The annual meeting is an opportunity for the NECC/Cs to network with each other and share experiences and best practice.  It also allows the ECF to present the latest developments in the central coordination of the EuroVelo network.

This year’s theme will be ‘Creating a sustainable European cycle route network’ and will be focusing on the measures that are required to realise all the EuroVelo routes by the planned completion date of 2020.  We are very honoured because the hosts of the meeting – ecoplus, the Business Agency of Lower Austria (which is the Austrian National EuroVelo Coordinator) – have arranged for it to be held in the Palais Niederoesterreich, the spectacular building in central Vienna, which used to be the home of the so-called Estates, the precursors of the Lower Austrian Parliament.

A draft Agenda has been prepared:

NECCC Meeting Agenda 100613

The event is open to representatives of all NECC/Cs and organisations interested in becoming NECC/Cs, as well as others involved in developing the routes across Europe.  If you are interested in attending please contact the ECF using the Contact page on this website.

“Girona is a nice old city situated one hour north of Barcelona by train.  The historic centre, known as the Barri Well, is definitely worth visiting with its cathedral and university still surrounded by the original city walls.  Girona also has good facilities for cyclists, including the well-established Via Verde (green cycle route) connecting the town with the Costa Brava and the Pyrenees.

The Via Verde has recently been incorporated within a wider cycle route called Pirinexus, which covers 351 km and forms a circuit around the border between Catalonia and France.  The route would form a good basis for an interesting week-long cycling holiday because it has been developed as a touristic product with accommodation facilities, sights, museums, tour operators, bicycle rentals, website, map and guidebook already in place.  The planning and implementation of Pirinexus was undertaken with funding from European Regional Development Fund within the POCTEFA program.

The eastern leg of the Pirinexus circuit actually forms part of EuroVelo 8 – Mediterranean Route and as part of the project EuroVelo signs have been installed.  This is an important moment because it is the first part of the EuroVelo network on the entire Iberian Peninsula to be opened and signed with EuroVelo signs.

The opening of Pirinexus was celebrated with a conference in Girona 20th March 2013 organized by Consorci Vies Verdes de Girona.  The Director, Gerard Darnés, had invited me to speak about the visions of the EuroVelo project (in Spanish!).  Gerard is involved with trying to establish a National EuroVelo Coordination Centre in Spain to coordinate the further development of EuroVelo network there and I wish them every success because cycle tourism in Spain is a winning combination!”

Photo: The panel discussion at the conference in Girona (Gerard Darnés seated far right, Jens Erik Larsen in blue)

You can find more information about the Pirinexus route here.

Following the decision by the European Parliament’s TRAN Committee before Christmas to propose a reference to EuroVelo in the TEN-T Regulations, it is extremely important that other European Institutions are made aware of the importance of the European cycle route network and the need to finance its implementation.

We were very pleased therefore to hear that the Romanian MEP Daciana Octavia Sârbu of the the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Party (S&D) had submitted a written question to the Commission asking:

“As a co-financer of the EuroVelo project, will the Commission ensure that those routes most in need of investment, such as the Iron Curtain Trail, receive priority funding?”

In the preamble to these questions, she wrote that “The EuroVelo network plays an important role in promoting cycling by providing a safe, well‐maintained environment in which to cycle within and between European countries. The existence of a EuroVelo route can help to promote lesser-known tourist destinations and bring investment and growth to the communities it passes through.”

“Although many parts of the EuroVelo network are well established, some routes still require significant development to make them viable for many cyclists. One of these is the ‘Iron Curtain Trail’, which runs for over 10,000 km from the Barents Sea to the Black Sea.”

In their response, the Commission referred to the fact that in recent years it has supported various projects related to the Iron Curtain Trail (EuroVelo 13), which resulted in the development of implementation plans for different sections of this specific trail.  It has also co-financed projects related to the EuroVelo network aimed at strengthening its central coordination and increasing its tourism potential and visibility.

The Commission also indicated that cycling infrastructure investments can be financed under the EU cohesion policy, in particular the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).  Again, we have been successful in applying for this type of projects in recent years, for example the Demarrage (EuroVelo 15) project.

