European Transport Committee (the body responsible for developing EU transport policies) will vote on crucial legislation on the funding rules for major infrastructure projects in the strategic European networks (called Ten-T).

Whilst these networks are principally major road, rail and transport corridors, the exclusion of cycling would mean that cycling provision such as dedicated cycle lanes, cycle friendly road crossings and major junctions and the EuroVelo network (strategic network of cycle routes across Europe) would be excluded from the funding.

Last year, the European Parliament’s official opinion was to include Eurovelo in the strategic European networks. Being included in this network would open up the path for billions of euros of investments in cycling infrastructure across Europe.

Since then the European Commission and the Transport Committee in the European Parliament have been preparing these guidelines, but have excluded cycling and EuroVelo, despite this earlier recommendation.

We need your help to change this.

British Cycling is writing to our MEP – Brian Simpson, who represents North West England – and is the Chair of the Transport Committee. However the more letters he receives the better.

Support us and write to Mr Simpson too, using this template (or write your own). Email the letter to him at brian.simpson@europarl.europa.eu (given the short timescales, there isn’t time to send it by post).

Please let us know if you write to Mr Simpson by emailing us at campaigns@britishcycling.org.uk