Germany‘s National Cycling Plan 2002-2012

1. Germany‘s National Cycling Plan 2002-2012 Cooperation between the Federal Level and the Länder

2. Contents • Policy resolution • Division of responsibilities for cycling policy • Federal Government-Länder Joint Working Group • Bicycle portal • Bicycle academy • Non-investment cycling projects

3. Resolution to institute National Cycling Plan passed by the German Parliament in 2002 Main goal: promotion of cycling Supporting municipalities through projects, information and PR initiatives Within the period 2002 - 2012 Cycling as a system Not solely about infrastructure Non-investment programme Four pillars Federal-Länder joint working group Internet Bicycle Portal Bicycle Academy Federal aid programme for non-investment measures Policy Resolution

4. Source: German National Cycling Plan

5. Division of Responsibilities Local • Upkeep and construction of municipal roadways and paths • Implementation and planning of specific projects Länder • Upkeep and construction of state roads • Providing the municipalities with funds for specific projects (e.g. Bike & Ride at train stations) Federal Government • Upkeep and construction of motorways • Providing the legal framework and oversees policy areas relevant to cycling

6. Financing Federal Level Regional Level: Länder Funding non-investment measures Investment Funding Administrative District Local Level (Cities and Municipalities) Responsible for Cycling: planning and implementation of specific projects

7. Government-Länder Joint Working Group (B/L-AK–pillar 1) Formed in 1998 Supervised by the BMBVS Working Group on Cycling Members representing: • Several Federal Ministries • All Länder • Leading Municipal Associations • Deutsche Bahn (German Railways) • Cyclist Associations • Other Players

8. Regulatory framework: optimizing the legal framework by granting municipalities more flexibility Coordination: overview of target-oriented operational levels and programmes at various governmental levels Tourism:intermodality with railways, marketing and enhancing of trans-regional bicycle paths Funding: reviewing expenditures/funding instruments for the practitioners database funding handbook (Förderfibel), finding approaches to reform the financing of cycling policy measures Communication: exchanging best-practice, PR measures, (inter)national knowledge transfer, organizing expert panels, workshops, establishing strategic public-private partnerships B/L-AK (2): Function and Topics Key organ of vertical integration: exchange of information between decision-makers and interest groups

9. Bicycle portal www.nrvp.de (pillar 2) Public repository of pooled know-how with 5000 entries on • federal initiatives and funding measures, • (inter)national practical examples • news updates • literature database • list of events Internal area for cooperation and coordination among cycling specialists at the federal level Newsletter to 1500 recipients • English section www.nrvp.de/en • CyE download section • news updates • international practice examples

10. Training to municipal players Organized “on location” throughout Germany Update participants on latest technical developments and changes to the legal framework Funded by the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS) Example of themes Designation of specific surfaces for cycling traffic Opening of one-way streets for two-way cycling traffic Provisions restricting cycling traffic on footpaths to protect pedestrians and improve transport safety. Bicycle academy (pillar 3)

11. Bicycle academy (2) Topics • Structural issues related to cycle path construction • Traffic safety and cycling • Legal issues related to cycling • Communication and cooperation to promote cycling Bicycle Academy as brand name for high quality practice-oriented training One-day seminars Two-day seminars Conferences Excursions

12. Non-investment projects - federal funding (pillar 4) Cycling promotion is seen by the Federal Government as an integral part of sustainable urban and transport development and contributes to • environment and climate protection • urban development • transport safety • health Therefore the Federal Government • facilitates and coordinates competitions, campaigns, conferences and pilot programmes • earmarked annual fundings (3 Mio. Euro) in the federal budget since 2008

13. Measures funded: Visible PR measures and campaigns Research initiatives Informational measures Advanced and further training programmes Transport safety improvement measures General promotion of dialogue Dissemination of information on positive impacts of cycling Spheres of action Health Environmental issues Urban development Transport Transport safety Tourism Non-investment cycling projects - federal funding (2)

14. Sources and Links National Cycling Plan 2002–2012 “Ride Your Bike”: www.nrvp.de (http://edoc.difu.de/edoc.php?id=YFGDITZ2) Second German federal government cycling report on the state of cycling in the Federal Republic of Germany, 2007: www.bmvbs.de/Anlage/original_1018367/Zweiter-Fahrradbericht-der-Bundesregierung-barrierefrei.pdf(in German) Funding guidelines, application forms, bulletins: www.nrvp.de/foerderung-bund/foerderung-nrvp/antragstellung.phtml (in German) Measures supported within the context of the National Cycling Plan: www.nrvp.de/foerderung-bund/foerderung-nrvp/massnahmen.phtml (in German) Imprint Publisher: German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu) gGmbH, Zimmerstraße 13–15, 10969 Berlin, Department Mobility and Infrastructure. Editors: Sara Van Boeckhout, Jörg Thiemann-Linden cycling-expertise@difu.de forschung-radverkehr@difu.de