As advocates, understanding how politicians feel about cycling and its potential is an important part of promoting cycling, and thanks to information like this from ConBici, we can gain an insight into how the Spanish political parties viewed cycling their manifesto’s for the recent elections. After general elections on December 20, there is a new stage in Spanish politics with the emergence of two new parties. More than ever before negotiations between all parties will be necessary to find agreements.

ConBici and the Spanish National Cycling Committee (Mesa Nacional de la Bicicleta – MNB) have made a major effort in recent months to persuade all the political parties to include the First National Strategic Cycling Plan in their election manifestos. Only one party specifically mentions the national cycling plan – namely, the Socialist party (PSOE) – and we have agreed to give a special emphasis to parties that mention the plan. The Socialist party manifesto expressly states that the national cycling plan as prepared by ConBici and the National Cycling Committee shows the road ahead.

We offer here information taken from the manifestos from each party. Unlike the manifestos from the previous election in 2011, the majority of parties refer to cycling in their policies on urban mobility and the environment – and therefore it seems that cycling has become accepted by the all the parties as a means of transport worthy of promotion.

And following our intense lobbying fieldwork, these are the proposals that each party has made regarding cycling. Everyone must now draw their own conclusions. At ConBici we are satisfied that our meetings and efforts (and those of other groups and organisations) have produced results.

POPULAR PARTY (Partido Popular)

General election manifesto 2015

Ensuring safety
58. We will move towards an intelligent management of speed, especially in towns and cities, and we will favour the use of non-motorised transport such as cycling. [Page 169]

SOCIALIST PARTY (Partido Socialista Obrero Español)

General election manifesto 2015
4.4. Transport, mobility and infrastructure
In the context of sustainable mobility in cities, and within a participatory process with the National Cycling Committee and other cycling representatives, we intend to present a Strategic Cycling Plan as exists in other European states. [Page 213]

POPULAR UNITY (Unidad Popular)

General election manifesto 2015
3.3.4. Transport
Sustainable non-motorised mobility will be enhanced, encouraging the pedestrianisation of city centres. For necessary journeys, priority will be given to public transport, private vehicle sharing, and ultimately electric vehicles. [Page 40]
4.5.1. Four-year plan for social sport
We will develop a programme of rural and urban cycling routes to enhance the everyday use of bicycles. We will facilitate the use of bicycles adapted for the disabled, who may be accompanied by volunteer monitors. [Page 73]

PROGRESS AND DEMOCRATIC UNION (Unión Progreso y Democràcia)

General election manifesto 2015
9. Environment and land management
401. We will develop formulas for financial support to municipalities for limiting the use of cars and developing ambitious sustainable mobility plans that are committed to public transport and cycling. [Page 66]
11. Tourism
440. Development of sports tourism, as well as investment in services and safety measures for cycling. [Page 72]

CITIZENS PARTY (Ciudadanos)

General election manifesto 2015
XIII. Infrastructure, transportation, housing and urban planning
We will facilitate local plans, study bicycle mobility in all urban centres, establish greater safety for cyclists and a total respect for traffic rules by cyclists, with guarantees for pedestrians and the disabled. [Page 290]
XV. Environment
We will encourage the development of regional air quality plans with an effective implementation by an air quality management centre. Such plans and centres will guarantee, in coordination with the weather service and other organisations, a control of all the parameters relative to air quality. These initiatives to operate in conjunction with development plans for electric vehicles and bicycles. [Page 318]

WE CAN (Podemos)

General election manifesto 2015
Transport and infrastructure
015. Bicycles as a basis for sustainable urban mobility.
We will facilitate the accessibility of cyclists to the train and metro networks. [Page 23]

EQUO (Green party – candidate lists shared with Podemos)

General election manifesto 2015
4.3. EU and the environment
Accompanying a change in the energy model will be a change of model regarding sustainable mobility: our policy will be based on the development of public transport, the rail network and cycling. [Page 23]
10. Energy and climate change
Encouragement for mobility by foot and bicycle, which together with the electrification of urban public transport will produce cleaner cities and a healthier population. [Page 75]

10.2. Mobility and transport
Encourage active mobility and improvement in urban public transport, replacement of polluting fuels with cleaner alternatives – primarily through electrification. Encouragement of pedestrian mobility and cycling in cities, particularly for school transport.
Adoption of legislation establishing sustainable mobility planning in regions, cities, and towns – as well as within companies. New measures to manage transport demand, and encourage a paradigm shift towards public transport and shared vehicles, as well as walking and cycling. [Page 77]

REGIONAL PARTIES

CANARY ISLAND COALITION (Coalición Canaria)

2015 general election manifesto
[No reference to cycling]
2011 general election manifesto: Development of plans encouraging sustainable intermodal mobility, including facilitating walking or cycling, private and state public transport, so as to reduce congestion and emissions and noise pollution.

DEMOCRACY AND LIBERTY (Democràcia i Llibertat)

2015 general election manifesto
Transport
Revise legislation in order to encourage cycling and enhance the safety of cyclists and other environmentally friendly means of transport [page125]

CATALONIAN REPUBLICAN LEFT (Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya)

2015 general election manifesto
[No reference to cycling]
2011 manifesto: [No reference to cycling]

BASQUE COALITION (Geroa Bai)

2015 general election manifesto
[No reference to cycling]

GALICIA PARTY (Nós Candidatura Galega)

2015 general election manifesto
Infrastructures and transport
We will encourage a healthy lifestyle in transport, encourage the use of bicycles, revise the current regulatory framework, enhance the safety of cycling, and encourage decentralised planning and intercity travel by bike. [Page 31]

About ConBici

ConBici is an association (federation) of 57 cycling advocacy and environmental organisations. ConBici is a non-profit organisation under the Spanish law.  The Purpose of the Organisation is to:

• Promote the use of the bicycle as a mean of transportation and leisure
• Promote urban, interurban cycling and cycling tourism
• Recognise the right of cycling in safe conditions and promote road safety

ConBici is part of the ECF’s leadership program, a support programme to help small and medium organisations achieve their visions.