Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have voted this week to sign off on a road safety report recommending how the European Commission can best achieve its ambition of reducing road deaths to almost zero by 2050. Led by Greek MEP Elena Kountoura of the Left group (GUE/NGL), the report emphasises the need for member states to expand upon cycling infrastructure that was deployed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) commends the report, as it is in line with our recommendations on several issues related to cycling road safety across the European Union. On behalf of MEPs, the report contains the following recommendations.

• For the Commission to do “its utmost to ensure that the cycling and walking infrastructure deployed by the member states as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic remains in place and is expanded in order to further promote safe active travel.”
• For the Commission and member states to “devise quality requirements for walking and cycling infrastructure and common EU curricula for road infrastructure auditors and inspectors, including specific training on the needs of cyclists and pedestrians.”
• For member states to “acknowledge the importance of a modal shift towards active modes such as walking and cycling and of sustainable public transport modes as important tools to reduce danger on roads, and to allocate adequate investments to this end.”
• For increased synergies between the European cycle route network EuroVelo and the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) to make cycling infrastructure safer and better connected, while stressing the importance of ensuring continuous walking and cycling paths in TEN-T projects where feasible.
• For the Commission to “come up with a recommendation to apply safe speed limits, in line with the safe system approach for all road types, such as maximum default speeds of 30km/h in residential areas and areas where there are high numbers of cyclists and pedestrians.”
• For the Commission to promote “the repurposing of public spaces, away from individual motorised transport towards sustainable, safer and healthier transport modes such as public transport, walking and cycling.”

ECF appreciates the report’s recognition of the importance of modal shift as a way of removing risk from the roads and the recognition that road safety is also about promoting active modes of transport. The recommendation of “repurposing of public spaces, away from individual motorised transport” is recognised as a sound road safety and active mobility promotional tool.

“This report reflects a genuine interest by MEPs to improve safety for cyclists,” said ECF’s Ceri Woolsgrove. “Also, for the first time, it shows a recognition of the benefits of modal shift from motorised transport to cycling and walking as a way of dealing with environmental crises and also for making roads safer for all. Safety and sustainability are two sides of the same coin, and it is great that the Parliament recognises this.”

During a debate session to introduce the report on the vote, Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli (standing in for absent Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean), said that the Commission would respond to the calls for action laid out in the report. She spoke of the upcoming changes to the Driving Licence Directive, stating that the Commission was “considering” the issues of speeding and drink driving and possible EU recommendations to address them. However, despite the recommendations from the report, there is still a need for more concrete action from the Commission regarding road safety for cycling and walking.

Cover photo courtesy of Sarah Azau via Twitter