Green Transport

More people cycling more often

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Parent Category: Green Transport

Category: 2011 Green Transport

Published on Wednesday, 25 May 2011 20:30

Written by Luca Salvatelli

With his powerful and inspiring dialogue at the International Transport Forum (ITF) in Leipzig, Manfred Neun, President of European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) rings in a new era in the history of the ITF. This year’s summit has cycling firmly on the agenda.

Focusing on “Transport for Society,” the ITF‟s 2011 conference takes a closer look at the social aspects of transportation policies, providing an important opportunity for ECF to bring cycling into the discussion. During a plenary session on „Mobility Rights, Needs, Expectations and Costs‟ featuring 6 panel members ranging from academics to automobile and airline associations, Neun was keen to highlight the current imbalance, “in a lot of places public space has become car space and is no longer public space. This is a real problem facing democracies.”

Panel member and Director of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, Enrique Peñalosa, also agreed strongly with Neun‟s position on mobility rights, noting that, “The most valuable resource is road space. How should we distribute this road space? If we live in democratic societies, we should give more priority to pedestrians and bicycles.”

With no carbon emissions and an efficient use of public space, ECF presented cycling as both an important form of active mobility and a powerful tool for changing transport systems and mobility behavior. It was stressed how crucial it will be in the „Great Transition‟ to a post-fossil economy, long overdue in the transport sector.

Issues concerning „access‟ were also high on the agenda. David Metz, Visiting Professor from University College London, UK stated that “cost benefit analysis has previously been based on the time saved (when travelling)... but travel time hasn‟t been reduced in the past 40 years. We need to relook at the indicators and focus on access.” The lower costs of cycling makes a bicycle an attractive vehicle for people of all income levels. ECF is pushing for improved and greater cycling infrastructure to reflect this notion of equal access.

Referring to the “Charter of Seville,” Neun called upon all Ministers to recognize and acknowledge the documented advantages and benefits of cycling as a daily mode of transportation.

Tomorrow, (Thursday, 25 May) Manfred Neun will be presenting at the innovators platform, outlining his vision for the future of transport and especially the role of E-Bicycles in E-Mobility.