About ECF's UK members

London has planned to spend over €1 billion (£913 million) to revitalize urban cycling. Such changes would not have been possible without a strong advocacy movement. 

You've probably heard the news. London's cycling revolution has been backed with money, big money. More than one billion euro. 

The capital’s ambitious new cycling plan backs Dutch style infrastructure with strong commitments on better cycle routes, traffic restriction and ‘Little Holland’ style developments. The £913m investment forms part of a ten year plan with the majority of infrastructure to be built within the first four years. 

So how did this change come about? Well, credit should definitely go to bicycle advocacy groups who brought about this change. The ‘game-changing’ plan was in large part due to their hard work. 

London's new cycling commissioner, Andrew Gilligan said: "“Both the Mayor and I pay tribute to the London Cyclists’ Campaign, journalists, bloggers and other campaigners for driving the issue so far up the political agenda."

Advocacy: it works. 

If you want proof that bicycle advocacy works, then here’s your answer. In every city where we have seen big increases in expenditure on cycling there has been a vibrant community of advocates driving the change. We need to ensure that there are groups like our UK members in every city in Europe.

 In London, a committed advocacy movement was able to unlock more than €1 billion in funding for infrastructure. In the US, federal investments in cycling and walking rose as high as $1.4 billion per year after sustained advocacy by industry and civil groups such as Bikes Belong. Likewise in Germany, the national advocacy group ADFC was behind a government plan to increase the share of cycling to 15% by 2020. Other cities in Europe, such as Munich, have seen cycling triple to nearly 20% because, advocacy, industry and politicians were all speaking from the same page. 

But if we want 35 million more cyclists by 2020, then industry and advocacy must act united. And we must act today. 

I'll be speaking to the bicycle industry at the Tapei International Cycle show later this month, and I will be talking about the power of advocacy to bring about change.