Whilst the Commission’s support of these specific projects is of course appreciated, the response indicates that unfortunately there is still a reluctance to take on a more leading role in developing the network at a European level.  This will inevitably make it harder to realise the entire network by 2020.

Heartened by the increasing cross-party support EuroVelo is receiving in the European Parliament, the ECF will continue to push for the other European Institutions to demonstrate that they genuinely understand the importance of having a complete EuroVelo network in place by establishing a more consistent funding stream.

To view the question and answer in full on the European Parliament’s website click here.

The main new feature of the revamped website veloland.ch is the search facility which enables you to search all communities in Switzerland for nearby routes and services.  Another new feature is the integration of Alpentaxi, a non-profit organisation that provides a service bridging the distance between the last railway station and the mountains.  Local taxis, pre-bookable buses and cable cars help you to reach even the most remote mountain destination in an environmentally friendly way.

Regular visitors to the website will notice that the entire website has been redesigned graphically and the visitors guide has been further simplified.

As we have reported previously, SwitzerlandMobility Foundation also have a free app that can be downloaded from their website.

More information www.schweizmobil.ch

Review of the National Cycle Routes
A full review of the exiting national cycle routes has been undertaken by consultants, Foreningen Frie Fugle.  Their final report – ‘National Cycle Routes – change of route process’ – has recently been published and can be viewed on their website.  Looking at all 11 national cycle routes, the report makes specific proposals for improvements to the individual municipalities through which they pass.  For example, by highlighting where there are problems with signposting or suggesting alternative routes away from motor traffic that will be more suitable for cycle tourists.

Of course, some of these routes form part of the EuroVelo network and the report contains proposals for the signage of the 4 EuroVelo routes in Denmark and emphasises the importance of visiting places that will be of interest to international users, such as the centre of Copenhagen.

The hope is that the report will encourage the municipalities to make the much needed updates to the world’s oldest signed cycle route network.

The Panorama Project
Two of the most iconic national routes in Denmark form part of the EuroVelo network – the North Sea Cycle Route (EuroVelo 12) and Copenhagen to Berlin (EuroVelo 7).  These routes are the focus of the ambitious ‘Powered by Cycling: Panorama’ project which aims to help the ailing tourism industry along the Danish coasts by adding a bicycle experience to holiday goers’ visits .

Initiated by the Danish National EuroVelo Coordinator, the Danish Cyclists’ Federation (DCF), Panorama will connect these iconic routes along Denmark’s East and West coasts to local tourist attractions, so as to lure holiday-makers away from their sun loungers and onto a saddle.  Tourism along Denmark’s coastal areas has suffered a decline in visitors over the past decade and one of the reasons has been due to the lack of activities for people to try.

Project Manager Jesper Pørksen explains that “The Panorama project will provide holiday goers an activity and an opportunity for a unique experience.  Bicycling is a great way to discover the views and places close to the coast while getting some healthy exercise.”

“The word Panorama was chosen because it describes well what awaits you along the Danish coastline: a splendid view of the seas and of the infinite sky above the flat and bicycle-friendly Danish landscape.  Powered by Cycling refers to the more serious part of the project: that bicycle tourism is one of the means for inducing growth in remote areas.”

The 3.3 million euro project is co-financed by the European Union and runs until 2015.  For more information please contact the DCF on dcf@dcf.dk.

It’s hoped that both the Review of the National Cycle Routes and the Panorama project will help lift cycle tourism in Denmark and enable it to catch up with those countries that have overtaken it in the years since the first network was mapped.

EuroVelo and cycling tourism at Velo-city Vienna

Wednesday 12th June

• European Cycle Routes and Cycle Tourism: How to Establish, Organise and Operate National Coordination Centers and Manage Individual Routes Sustainably – Adam Bodor, ECF (Hungary/Belgium)
• The Booming Business of Cycling Friendly Service Schemes: Is Cooperation at a European Level necessary? If so, is it Possible to Establish a European Standard? – Daniel Mourek, Nadace Partnerstvi (Czech Republic)
• Releasing the Potential of Danish Cycle Tourism: A Collaborative Effort Across Sectors - Jesper Pørksen, Danish Cyclists’ Federation (Denmark).
• Classification of ADFC Premium Cycle Routes: The Story of a Qualification Process – Wolfgang Richter and Raimund Jenner, ADFC and Mandy Schwalbe-Rosenow, Büro Radschlag GbR (Germany)

