COTER-VI/013 8th Commission meeting, 31 May 2016
WORKING DOCUMENT Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget An EU Roadmap for Cycling
_____________ Rapporteur: Kevin Peel (UK/PES) Member of Manchester City Council _____________
This document will be discussed at the meeting of the Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget to be held from 10 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 31 May 2016.
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Working document of the Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget – An EU Roadmap for Cycling
CONTEXT, CHALLENGES AND THE ISSUE OF SUBSIDIARITY I.
Overall context and challenges
1.
From the 1950s onwards, transport, city and land-use planning has systematically prioritized individual motorized transportation over active mobility and public transport in many places across Europe. Car use has become the dominant mode of transportation, even for many shortdistance trips.
2.
This has created a number of severe challenges, notably climate change, air pollution, noise, road safety concerns, congestion, low quality public space, land use segregation, oil dependency of the transport sector and a drag on consumer's purchase power, and insufficient levels of physical activity among a large part of the population, etc. A study has estimated that the lack of physical activity alone causes economic costs of about EUR 80bn in the EU1.
II.
Cycle use, potential for mode shift and number of fatalities
Cycle use and the potential for shifting 3.
8% of EU citizen use cycling as the most important mode of travel on a typical day, ranging from cycling rates of 1% or less in Cyprus, Malta, and Portugal to 36% in the Netherlands. At local level, the share of cycling can be as high as 60% such as in the Dutch city of Groningen.
4.
Cycling for recreation and tourism enjoys increasing popularity across Europe; the cycling tourism industry generates an annual turnover of EUR 44bn.
5.
About 650 000 jobs are related to the cycling economy. Another 400 000 jobs could be created if cycling doubled in Europe.
6.
The potential for shifting short- and medium distance car trips to cycling journeys in the EU is very high: about 20% of car trips are shorter than 2 km, and about 40% are shorter than 5 km. About two third of all commuters live within 15 km of their workplace. Cycling can also be used for long-distance trips, particularly, when used in combination with public transport.
7.
The provision of safe and attractive infrastructure for cyclists is the key to unlocking this potential. Infrastructure improvements such as secure parking are particularly essential in and around train and bus stations, to improve the intermodal use of public and active transport.
1
International Sports and Culture Association, The economic cost of physical inactivity in Europe, 2015. http://www.friendsofeurope.org/media/uploads/2015/06/The-Economic-Costs-of-Physical-Inactivity-in-Europe-June-2015.pdf
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8.
Recent innovations in the bicycle sector add to this shift in potential: electric bicycles see a huge customer acceptance with more than 1.3 million units sold in 2015 and about 6.5 million units already populating European roads. Several local and regional authorities (LRAs) are working on the construction of cycle highways as a tool for congestion-relief and reduction of pollution. Cargo bikes enjoy increasing popularity as a realistic, cost-efficient and clean alternative for delivery of goods and services in inner cities. The EU-funded project "Cyclelogistics" calculated that 51% of all motorised trips related to goods transport could realistically be done 2 on bikes and cargo bikes .
9.
"Shift"-policies have been embraced by many local, regional and national authorities over the 3 past 10 years . 16 out of the 28 EU capital cities currently have an ambitious cycling modal share objective in place, envisioning an average growth in cycling of about 180% adjusted to a 10-year period.
Funding and economic return 10.
During the 2007–2013 Financial Perspective, EUR 600 million was invested from EU sources into cycling, or 0.7% of all EU transport investments. During the 2014–2020 period, that 4 amount is set to increase to about EUR 1.5 billion, or 1.6% of all EU transport investments .
11.
As for the new EU-Member States, EU regional and cohesion funds are the main source for national infrastructure spending.
12.
There is strong academic evidence that investments in cycling infrastructure come with a benefit-to-cost ratio of at least 5:1. The health benefits of cycling can be measured through the Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) for Cycling, developed by the World Health Organisation.
Road safety 13.
Cycling is essentially a safe activity, however reports5,6 claim that fear of safety in traffic contribute to the wide-spread perception that cycling is a dangerous activity creating a large barrier to the uptake of cycling.
14.
More than 2 000 cyclist deaths were recorded in traffic collisions in the EU in 2014 representing 8% of the total number of road deaths in those countries.
