CHIPS Launch Event

Date: September 14, 2016

Welcome coffee and registration: 9.30 – 10 am
Event: 10 am – 1pm
Lunch: 1pm – 2pm

Part 1: Welcome

• EU Presidency of the Republic of Slovakia
• Dr Bernhard Ensink, ECF Secretary General
• Bernd Bievert, Deputy Head of Cabinet of the Commission Vice-President Šefčovič

Part 2: Towards an EU cycling strategy

• Robert Thaler, Austrian Ministry of Environment: THE PEP Partnership on Cycling Promotion and the Pan-European Masterplan for Cycling
• Kevin Peel, Councillor Manchester City council and Rapporteur of the Committee of the Region’s report on an “EU Roadmap for Cycling”
• Adam Bodor, ECF Director Advocacy and EuroVelo: The EU Cycling Strategy: Developing a blueprint for an EU Cycling Strategy 

Part 3: Towards EU standards for cycle infrastructure?

• Lessons learnt from 3 cycle highway projects from across Europe
• European Union Road Federation (ERF) (tbc.): Infrastructure standards for motorized road transport
• Panel discussion: Do we need an EU recommendation for cycle highways?

And do we need EU minimum quality criteria for cycling infrastructure for projects co-funded with EU money?

Moderation: Geoff Meade

A doubling of cycling over the next 10 years in the EU, as the Committee of the Regions’ COTER Commission recently called for, requires the strong support of all levels of government, including the EU: hence the call of three European institutions – Parliament, Council and Committee of the Regions - for a genuine EU cycling strategy/ roadmap.

One tool to increase number of people cycling in reality, not just on paper, are cycle highways. The European CHIPS project will demonstrate that, especially in combination with the growing number of e-bikes, cycle highway innovation can effectively get commuters out of their cars. Related projects are popping up at many places across the continent, making commuter distances of 15km and more on a bicycle a realistic option for many people. With this opportunity comes the need to get it right in terms of quality, posing several questions: Do we need a common methodology of cycle highways across Europe, similar to infrastructure designed for motorized road transport? And by extension, do we need EU minimum quality criteria for cycling infrastructure for projects co-funded with EU money?