Thursday 13th June

• Is the Niche Market of Cycle Tourism Appropriate for Your Community? Success Stories from Australia – Christian Haag, Bicycle South Australia (Australia)
• Market Research for Bicycle Traffic: The Measurable Importance of Bicycle Traffic in Everyday Life and Tourism – Michael Vieten, Ingenieurgesellschaft and Andrea Tiffe and Mandy Schwalbe-Rosenow, Büro Radschlag, (Germany)
• Sustainable Web Solutions for Cycling Tourism: How to Ensure Integration and Cooperation Between Different Technical Approaches – Ed Lancaster, ECF (UK/Belgium)
• Justifying Investments of EuroVelo Routes Through Monitoring, Evaluation, and Impact Assessment: Is a European Standard for Comparison Possible? – Christian Weinberger, ecoplus (Austria)
• The Cycle Station: Repurposing a Gas Station as an Information Post for Cycling Tourists – Jesper Pørksen, Danish Cyclists’ Federation (Denmark)
• Cycling Holidays of the Germans, 2008-2013: Monitoring Market Development and the Economic Effects on Cycle Tourism in Germany and Abroad – Ulf Keutmann, Trendscopse (Germany)
• Cycling Tourism and Public Transport Systems in South Tyrol/Italy: A Challenge with Smart Solutions – Hugo Götsch, Südtirol Rad  Bici Altoadige (Italy)
• Cycle Tourism Using Pedelec in the Heritage Island of Okinawa – Hariuhiko Yamasaki, Ryukyukokusaikogyo Co Ltd and Hirotaka Koike, Utsonomiya Kyowa University (Japan)

For more information on the conference, including how to register, click here.

The full programme has recently been published and can be seen here.

National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and Coordinators Meeting: Creating a sustainable European cycle route network

The annual National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and Coordinators Meeting will be held the day before Velo-city starts on Monday 10th June. This year’s theme will be ‘Creating a sustainable European cycle route network’. We are very honoured because the hosts of the meeting – ecoplus, the Business Agency of Lower Austria (which is the Austrian National EuroVelo Coordinator) – have arranged for it to be held in the Palais Niederoesterreich, the spectacular building in central Vienna. Further information will be available closer to the time from this website.

Day 1

EuroVelo is represented with two booths at the ITB Berlin this year – the ECF’s central EuroVelo booth and a specific one related to EuroVelo 15 – Rhine Route (see picture below).  Both of them are looking good and attracting a lot of attention this morning – the first of three trade days.

This afternoon we attended the press conference of the German National Tourism Board (GNTB) where it was reported that the economic crisis is over, at least in the tourism sector.  Last year the number of international travellers increased by 3.8% to just above 1 billion according to the UNWTO.  2012 was also the best year on record in Germany in terms of the number of registered visitors helping it to became Europe’s second largest tourism destination after Spain.  The number of overnight stays alone increased by 4% to 407 million.

Petra Hedorfer, Managing Director of the GNTB and the former President of the European Travel Commission, added a note of caution however, when she reminded the audience that the growth in the German tourism sector will be limited, if its European neighbours do not see improvements to their economies over the coming years

Tomorrow is the big day for the Rhine Route, as there will be a press conference and the launch of the new EuroVelo 15 website.  We will be there and let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Day 2

The day kicked off with the press conference of our German National EuroVelo Coordination Centre, the ADFC.  They presented lots of interesting statistics about the German cycle tourism market, including:

• The recently published Bett&Bike Guide for 2013 included a record number of registered accommodation providers (5,400).
• The trend for people taking their bikes on international trains increased in 2012.  DB recorded 50,961 such journeys last year.
• The most used cycle routes within Germany were those along the rivers Elbe, Rhine and Danube.  The fastest growing route for future trips is the Rhine Route (EuroVelo 15), which saw an 6% increase in the number of people planning to cycle it.
• The most popular foreign cycle route for German cycle tourists was the Danube (EuroVelo 6).
• The most popular foreign destinations were Austria and the Netherlands.  The most popular regions were Sudtirol, Mallorca and Tuscany.
• For more information about the ADFC’s Cycle Travel Analysis see here.