2 3
4 5 6
http://www.cyclelogistics.eu/docs/111/CycleLogistics_Baseline_Study_external.pdf. European Cyclists' Federation (ECF) / World Cycling Alliance, Cycling delivers on the global goals, 2015. The brochure lists more than 70 cities and regions that have political targets in place to increase cycling. https://ecf.com/sites/ecf.com/files/The%20Global%20Goals_internet.pdf. There is an approximate total of € 94bn for transport from the EU 2014-2020 budget (Cohesion Policy: € 70bn, TEN-T: € 24bn). This does not include other funds, such as Horizon 2020. http://content.tfl.gov.uk/analysis-of-cycling-potential.pdf. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/climate-change-and-transport-choices-segmentation-study-final-report.
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15.
The number of cyclist fatalities decreased by only 4% between 2010 and 2014, which is much lower than the number of all road users’ fatality decrease (18%).
16.
Speeding is the most important contributor to road fatalities and collisions caused by the excessive speeding of motorized transport users can be a major cause killing and seriously injuring cyclists. Casualty severity was found to increase with higher speeds 7.
17.
While the overall number of fatalities needs to decrease, there is consensus in the academic literature that the overall individual and societal health benefits of cycling are substantially larger than the potential risks.
Climate change and Sustainable Development Goals 18.
In order to meet the EU’s decarbonisation objectives for the transport sector, a jigsaw of policies is needed, including modal shift from individual motorised transportation towards cycling. Cycling can also contribute in delivering on 11 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
III.
Subsidiarity
19.
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) could strongly welcome the initiative taken by the European Parliament (EP)8 and Member States9 in asking the European Commission (EC) to present a European strategy for cycling. Member States' "Declaration of Luxembourg on cycling as a climate friendly transport mode", endorsed during the Luxembourg EU Presidency in October 2015, also calls for the installation of a European Cycling Focal Point at the Commission.
20.
The CoR could stress however that LRAs are the principal players in shaping the conditions for tomorrow’s urban and regional transport and mobility system, in full application of the principle of subsidiarity.
21.
Yet the CoR could acknowledge that a paradigm shift in transport policy is a joint effort of all levels of government, from local and regional to national, European and indeed even global, and in fact requires the active engagement of all players of civil society, including business, NGOs, trade unions and academia, etc.
7
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ %2020090417002224/http:/www.dft.gov.uk /pgr/roadsafety/research/rsrr/theme1/ppr445.pdf.
8 9
2015/2005(INI), Calls "for an EU roadmap for cycling to be included in the Commission Work Programme 2016" . Declaration on Cycling as a climate friendly Transport Mode, Informal meeting of EU minister for Transport, Luxembourg, 7 October, 2015. http://www.eu2015lu.eu/en/actualites/communiques/2015/10/07-info-transports-declaration-velo/07-InfoTransport-Declaration-of-Luxembourg-on-Cycling-as-a-climate-friendly-Transport-Mode---2015-10-06.pdf.
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POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS IV. Paradigm shift in transport policy, a new hierarchy of sustainable transport 22.
The many challenges that have come with a car-centric approach call for a paradigm shift in transport policies. This requires a new sustainable travel hierarchy, prioritizing with active modes (walking and cycling) coming first, public transport second, car-sharing/pooling third and private individual car use last. This needs to be translated into all aspects of traffic planning, including prioritization traffic flow for active transport users, investments in infrastructure, road space allocation, prioritization in highway codes, etc.
V.
Funding
23.
An EU Cycling Strategy should identify "EU policy and funding instruments that are already mobilised or that should be mobilised to increase cyclings mode share and to foster cycling related employment in the EU, and include cycling in (‌) EU policies and funding instruments" as outlined in the "Declaration on Cycling as a climate friendly Transport Mode".
24.
A forward thinking, climate- and public health proof transport investment policy, in full consideration of the Paris Agreement at COP 21, should invest at least 10% of the EU transport funds in cycling.
25.
As a general rule, every infrastructure project co-funded by the EU should consider cycling, among other modes of transport in order to avoid possible a negative impact on cycling through the construction of motorways, railways, etc. (i.e. "Cycling in all infrastructure projects" principle). Moreover, in the work programmes 2018-20 of the research and innovation programme of the EC, Horizon 2020 (Mobility for growth), cycling should be introduced as a stand-alone funding priority.
VI.
Infrastructure
26.
The EC should establish minimum cycling infrastructure quality criteria for projects co-funded with EU money so as to ensure value for the European taxpayer's money; in addition, the EC should help Member States to develop national guidance documents for the provision of cycling infrastructure and to encourage LRAs to apply them.
27.
