Members are the heart and soul of ECF. The work done on the ground, delivered by committed cycle enthusiasts around Europe, proves that there is substantial hope for a world where more people cycle more often. ECF has collected only some of the inspirational examples provided by and in collaboration with its members, sealing the end of a sensational 2013 and the beginning of a new, auspicious 2014. Through these stories we want to thank you and inspire you to go even further. Together we can. 

Cycling Advocacy: It Works!

UK: Strong cycling advocacy secured over €1 billion (£913 million) to revitalize urban cycling in London. ECF’s member groups in the UK include Cyclenation, the umbrella group of city cycling campaigns, CTC, the national cyclists’ organisation and Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity. All played a very important role in making the campaigns in London successful.

Portugal: A New Highway Code which increases cyclists and pedestrian safety was put in force after ECF members Associação pela Mobilidade Urbana em Bicicleta (MUBi) and Federação Portuguesa Cicloturismo e Utilizadores de Bicicleta (FPCUB) assisted in improving a rather disappointing initial legislative draft. Portugal set another example of what can happen when governments and cycling advocacy groups work cooperatively to improve cycling in their countries.

Italy: FIAB, the national ECF-affiliated cycling lobby, has played a crucial role in nurturing what many consider a rejuvenation of cycling in Italy.  FIAB’s activity is frenetic, ranging from advocacy (among the law bills proposed: extension of the workplace personal injury insurance also to the bike commuting journey; conversion of disused railways into cycle path; introduction of a reviewed cyclist-friendly traffic code) to campaigning (events are staged on a weekly basis), to the promotion and upkeep of the national cycle route network (20,000 km planned, 6,000 already in place).

Germany: The ADFC (Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrrad-Club) has managed to get cycling in the political agenda for the last 34 years. It is one of the largest and most influential cycling advocacy organizations in the world with over 140.000 members. As the ultimate validation of ADFC influence, German Chancellor Angela Merkel opened Eurobike last August for the first time ever using the words: “Germany is a cycling nation”.

Members of the Month: Household names meet new dynamic players

Croatia: The newest member of the EU is home to a very active ECF member. Moj bickl has been active for more than a decade raising awareness in schools, campaigning with stands in public space and collaborating with municipalities and with the Faculty of Traffic Science in Zagreb to introduce transportation by bicycle. Moj bickl organized the first ever Cycling Europe Conference in April 2013 in collaboration with the Embassy of the Netherlands in the country.

France: Nantes will be the host of Velo-city Conference in 2015 because of the city’s determination at being innovative in the sphere of urban mobility as it has adapted a traffic code which allows cyclists to navigate city traffic more effectively. Many bike initiatives take place in France to promote cycling and reduce bike theft. Most of them are led or supported by the three ECF member organizations: FUB (Federation des Usagers de la Bicyclette), AF3V (Association Française des Véloroutes et Voies Vertes) and DRC (Départments et Régions Cyclables). The most recent achievement of DRC came in the form of a solid confirmation from the French government that it will co-finance regional cycling plans f0r the next six years!

Czech Republic: One of the biggest successes for Czech cycling came in last spring when the government adopted the Czech National Cycling Strategy for 2013 – 2020, which ECF member Nadace Partnerství helped elaborate as a major partner. In the field of cycling tourism, Czech Republic is criss-crossed by EuroVelo routes 4, 7, and 9, as well as EuroVelo 13, the famous Iron Curtain Trail. This route follows the whole former Iron Curtain for over 10 500km from Finland to Romania. Moreover, a well-established bike to work campaign with 5000 participants, a Shop by Bike campaign funded by the SRAM Cycling Fund in Brno and the first-ever PR campaign of Czech-made cargo bicyle as part of the CycleLogistics project complete a multidimensional story of accomplishment, inspiring to everyone.

From national governments to EU funding: ECF steers, members deliver

Hungary: The ECF has been working with its member groups to develop cycling strategies that can be used to influence national priorities for EU-funding during the financial period 2014-2020. In Hungary, key messages of cycling advocacy were presented to decision makers by a compact block of cycling NGOs coordinated by ECF, including our members Hungarian Cycling Club and Cycling Hungary Alliance. The result was a government pledge in the form of a National Cycling Chapter which commits to pursue €200 million in direct EU funding for cycling and another €200 million in indirect funding.

Ukraine: Kyiv Cyclists’ Association (AVK) is a small organization doing very well in the tough Ukrainian cycling environment. Recently AVK used the resources it got from the bicycle industry to bid for and eventually obtain an EU grant, which multiplied by more than eight times the initial amount received. This is happening in a country with a vast and largely unexploited cycling potential: a shining example of how investing in great people with a vision can lead to rich returns. 

Elina Baltatzi is the Communications Officer of ECF. She worked as a journalist in Greece and studied European Politics in Belgium. Recently she learned to bike in the city and she will not stop any time soon.