Next up was the press conference of the Rhine Cycle Route in the frame of the Demarrage Interreg IVB Project:

• The EuroVelo route now offers the service cycle tourists expect: a transnational internet site containing all the vital information as well as new bookable products, services and packages.  The new website – www.rheinradweg.eu – brings together for the first time on a transnational level, all the highlights along the whole cycle route.  On the international level, users can easily access country or regional specific sub pages.  The new website is a European trailblazing project.  Its structure serves as a role model for all EuroVelo routes.  The information for cycling tourists is available in four languages: German, English, Dutch and French.  In addition to data and facts about each section of the route, users can discover far more: from riverside places of natural and cultural interest to museums and ports and to regional culinary highlights like wine and cheese tastings.  The website has everything to turn a trip along the Rhine Cycle Route into a special experience.
• Another result of the Demarrage project can be viewed on the website – an overview of the events that make up the so-called ‘RheinRadSommer’ (Rhine Cycle Summer).  Under this motto, over 40 open-air events along the Rhine that take place annually from May until September will be brought together under one umbrella.

Day 3

Today the focus was on the EuroVelo booths, which have been generating lots of interest all week. At the Rhine Cycle Route booth they were particularly happy with the interest being shown in the route by journalists and tour operators. Both the general Rhine Cycle Route brochure and the Rhine Cycle Summer leaflet proved to be very popular and visitors were also treated to some cycle-shaped pasta – a tasty reminder of the route once they have returned home from Berlin.

At the ECF’s central EuroVelo booth we were proudly showing off our new map and website.  We had arranged for the first 1,000 maps to be sent to Berlin so that we could distribute them at the fair and they have proved to be such a hit that we will be coming back empty handed!  Just a week after having been launched, www.eurovelo.com was also causing a stir with lots of positive feedback and ideas for new information that can be entered over the coming weeks.

Away from the booths, there were lots of useful meetings with tourism bodies and private tour operators who would like to communicate their products and services through the EuroVelo system.

For almost half a century, Europe was divided into East and West by the ‘Iron Curtain’, a border stretching from the Barents Sea to the Black Sea.  The German MEP Michael Cramer came up with the idea of the Iron Curtain Trail to give an insight into European politics, culture, history, nature and sustainable tourism.

The new project, named ‘Iron Curtain Trail’ (or ‘ICT’ for short), is supported by the South East Europe (SEE) Programme and aims to develop and promote the EuroVelo13 route.    There are 15 partners from across the South East Europe Region.  Whereas former projects on EuroVelo 13 have focused on the tasks of establishing an organisational structure and an agreed route, this one begins to deliver on the realisation of the route, particularly in terms of cycling friendly services and public transport connections along the way.

The project’s specific aims are  to connect SEE regions by the ICT; to improve the accessibility of the SEE regions by bicycle; to connect cycling and public transport opportunities and to promote cycling and combined sustainable transportation as a means of sustainable mobility.  It also provides opportunities to exchange experiences and transfer know how among partners involved.

The project’s kick-off meeting took place between the 5^th and 7^th February 2013 in Szombathely, Hungary. On the first two days, the partners discussed the detailed work plan of the project.  On day 3, the meeting was opened up for a wider professional audience from the Austrian-Hungarian border region.  Michael Cramer MEP and Ádám Bodor, Director responsible for the EuroVelo network at the European Cycling Federation (ECF), gave presentations on the EuroVelo network and cycling tourism in the EU and, more specifically, on the EuroVelo 13 route and the Iron Curtain Trail.

The compromise amendment made reference to incorporating cycling, tourism and EuroVelo infrastructure as complementary measures to the approved TEN-T network.  Whilst this was someway short of the ECF’s goal, which was to get the European cycle route network formally recognised as part of the TEN-T network, it nevertheless represents a significant step in the right direction – there had been no reference to cycling at all in either the European Commission’s original proposal or the initial report prepared by the Rapporteurs (the MEPs chosen to lead on preparing the European Parliament’s response).