EuroVelo, the long-distance cycle route network, could be included into the TEN-T, hereby improving cross-border connections, developing tourism opportunities and fostering better inner-city accessibility. It could be suggested to use CEF funds also for urban nodes, e.g. for the construction of urban and sub-urban (fast) cycling routes.
VII. Road safety 28.
The adoption of an EU-wide serious injury target could be supported and possible underreporting of serious injuries explored.
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29.
Better speed management and the introduction of 30 km/h in urban areas to be the default speed limit should be recommended.
30.
Intelligent Speed Adaptation systems for all new vehicles through type-approval should be phased in.
31.
Improvements to the direct vision available to drivers of heavy goods vehicles should be urged. This could be complemented by other active safety systems, such as sensors to detect cyclists to avoid collisions. The CoR should call for the speedy revision of the General Safety Regulation, in particular in relation to direct vision improvements.
32.
The EU should update Regulation 78/2009 on the type-approval of motor vehicles with regard to the protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users to also include testing procedures for cyclist protection in impact with car fronts.
33.
The EU should extend the EU Infrastructure Safety Directive on Tunnels and TEN-T infrastructure to urban and rural roads.
VIII. Urban mobility and Intelligent Transport Systems 34.
The upcoming EC guidelines on urban logistics10 should recognize the tremendous potential to shift the delivery of services and goods of up to 250 kg to e-cargo bicycles and hence recommend cycle-logistics deliveries to be the preferred option wherever possible.
35.
In that context, the EC's forthcoming guidelines on urban accessibility11 should consistently prioritise cycling; the CoR could recommend to LRAs that revenues from access restriction schemes should be partially reinvested in cycling as to create attractive alternatives for car use.
36.
As regards to multi-modality, the CoR could demand that cycling and bike-sharing schemes are fully integrated in EU legislation and EU-funded R&D schemes, in particular as regards journey-planning, ticketing, parking, etc. The infrastructure in and around bus and train stations need to be improved to facilitate the easy switching between trains, buses and bicycles.
IX.
E-mobility and public procurement policies
37.
Electro mobility policies from all governmental levels should always take (e-)cycling into account.
38.
The EC could include cycling in its revision of the EU Green Public Procurement Criteria for Transport. Procurement criteria should not only strive to make marginal improvements on cars and light commercial vehicles (LCVs) bought by public procurers, but also to achieve a modal shift towards environmentally friendly transport modes like cycling. Therefore, it should be an
10 11
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/facts-fundings/tenders/index_en.htm. http://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/urban/news/2015-11-27-guidance-acces-regulations_en.htm.
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obligatory step in procurement procedures according to the EU Green Public Procurement criteria to check if bicycles (including pedelecs) can be bought instead of passenger cars and cargo bikes (including electric cargo bikes) instead of LCVs. X.
Climate change mitigation and air quality
39.
A jigsaw of policies is needed in mitigating climate change and improving urban air quality. This includes technical solutions, shift policies as well as incentives to avoid unnecessary trips. Ambitious cycling delivery programmes should be an integral part of any climate change mitigation and air quality strategy, no matter the governance level.
XI.
Cycling data
40.
Reliable and comparable data is essential in making informed decisions and measuring the impact of policy and funding interventions. The EC should, therefore, develop a common data collection methodology and harmonised definitions for national data on cycle use.
XII. A Cycling Focal Point at the EC and the exchange of best practice 41.
The appointment of a Cycling Contact person within DG MOVE is welcome. However, this position should be upgraded to a EC-wide Cycling Focal Point ensuring inter-service consultation and coordination between EC DGs, equipped with at least one full-time equivalent (FTE) in staff resources.
42.
LRAs need access to best practice, case studies, reports, funding possibilities, etc. on cycling. The EC should support a clearing house, equipped with adequate resources, to fulfil these 12 tasks .
XIII. Doubling cycling in the EU over the next 10 years 43.
Change in policies and allocation of resources, both in human and monetary terms, are driven by ambitious political targets. Hence, the CoR could recommend the EC to embrace a target of doubling cycling across the EU-28 over the next 10 years.
44.
The EC should analyse the potential for cycling in the EU transport modal split in the long-term (2030/ 2040/ 2050), to estimate the investments and other measures needed to realise this potential and to conduct a comprehensive cost- benefit analysis with regards to the impact on the economy, health and environment, climate, energy-efficiency, etc. _____________ Met opmaak: Bij volgende alinea houden
12
The ELTIS urban mobility observatory has collected many good practice examples (www.eltis.org).
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