Physical inactivity is one of the leading risk factors for health and is estimated to attribute to one million deaths per year in Europe. Estimates of the direct (health care) and indirect costs of physical inactivity (loss of economic output due to illness, disease-related work disabilities or premature death) are alarming.  In the EU, physical inactivity can be estimated to cost about 150-300 euro per citizen per year.

On the contrary, physical activity – such as cycling- has significant benefits for health. It reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers, helps control weight, and contributes to mental well-being. Moreover, taking part in physical activity increases opportunities for making friends and feeling part of the community. Thanks to conclusive findings over the past decade regarding the importance of physical activity as health determinant, there now exists a solid foundation for a strong call to action.

Cycling and walking at the forefront of WHO’s Draft Global Action Plan 

for promotion of Physical Activity

New approach to promoting physical activity moves cycling and walking to head of the pack. WHO has published a consultation version of its new Global Action Plan for the promotion of Physical Activity (#GAPPA).

“GAPPA puts the full power of cycling and walking for transport into the headlines – or into top gear you might say” said Dr Randy Rzewnicki, the ECF Health Policy Officer who supported the process. “We are very happy that WHO sees the contribution that cycling and walking make to preventing NCDs (non-communicable diseases), and the tremendous potential that can be tapped in to. The ECF’s recent experiences with the development of the EUCS were valuable input supporting the goals and the process WHO proposed,” said Rzewnicki referring to the EU Cycling Strategy presented to Violetta Bulc of DG MOVE at the European Commission.

Read more about the WHO's Draft Global Action Plan here.

Biking to UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 with the World Heart Federation

We've long been fans of cycling for tranSPORT, cycling to sport, and even now and then cycling as a sport, as long as you're doing it yourself! As ECF’s health policy officer I'm not really a big fan of major sports events. That’s first and foremost because they involve masses of people sitting down passively consuming physical activity done by others. So it's a real joy to hear what our friend Matthew and his Healthy Stadia team has cooked up with together with UEFA and the World Heart Federation. 

Here’s what they have to say:

Fans and staff travelling to UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 fixtures in the Netherlands are being encouraged to walk and cycle to host stadia in a bid to boost heart health, burn calories and protect the environment. Thousands of fans, including women, children and families from all over Europe, will travel to the Netherlands this summer for UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 all eager to see a festival of football. Interest in women’s football has grown enormously over the past decade, but this growth in the professional game has not been matched with an increase in physical activity amongst women across Europe.

Often the easiest way to be active is to walk or cycle as part of your everyday lifestyle. Therefore, the European Healthy Stadia Network, in partnership with UEFA and the World Heart Federation, has developed a mobile app to encourage fans and staff attending UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 matches to consider walking or cycling to host stadia in order to boost activity levels, and present Active Travel as a viable means of transportation for supporters on a matchday.

Read the full story here.

HEALTH & CYCLING: Your EU money at work promoting cycling

Cities across the EU are keen to learn how to get people out of their cars, walking & cycling instead.

From Cork in Ireland to Riga in Latvia, and Tartu, Estonia; from Aarhus, Norway to  Aviles, Spain& Ferrara, Italy; they came to Gdansk, Poland in early April.  They  came to this Polish mecca to hear from other cities and technical experts what can be done about the problems of traffic congestion, air pollution, obesity, and a myriad other issues related to the overuse of private motor vehicles.

What they heard

The city of Antwerp will use the challenge of major roadworks in the city to their benefit as they inform companies and employees on alternatives to car use.

Donostia/San Sebastian is contacting people who are new to the area, i.e. recently moved into the area by reaching parents at 6-8 schools.  

In Gdansk schools compete to walk and cycle more. Veronica Reynolds from Intelligent Health says “Its great fun for kids & schools.” Grzegorz Krajewski, the Project Manager, Active Mobility Team  said that “the competition was one of the driving factors for the schools to join the proect.”

2015 is the “Year of Walking” in Vienna, and the city is going all out for the occasion. For one thing the so called Cycling Mayor, Maria Vassilakou, Vice-Mayor and Vice-Governor, has gotten a new crown. In 2015 she is the Walking Mayor.

They published a map for specially pedestrians (order yours here in German)  which includes shortcuts that are only possible on foot. They also placed 1000 diamonds around the city that can be collected by intrepid walkers with smart phones.

“What Vienna has done with their map is really enlightened,” says Jim Walker from Walk21, a technical expert. “They’ve taken a boring map and existing data and put a new front end on it, which makes it an exciting tool for people to use.”

A lot of cycling and cyclists were involved in the production of the walking map of Vienna according to Petra Jens (link in German). She’s the woman behind the scene, some of the time at least, for pedestrians in Vienna. “It took us quite a while to make the cycling map of Vienna, (link in German)  and we learned a lot.,” she said.  As a result “We were able to make the Vienna walking map in just a few short months. Now it’s close to sold out and we’ll have to have another printing.” The quiet smile of satisfaction on her face belied a pride that runs deep in this city official working for active mobility in Vienna.

For more information see the SWITCH website

About Switching

Switch is an innovative EU – funded project, focuses on life changing moments when people transfer schools; move home; or receive medical advice to increase their physical activity.   Switch campaigns target willing people and provide personalised travel plans to support an interest in walking and cycling more. 

Switch Travel – a practical resource to help reduce urban car traffic by encouraging the Switch from short car trips to walking and cycling. An enthusiastic group of experts (including ECF) and lead cities from across Europe combine practical expertise with a clear and transferable methodology and tried and tested examples of locally effective campaigns. Switch can improve the air quality, health, economic vitality and quality of life in urban areas by reducing green house gas emissions.  Switch can also help transport policies across Europe to deliver an increase in walking and cycling for short journeys in urban areas. Embracing active travel Switch demonstrates with real-life evidence of successful behaviour change campaigns  that it is entirely possible to encourage people to Switch from cars to walking and cycling for most urban trips in Europe.

The full list of cities registered for the SWITCH City workshop in Gdansk on 9/4/15

5 pioneer EU citieswho are partners in the EU co-funded SWITCH project, Antwerp, Gdansk, Hounslow, Donostia/San Sebastian & Vienna.

Follower cities included: Ploiesti, Bologna, Palma de Majorca, Riga LT, Ferrera  (IT), Dresden, Aarhus, Almada, Vitoria, Norwich,  W London, Ponferrada, Heerhugowaard, Ljutomer SLO, Cork, Bielefeld,  Oostende (BE), Sofia BG, Tartu, Prague, Koprivnica, Nova Gorica, Southend-on-Sea, Krusevac, Aviles ES, Bielefeld DE, Tartu EST

Gdansk was one of the first Polish signatories of the Charter of Brussels, with a goal of 15% modeshare for cycling and a 50% reduction in cyclist crashes and fatalities by 2020. The city committed itself to be a pioneer and use its Switch Campaign as a corner stone to help them realise their ambitions. Recently the city was one of the first in Poland to open one way streets to contra-flow cycling. “Now we get official visits from other Polish cities. They come to see how it works here” a resident of Gdansk said proudly.