The positive outcome can be partly attributed to a successful lobbying campaign undertaken by the ECF and its members and the National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and Coordinators (NECC/Cs). The ECF have been working on this project for nearly 2 years and during the course of 2012 increasingly started involving the NECC/Cs in the discussions. In the week’s leading up to the vote it became clear that the Rapporteurs were not responding to the messages and therefore a citizens campaign was launched, working with social media, member networks and personal contacts, whereby individuals across Europe were encouraged to contact their representatives on the Committee. It was the first time that the ECF has run such a campaign and it definitely had an impact.  Some MEPs indicated that they would vote against their party blocks to support the proposal.

Our voice was heard. If the cycling world hadn’t mobilized, then cycling and EuroVelo would have been sidelined by other forms of transport. Even worse, large scale transport infrastructure projects would have ignored the needs of cyclists,” explains Bernhard Ensink, Secretary General of ECF.

“This vote represents a significant change in attitude and a first step in the right direction. The European Parliament Transport and Tourism Committee have shown that they can improve cycling conditions across the continent by giving cycling the investment it deserves. The gates for more investment in cycling are now open.”

The next major step is for the report, now including the compromise amendment, to be considered by the European Parliament’s Plenary although the date has yet to be agreed. There is an opportunity to raise again the option of including the whole of the EuroVelo network in the TEN-T. The ECF is currently exploring whether there is enough support to push for this and will develop a lobbying campaign accordingly.  Once approved by the Plenary, the European Parliament will enter into discussions with the Council to approve the final text for the TEN-T regulations, so there is still some way to go.

Some parts of this article first appeared on www.ecf.com.

27th February – Launch of EuroVelo.com and the new EuroVelo Map

After months of preparations, March will see the launch of not one but two major new EuroVelo promotional tools.  The first is an update of the EuroVelo overview map.  The map has been completely updated based on the latest information from our National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and Coordinators (NECC/Cs) and other partners.  Complementing the new map will be EuroVelo.com – the website for people interested in cycling holidays in Europe.

6th-10th March – ITB Berlin and launch of EuroVelo 15 website

Following on from a successful debut of the ECF/EuroVelo booth at the world’s leading travel trade fair last year, we will be heading back to Berlin in March for this year’s event.  Last year, 172,132 visitors attended the fair, so it will be the perfect occasion to show off the new EuroVelo map and website.  If you are attending the fair, please drop by and see us – we will be in Hall 4.1 on booth 212.  If you have any EuroVelo-related material that you would like us to display on our stand please send them to the ECF’s Office (Rue Franklin 28, 1000-Brussels, Belgium) by Monday 4th March.  Please also send us an email to EuroVelo@ecf.com so that we know to expect a delivery.

The ITB Berlin will also see the launch of the new EuroVelo 15 website.  Integrated into the EuroVelo.com structure, the website will be used as a template for the individual route portals that will be developed over the coming years.  The website has been developed as part of the Demarrage project and the project team will also have a booth at the fair.

10th June – National EuroVelo Coordination Centres and Coordinators Meeting

With last year’s Velo-city Global conference being held in Vancouver, the annual NECC/Cs Meeting was organised to coincide with the first ever EuroVelo, Greenways and Cycle Tourism Conference in Nantes, France.  This year however, Velo-city returns to ‘The Old Continent’ and so the NECC/Cs meeting will be held just before the conference kicks off, as has traditionally been the case.  We are very honoured because the hosts of the meeting – ecoplus, the Business Agency of Lower Austria (which is the Austrian National EuroVelo Coordinator) – have arranged for it to be held in the Palais Niederoesterreich, the spectacular building in central Vienna, which used to be the home of the so-called Estates, the precursors of the Lower Austrian Parliament.  Further information will be available closer to the time.

11th-14th June – Velo-city Vienna

As set out above, Velo-city 2013 will take place in Vienna and it is already shaping up to be an incredible event.  The programme is still being agreed but it will definitely include some cycling tourism-related presentations.  For more information, visit the official Velo-city 2013 website.