Improving cycling in Italy - one piazza at a time. Photo by imagina / flickr

The proposal for a revised Highway Code in favor of cyclists in Italy is an example of the results that joint advocacy efforts can lead to. Here’s the story of how ECF member FIAB is managing to get a bunch of pro cycling measures discussed in the Parliament.

This autumn season is marking a change of pace for cycling advocacy in Italy.

Years of networking and advocacy activities have finally converged in to a detailed draft bill, to be discussed in the Parliament later this year.

Some of the measures proposed may sound revolutionary for a country with cycling modal share that has not yet reached 5%. The main ones are:

ANCI is Italy's national association of municipalities. It encompasses 7,318 members.

• reduction of the speed limit to 30km/h in urban areas;
• bidirectional traffic for bicycles;
• extension of the working insurance to covering commuting if done by bike;
• diminution of the V.A.T. on the construction of cycling infrastructure;
• shift of the burden of proof to the least vulnerable road user in case of accident.

All of this has the potential to transform the mobility habits of the Italians and their cities.

The bill is the result of the joint efforts of no less than 5 different players: successful cycling advocacy is definitely not “every man for himself”.

• FIAB, the national ECF-affiliated cycling organization (a recent article about its activity is available here).
• ANCI, the influential national association of municipalities, voice of the local authorities. Securing its full endorsement was a major achievement for FIAB, as ANCI represents the interests of 7,318 member municipalities. ANCI have been considering proposing a Highway Code revision for years.
• #Salvaiciclisti, a bloggers movement born in 2012 with the aim of raising awareness on the safety of city cyclists. #Salvaiciclisti sort of re-branded cycling advocacy in Italy and did a great job in terms of communication and grassroots campaigning.
• Legambiente, Italy’s leading environmentalist association.
• The All Party Parliamentary Group on Cycling, chaired by Paolo Gandolfi MP, liaise person between the cycling lobby and the institutions.

Italy has one of the highest life expectancies in the world. Photo by auggie tolosa / flickr.

Together they succeeded in lobbying effectively the Ministry of Infrastructures and Transports, whose Under-Secretary Erasmo De Angelis promised to draft by the 19^th of November his version of the bill, which will be analyzed in a conference with ANCI representatives.

“The Parliament will discuss the bill in the second half of December, and should it pass, a couple of years may be needed to re-write the code”, says the utterly realistic Edoardo Galatola, Chief Legislative Analyst at FIAB. “That’s why ANCI and FIAB are also pushing to come up with a ministerial decree with pro-cycling measures which don’t need the Code to be rewritten to enter into force. At the same time, the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cycling is working on a legal framework on cycling which will serve as orientation for future laws”.

The match is far from being over. Other lobbies will try to speak out, and the instability of the country’s political landscape is a constant threat to the continuity of the legislative procedure. It can’t be denied, however, that FIAB is playing their cards right: the feeling is that with so many Italians under financial pressure as well as more and more concerned about sustainability, this is a perfect time to talk the Parliament into being bicycle savvy.

About the author

Despite being totally unable to ride a bike with no hands, Alessio Punzi works as Communications Assistant at the European Cyclists’ Federation. He holds a Master’s Degree in Sports Management and has previously worked in Rome for a sports events firm.