Swiss bike lobby calls for faster progress on infrastructure
The government must shift gears to more quickly work towards its goal of doubling bicycle traffic by 2035. This is what the organisation Pro Velo is calling for on World Bicycle Day on Monday, asking for five measures to be taken.
Pro Velo, the association that defends the interests of cyclists, welcomes the government’s initiative announced on May 23 as a roadmap for two-wheeled traffic. The organisation is pleased that it presented targets for the first time at the Veloforum in Zurich, which was supported by the Federal Roads Office. However, more needs to be done to achieve the goal of doubling bicycle traffic, it wrote.
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Pro Velo is therefore calling on the federal government to co-finance more cycling infrastructure. Instead of the current 1% of transport infrastructure subsidies dedicated to cycling-specific infrastructure, they are calling 5%. A training campaign should bring in more experts for bicycle planning.
Traffic law and technical standards should be designed to be cycle friendly. Cantons and municipalities should have information and advice centres that they are able to turn to. And an annual cycling conference should bring all stakeholders together, wrote Pro Velo.
In 2018, the UN General Assembly declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day. As a simple, inexpensive and clean means of transport, the bicycle has great potential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN 2030 Agenda. In a resolution, the General Assembly called on states to increase road safety and promote the use of bicycles.
According to its website, Pro Velo represents the interests of everyday cyclists. It is made up of 40 regional associations with over 42,000 members.
Adapted from German by DeepL/dkk/ac
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